# 2002 in paleontology

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Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 2002.

## Plants
### Gymnosperms

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Ginkgo dissecta | Sp nov | Valid | Mustoe | Early Eocene | McAbee site, Kamloops Group | Canada | | |
| Pinus matthewsii | Sp nov | Valid | McKown, Stockey, & Schweger | Pliocene | Ch'ijee's Bluff, Bluefish Basin | Canada | | |

### Angiosperms

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Hymenaea mexicana | sp nov | Valid | Poinar & Brown | Late Oligocene - early Miocene | Mexican amber | Mexico | A species of Hymenaea, producer of Mexican amber | |
| Trifurcatua flabellata | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Mohr & Rydin | Lower Cretaceous | Crato Formation | Brazil | putative monocot | |

## Arthropods
### Insects

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Cretomerobius wehri | Sp nov. | Jr synonym | Makarkin, Archibald, Oswald | Ypresian | Klondike Mountain Formation | USA | A drepanepterygine brown lacewing. Moved to Proneuronema wehri in 2016 | |
| Dolichoderus kohlsi | Sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. | |
| Dolichoderus longipilosus | Sp nov | valid | Dlussky | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | A Dolichoderine ant | Dolichoderus longipilosus |
| Dolichoderus nanus | Sp nov | valid | Dlussky | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | A Dolichoderine ant | Dolichoderus nanus |
| Eoformica globularis | Sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Wyoming | A ant of uncertain placement. | |
| Eoformica magna | Sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Wyoming | A ant of uncertain placement. | |
| Fibla (Reisserella) cerdanica | Comb nov | Valid | (Nel) | Late Miocene | | Spain | An inocellid snakefly, moved from Miofibla Nel, 1994 | Fibla cerdanica |
| Formica gustawi | Sp nov | valid | Dlussky | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | A formicine ant | Formica gustawi |
| Klondikia | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Klondike Mountain Formation | United States Washington | An ant form genus of uncertain placement. Type species K. whiteae | |
| Kohlsimyrma | Gen et 2 sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Colorado | An ant form genus of uncertain placement. Type species K. laticeps also includes K. gracilis and K. longiceps | |
| Mianeuretus eocenicus | Sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Colorado | An aneuretine ant | |
| Myrmecites | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Colorado | A myrmicine ant form genus. Type species M. rotundiceps | |
| Pachycondyla labandeirai | Sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Wyoming | A ponerine ant. | |
| Ponerites | Gen, 3 sp et 1 comb nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Colorado | A ponerine ant form genus. Type species P. eocenicus Also includes P. coloradensis, P. hypoponeroides, & P. umbrus (moved from Ponera umbrus 1932) | |
| Proiridomyrmex | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Dlusskys & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Colorado | A dolichoderine ant form genus Type species P. vetulus | |
| Solenopsites | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Dlussky & Rasnitsyn | Ypresian | Green River Formation | United States Colorado | A myrmicine ant form genus. Type species S. minutus | |
| Wesmaelius mathewesi | sp. nov | valid | Makarkin, Archibald, Oswald | Ypresian | Coldwater Formation | Canada | first description of fossil Wesmaelius | |

## Conodonts
### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Eolinguipolygnathus | Gen et comb nov | valid | Bardashev, Weddige, & Ziegler | early Devonian | | | An eopolygnathid conodont, type species E. dehiscens moved from Polygnathus dehiscens (1967) | |

## Archosauromorphs
### Dinosaurs
#### New taxa

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Agnosphitys | gen et sp nov | Valid | Fraser, Padian, Walkden, & Davis | late Triassic | | England | A possible chimera | Agnosphitys cromhallensis |
| Anabisetia | gen et sp nov | Valid | Coria & Calvo | Late Cretaceous | Cerro Lisandro Formation | Argentina | An Iguanodont | Anabisetia saldiviai |
| Aucasaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Coria, Chiappe, & Dingus | Santonian | Anacleto Formation | Argentina | An Abelisaurid | Aucasaurus garridoi |
| "Byranjaffia" | gen nov | Nomen nudum | Novacek | Late Cretaceous | | Mongolia | Officially named Byronosaurus | |
| Crichtonsaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Dong | Late Cretaceous | Sunjiawan Formation | China | An ankylosaurid | |
| "Cryptovolans" | gen et sp nov | Junior synonym | Czerkas, Zhang, Li, & Li | Aptian | Jiufotang Formation | China | Jr synonym of Microraptor | |
| "Epidendrosaurus" | gen et sp nov | junior synonym | Zhang, Zhou, Xu, & Wang | Late Jurassic | Yixian Formation | China | jr synonym of Scansoriopteryx | |
| Erliansaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Xu et al. | Late Cretaceous | Iren Dabasu Formation | Mongolia | A Therizinosauroid | Erliansaurus bellamanus |
| "Fusinasus" | gen et sp nov | Junior synonym of Eotyrannus | Hutt | Early Cretaceous | Wessex Formation | England | Jr synonym of Eotyrannus | |
| "Huaxiasaurus" | | Nomen nudum | Rey | | | | Officially named Huaxiagnathus in 2004 | |
| Incisivosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Xu, Wang, & Chang | Barremian | Yixian Formation | China | An Oviraptorosaurid | |
| Liaoceratops | gen et sp nov | Valid | Xu et al. | Berremian | Yixian Formation | China | A Ceratopsian | Liaoceratops yanzigouensis |
| Pycnonemosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Kellner & Campos | Bauru-type red conglomerate sandstone | Maastrichtian | Brazil | An Abelisaurid | |
| Scansoriopteryx | gen et sp nov | Valid | Czerkas & Yuan | Late Jurassic | Yixian Formation | China | Possible junior synonym of Epidendrosaurus | |
| Sinovenator | gen et sp nov | Valid | Xu et al. | Early Cretaceous | Yixian Formation | China | A Troodontid | |
| Sphaerotholus | Gen. 2 sp. nov | Valid | Williamson & Carr | Late Cretaceous | Kirtland Formation, Hell Creek Formation | United States ( Montana, New Mexico) | A pachycephalosaurine; originally described with two species, S. goodwini and S. buchholtzae. | Sphaerotholus |

### Birds
#### New taxa

| Name | Status | Novelty | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Adelalopus | Valid | Gen. et Sp. nov. | Mayr & Smith | Early Oligocene | Borgloon Formation | Belgium Flemish Brabant | A palaelodid Type species A. hoogbutseliensis | |
| Aegialornis germanicus | Valid | Sp. nov. | Mlíkovský | Middle Eocene | | Germany Saxony-Anhalt | An Aegialornithid | |
| Archaeotrogon nocturnus | Valid | Sp. nov. | Mlíkovský | Eocene or Early Oligocene | Phosphorites du Quercy | France | An archaeotrogonid | |
| Athene trinacriae | Valid | Sp. nov. | Pavia & Mourer-Chauviré | Pleistocene | | Italia Sicily | A strigid owl. | |
| Belonopterus downsi | Valid | Sp. nov. | Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | La Brea Tar Pits | USA California | A charadriid lapwing. | |
| Camusia quintanai | Valid | Gen. et Sp. nov. | Seguí | Pliocene | Vroeg-Midden | Spain Menorca | A gruid crane. | |
| Cathayornis aberransis | ?Valid | Sp. nov. | Hou, Zhou, Zhang, & Gu | Valanginian | Jiufotang Formation | China | A cathayornithid | Cathayornis |
| Cimolopteryx petra | Valid | Sp. nov. | Hope | Maastrichtian | Lance Formation | USA Wyoming | A cimolopterygid moved to Lamarqueavis petra in 2010 | |
| Collocalia manuoi | Valid | Sp. nov. | Steadman | Quaternary | | Cook Islands | An apodid swiftlet. | |
| Colymboides belgicus | Valid | Sp. nov. | Mayr & Smith | Early Oligocene | Borgloon Formation | Belgium Flemish Brabant | A gaviid. | |
| Delphinornis arctowskii | Valid | Sp. nov. | Myrcha et al. | Eocene | La Meseta Formation | Antarctica | A spheniscid penguin. | |
| Delphinornis gracilis | Valid | Comb. nov. | (Wiman) | Eocene | La Meseta Formation | Antarctica | A spheniscid penguin Moved from Ichtyopteryx gracilis (1905) | |
| Enaliornis seeleyi | Valid | Sp. nov. | Galton & Martin | Early Cretaceous | | UK England | An enaliornithid | |
| Eocathayornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Zhou | Valanginian | Jiufotang Formation | China | An enantiornithelian, Type species E. walkeri | |
| Giganhinga | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Rinderknecht & Noriega | Pliocene-Pleistocene | San José Formation | Uruguay | An anhingid Type species G. kiyuensis | |
| Gigantohierax | Valid | Gen et Sp. nov. | Arredondo & Arredondo | Quaternary | Cave deposits | Cuba | An Accipitridae Type species G. suarezi | |
| Halimornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Chiappe, Lamb Jr., & Ericson | Early-Middle Campanian | Mooreville Chalk Formation | USA Alabama | An Euenantiornithalean Type species H. thompsoni | |
| Hesperornis bairdi | Valid | Sp. nov. | Martin & Lim | Campanian | Pierre Shale Formation | USA South Dakota | A hesperornithid | |
| Hesperornis chowi | Valid | Sp. nov. | Martin & Lim | Campanian | Pierre Shale Formation | USA South Dakota | A hesperornithid | |
| Hesperornis macdonaldi | Valid | Sp. nov. | Martin & Lim | Campanian | Pierre Shale Formation | USA South Dakota | A hesperornithid | |
| Hesperornis mengeli | Valid | Sp. nov. | Martin & Lim | Campanian | Pierre Shale Formation | Canada Manitoba | A hesperornithid | |
| ?Idiornis anthracinus | Valid | Sp. nov. | Mayr | Middle Eocene | | Germany Saxony-Anhalt | A cuculid cuckoo Moved to Dynamopterus anthracinus (2013) | |
| Jeholornis | Valid | Gen et Sp. nov. | Zhou & Zhang | Early Cretaceous | Jiufotang Formation | China | A jeholornithid Type species J. prima | Jeholornis prima |
| Jiliniornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Hou & Ericson | Middle Eocene | Huadian Formation | China | A charadriid Type species J. huadianensis | |
| Jinzhouornis | jr synonym | Gen et 2 Sp. nov. | Hou, Zhou, Zhang, & Gu | Early Cretaceous | Yixian Formation | China | A confuciusornithid Type species J. yixianensis, also included J. zhangjiyingia Genus and species synonymized with Confuciusornis sanctus 2018 | Confuciusornis sanctus |
| Jixiangornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Ji et al. | Early Cretaceous | Jiufotang Formation | China | An avialaen Type species J. orientalis | Jixiangornis orientalis |
| Larus utunui | Valid | Sp. nov. | Steadman | Subrecent | | French Polynesia | A larid gull. | |
| Marambiornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Myrcha et al. | Eocene | La Meseta Formation | Antarctica | A penguin Type species M. exilis | |
| Masillastega | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Mayr | Early Middle Eocene | Messel Formation | Germany Hessen | A sulid Type species M. rectirostris | Masillastega rectirostris |
| Mesetaornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Myrcha et al. | Eocene | La Meseta Formation | Antarctica | A penguin. Type species M. polaris | |
| Miodytes serbicus | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Dimitreijevich, Gál, & Kessler | Early Miocene | Valjevo Basin | Serbia | A podicipedid grebe. | |
| Novacaesareala | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Parris & Hope | Early Danian | Hornerstown Formation | USA New Jersey | A possible torotigid Type species N. hungerfordi | |
| Oligosylphe | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Mayr & Smith | Early Oligocene | Borgloon Formation | Belgium Flemish Brabant | A sylphornithid Type species O. mourerchauvireae | |
| Omnivoropteryx | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Czerkas & Ji | Early Cretaceous | Jiufutang Formation | China | An Omvivoropterygidae Type species O. sinousaorum | |
| Oxyura doksana | Valid | Sp. nov. | Mlíkovský | Early Miocene | | Czech Republic | A possible sea duck. | |
| Paraortygoides radagasti | Valid | Sp. nov. | Dyke * Gulas | Early Eocene | London Clay | UK England | A gallinuloidid | |
| Parasarcoramphus | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Mourer-Chauviré | Bartonian-Late Oligocene | Phosphorites du Quercy | France Occitanie | A cathartid. Type species P. milneedwardsi | |
| Plesiocathartes geiselensis | Valid | Sp. nov. | Mayr | Middle Eocene | | Germany Saxony-Anhalt | A leptosomiformean. | |
| Plesiocathartes kelleri | Valid | Sp. nov. | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Messel Formation | Germany Hessen | A Leptosomiformean. | |
| Polarornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Chatterjee | Late Cretaceous | López de Bertodano Formation Seymour Island | Antarctica | A vegaviid Type species P. gregorii | |
| Sapeornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Zhou & Zhang | Early Cretaceous | Jiufotang Formation | China | A omnivoropterygid Type species S. chaoyangensis | Sapeornis chaoyangensis |
| Septentrogon | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Kristoffersen | Ypresian | Fur Formation | Denmark | A trogonid Type species S. madseni | |
| Shenzhouraptor | valid | Gen et sp nov. | Ji et al. | Early Cretaceous | Jiufotang Formation | China | An Avialae. Type species S. sinensis | Shenzhouraptor sinensis |
| Spheniscus urbinai | Valid | Sp. nov. | Stucchi | Late Miocene-Early Pliocene | Pisco Formation | Peru | A spheniscid penguin. | |
| Taubatornis | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Olson & de Alvarenga | Late Oligocene or Early Miocene | Tremembé Formation | Brazil | A teratorn Type species T. campbelli | |
| Teratornis olsoni | jr synonym | Sp. nov. | Arredondo & Arredondo | Pleistocene | Cave deposits | Cuba | A teratorn Moved to Oscaravis olsoni in 2009 | |
| Teratornis woodburnensis | Valid | Sp. nov. | Campbell & Stenger | Late Pleistocene | | USA Oregon | A teratorn | |
| Teviornis | Valid | Gen et Sp nov. | Kurochkin, Dyke, & Karhu | Maastrichtian | Nemegt Formation | Mongolia | A presbyornithid Type species T. gobiensis | |
| Tyto balearica cyrneichnusae | Valid | Subsp. nov. | Louchart | Late Pleistocene | | France Corsica | A tytonid owl subspecies. | |

### Plesiosaurs
#### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Edgarosaurus | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Druckenmiller | Albian | Thermopolis Shale | United States Montana | A polycotylid Type species E. muddi | Edgarosaurus muddi |
| Kaiwhekea | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Cruickshank & Fordyce | Maastrichtian | Katiki Formation | New Zealand Otago | An aristonectine elasmosaurid Type species K. katiki | Kaiwhekea katiki |
| Vinialesaurus | Gen et comb nov | Valid | Gasparini et al. | Oxfordian | Jagua Formation | Cuba | A cryptoclidid Type species V. caroli Moved from Cryptocleidus caroli (1949) | |

### Pterosaurs

In October, a partial Mesadacylus wing was discovered in the Kingsview Quarry of Colorado. This find marks the first time that a Morrison pterosaur has been found at more than one site in the formation.

#### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Austriadactylus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Dalla Vecchia, Wild, & Reitner | Late Triassic | Seefelder Beds | Austria | | |
| Hatzegopteryx | gen et sp nov | Valid | Buffetaut, Grigorescu, & Csiki | Late Cretaceous | Densuș-Ciula Formation | Romania | possibly a jr synonym of Quetzalcoatlus | Hatzegopteryx |
| Jeholopterus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Wang & Zhou | Late Jurassic | Daohugou Beds | China | | Jeholopterus ningchengensis |
| Piksi | gen et sp nov | Valid | Varricchio | Late Cretaceous | Two Medicine Formation | United States | At first thought to be a bird, but subsequently reinterpreted as a pterosaur, likely a member of Ornithocheiroidea. | |
| Pterorhynchus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Czerkas & Ji | Late Jurassic | Daohugou Beds | China | | |
| Thalassodromeus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Kellner & Campos | early Cretaceous | Santana Formation | Brazil | | Thalassodromeus sethi |
| Utahdactylus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Czerkas & Mickelson | Late Jurassic | Morrison Formation, Utah | USA | | |

## Lepidosauromorphs
### Squamates
#### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| "Lakumasaurus" | Gen et sp nov | Jr synonym | Novas et al. | Late Campanian | Santa Marta Formation | Antarctica | Genus synonymized with Taniwhasaurus in 2007 | Taniwhasaurus antarcticus |
| Prognathodon currii | Sp nov | Valid | Christiansen & Bonde | Late Campanian | Mishash Formation | Israel | A large mosasaur | Prognathodon currii |

## Synapsids
### Non-mammalian

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Criocephalosaurus | gen nov | Valid | Kammerer & Sidor | Upper Permian | | South Africa | A dinocephalian. Replacement name for Criocephalus Broom, 1928, preoccupied by Criocephalus Mulsant 1839. |
| Kitchinganomodon | Gen nov | Valid | Maisch | Upper Permian | | South Africa | A dicynodont. New genus for "Platycyclops" crassus Broom, 1948. |
| Kwazulusaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Maisch | Upper Permian | Beaufort Group | South Africa | A dicynodont. The type species is Kwazulusaurus shakai. |
| Lanthanocephalus | gen et sp nov | Preoccupied | Modesto, Rubidge, & Welman | Upper Permian | Koonap Formation | South Africa | Genus preoccupied by Lanthanocephalus Williams & Starmer, 2000, moved to the replacement Lanthanostegus in 2003 |
| Neotrirachodon | gen et sp nov | Valid | Tatarinov | Middle Triassic | Donguz Formation | Russia | A cynodont. The type species is Neotrirachodon expectatus. |
| Ruhuhucerberus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Maisch | Upper Permian | Kawinga Formation | Tanzania | A gorgonopsian. The type species is Ruhuhucerberus terror. |
| Titanogorgon | gen nov | Valid | Maisch | Upper Permian | Kawinga Formation | Tanzania | A gorgonopsian. New genus for "Gorgonognathus" maximus von Huene, 1950. |