# 2017 in paleontology

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 2017.

## Cnidarians
### Research

* Ou et al. (2017) consider early Cambrian species Galeaplumosus abilus and Chengjiangopenna wangii to be junior synonyms of Xianguangia sinica, interpret fossils attributed to members of these species as parts of the same organism and consider X. sinica to be likely stem-cnidarian.
* Pseudooides prima is interpreted as a cnidarian and a senior synonym of Hexaconularia sichuanensis by Duan et al. (2017).
* Fossilized cnidarian medusae are described from the Cambrian Zabriskie Quartzite (California, United States) by Sappenfield, Tarhan & Droser (2017), representing the oldest macrofossil evidence of cnidarian medusae from the Phanerozoic reported so far.
* A study on the morphology of phosphatic tubes of Sphenothallus from the Early Ordovician Fenxiang Formation (China), as well as the Silurian and Early Devonian of Podolia (Ukraine), and its implications for the evolution of symmetry in the body plan of cnidarians is published by Dzik, Baliński & Sun (2017).
* A study on the succession of coral assemblages through the Ordovician–Silurian transition in South China is published by Wang et al. (2017).
* A study on the extant and fossil stony corals, intending to determine whether fossil corals lived in symbiosis with photosynthesizing dinoflagellates, is published by Tornabene et al. (2017).

### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Acanthophyllum filiforme | Sp. nov | Valid | Coen-Aubert | Devonian (Givetian) | | Mauritania | A rugose coral belonging to the family Ptenophyllidae. |
| Acanthophyllum sougyi | Sp. nov | Valid | Coen-Aubert | Devonian (Givetian) | | Mauritania | A rugose coral belonging to the family Ptenophyllidae. |
| Agetolites angullongensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Zhen, Wang & Percival | Late Ordovician | Angullong Formation | Australia | A tabulate coral. |
| Aulohelia carbonica | Sp. nov | Valid | Niko & Fujikawa | Carboniferous (Viséan) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A tabulate coral. |
| Bothrophyllum gorbachevensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Bothrophyllidae. |
| Bothrophyllum kalmyussi | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Bothrophyllidae. |
| Cambroctoconus koori | Sp. nov | Valid | Peel | Cambrian Stage 4 or Stage 5 | Henson Gletscher Formation | Greenland | A possible member of Octocorallia. |
| Charactophyllum mauritanicum | Sp. nov | Valid | Coen-Aubert | Devonian (Givetian) | | Mauritania | A rugose coral belonging to the family Disphyllidae. |
| Charactophyllum soraufi | Sp. nov | Valid | Coen-Aubert | Devonian (Givetian) | | Mauritania | A rugose coral belonging to the family Disphyllidae. |
| Dianqianophyllum | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Liao & Ma | Devonian (Givetian) | | China | A rugose coral. Genus includes new species D. bianqingense. |
| Dibunophylloides columnatus | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Aulophyllidae. |
| Dibunophylloides paulus | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Aulophyllidae. |
| Dibunophylloides similis | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Aulophyllidae. |
| Dibunophyllum medium | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Aulophyllidae. |
| Enniskillenia multiseptata | Sp. nov | Valid | Bamber & Rodríguez in Bamber et al. | Carboniferous (Mississippian) | | Canada | A rugose coral. |
| Fungiaphyllia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Melnikova & Roniewicz | Early Jurassic (Hettangian/Sinemurian–Pliensbachian) | | Afghanistan | A stony coral belonging to the family Latomeandridae. The type species is Fungiaphyllia communis. |
| Gillismilia | Nom. nov | Valid | Lathuilière, Charbonnier & Pacaud | Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) | | France | A coral; a replacement name for Palaeocyathus Alloiteau (1956). |
| Guembelastraea dronovi | Sp. nov | Valid | Melnikova & Roniewicz | Early Jurassic (Hettangian/Sinemurian) | | Afghanistan | A stony coral belonging to the family Tropiastraeidae, a species of Guembelastraea. |
| Lithostrotion termieri | Sp. nov | Valid | Rodríguez & Somerville in Rodríguez, Somerville & Said | Carboniferous (Viséan) | Azrou-Khenifra Basin | Morocco | A rugose coral belonging to the family Lithostrotionidae. |
| Macgeea tourneuri | Sp. nov | Valid | Coen-Aubert | Devonian (Givetian) | | Mauritania | A rugose coral belonging to the family Phillipsastreidae. |
| Nina | Gen. et 3 sp. et comb. nov | Junior homonym | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Serpukhovian and Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Bothrophyllidae. The type species is N. donetsiana; genus also includes new species N. dibimitaria and N. magna, as well as "Bothrophyllum" berestovensis Vassilyuk (1960). The generic name is preoccupied by Nina Horsfield (1829). |
| Oppelismilia spectabilis | Sp. nov | Valid | Melnikova & Roniewicz | Early Jurassic (Hettangian/Sinemurian) | | Afghanistan | A stony coral belonging to the family Oppelismiliidae, a species of Oppelismilia. |
| Parepismilia dolichostoma | Sp. nov | Valid | Melnikova & Roniewicz | Early Jurassic (Hettangian–early Sinemurian) | | Afghanistan | A stony coral belonging to the family Parepismiliidae, a species of Parepismilia. |
| Parepismilia dronovi | Sp. nov | Valid | Melnikova & Roniewicz | Early Jurassic (Hettangian/Sinemurian) | | Afghanistan | A stony coral belonging to the family Parepismiliidae, a species of Parepismilia. |
| Periplacotrochus | Gen. et comb. et sp. nov | Valid | Cairns | Late Eocene to middle Miocene | | Australia | A flabellid coral. Genus includes P. deltoideus (Duncan, 1864), P. corniculatus (Dennant, 1899), P. elongatus (Duncan, 1864), P. pueblensis (Dennant, 1903), P. inflectus (Dennant, 1903) and P. magnus (Dennant, 1904), as well as new species P. cudmorei. |
| Petrophyllia niimiensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Niko, Suzuki & Taguchi | Miocene | Bihoku Group | Japan | A stony coral. |
| Protomichelinia funafusensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Niko | Early Permian | Funafuseyama Limestone | Japan | A tabulate coral belonging to the order Favositida and the family Micheliniidae. |
| Qinscyphus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Liu et al. | Cambrian (Fortunian) | Kuanchuanpu Formation | China | A probable crown jellyfish belonging to the family Olivooidae. The type species is Q. necopinus. |
| Rozkowskia lenta | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Aulophyllidae. |
| Scoliopora hosakai | Sp. nov | Valid | Niko, Ibaraki & Tazawa | Middle Devonian | | Japan | A tabulate coral belonging to the order Favositida and the family Alveolitidae. |
| Sinaster | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wang et al. | Early Cambrian | Kuanchuanpu Formation | China | A member of Medusozoa belonging to the family Olivooidae. The type species is S. petalon. |
| Stephanophyllia plattenwaldensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Baron-Szabo | Early Cretaceous (late Aptian to Albian) | Garschella Formation | Austria | A stony coral belonging to the family Micrabaciidae. |
| Sterictopathes | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baliński & Sun | Ordovician (early Floian) | Fenxiang Formation Honghuayuan Formation | China | A black coral related to Sinopathes reptans. The type species is S. radicatus. |
| Voragoaxum | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Fedorowski | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | Ukraine | A rugose coral belonging to the family Aulophyllidae. The type species is V. cavum. |
| Zaphrentites etheringtonensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Bamber & Rodríguez in Bamber et al. | Carboniferous (Mississippian) | | Canada | A rugose coral. |
| Zaphrentites lerandi | Sp. nov | Valid | Bamber & Rodríguez in Bamber et al. | Carboniferous (Mississippian) | | Canada | A rugose coral. |

## Bryozoans
### Research

* Epizoic bryozoans are reported on fossil crabs from the Miocene Mishan Formation (Iran) by Key et al. (2017).

### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Acupipora mexicana | Sp. nov | Valid | Ernst & Vachard | Carboniferous (middle Pennsylvanian) | | Mexico | |
| Adeonellopsis sandbergi | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Adeonidae. |
| 'Akatopora' wilmseni | Sp. nov | Valid | Martha, Niebuhr & Scholz | Late Cretaceous (mid-late Turonian) | Strehlen Formation | Germany | A cheilostome bryozoan. |
| Atactotoechus vaulxensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Ernst et al. | Carboniferous (Mississippian) | | Belgium | A bryozoan. |
| Bashkirella arnaoense | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Chasmatoporidae. |
| Bigeyina cantabrica | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Semicosciniidae. |
| Bigeyina spinosa | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Semicosciniidae. |
| Bragella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino et al. | Eocene–Oligocene transition | | Tanzania | A cheilostome bryozoan. Genus includes new species B. pseudofedora. |
| Buskia waiinuensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino et al. | Pleistocene | Nukumaru Limestone | New Zealand | A member of Ctenostomatida belonging to the superfamily Vesicularioidea and the family Buskiidae. |
| Cheiloporina clarksvillensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Cheiloporinidae. |
| Cigclisula solenoides | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Colatooeciidae. |
| Coeloclemis zefrehensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Ernst et al. | Devonian (Frasnian) | Bahram Formation | Iran | A trepostome bryozoan. |
| Diplosolen akatjevense | Sp. nov | Valid | Viskova & Pakhnevich | Middle Jurassic (Callovian) | | Russia | A bryozoan belonging to the class Stenolaemata and the order Tubuliporida. |
| Ditaxipora lakriensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Sonar & Pawar | Miocene (Burdigalian) | Chhasra Formation | India | A member of the family Catenicellidae. |
| Eridopora moravica | Sp. nov | Valid | Tolokonnikova, Kalvoda & Kumpan | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | | Czech Republic | |
| Escharoides joannae | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Romancheinidae. |
| Euthyrhombopora tenuis | Sp. nov | Valid | Ernst et al. | Devonian (Frasnian) | Bahram Formation | Iran | A rhabdomesine cryptostome bryozoan. |
| Exechonella minutiperforata | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Exechonellidae. |
| Exidmonea baghi | Sp. nov | Valid | Zágoršek, Yazdi & Bahrami | Miocene | Qom Formation | Iran | A cyclostome bryozoan. |
| Fabifenestella almazani | Sp. nov | Valid | Ernst & Vachard | Carboniferous (middle Pennsylvanian) | | Mexico | |
| Fenestrapora elegans | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (late Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Semicosciniidae. |
| Filites robustus | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Acanthocladiidae. |
| Floridina subantiqua | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Onychocellidae. |
| Foratella cervisia | Sp. nov | Valid | Taylor & Martha | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Beer Head Limestone Formation | United Kingdom | A cheilostome bryozoan. |
| Hagiosynodos simplex | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Cheiloporinidae. |
| Heteractis tanzaniensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino et al. | Eocene–Oligocene transition | | Tanzania | A cheilostome bryozoan. |
| Hillmeropora | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Martha, Niebuhr & Scholz | Late Cretaceous (mid-late Turonian) | Strehlen Formation | Germany | A cheilostome bryozoan genus belonging to the family Calloporidae. Type species H. pavonina; genus also includes Membranipora procurrens Brydone, 1929. |
| Jablonskipora | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Martha & Taylor | Early Cretaceous (Albian) | Upper Greensand | United Kingdom | A cheilostome bryozoan. The type species is J. kidwellae. |
| Kalvariella antiqua | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Acanthocladiidae. |
| Lacrimula crassa | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino et al. | Eocene–Oligocene transition | | Tanzania | A cheilostome bryozoan. |
| Lacrimula kilwaensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino et al. | Eocene–Oligocene transition | | Tanzania | A cheilostome bryozoan. |
| Margaretta pentaceratops | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Margarettidae. |
| Metrarabdotos aquaeguttum | Sp. nov | Valid | Ramalho, Távora & Zagorsek | Early Miocene | Pirabas Formation | Brazil | A member of Lepralielloidea belonging to the family Metrarabdotosidae. |
| Metrarabdotos capanemensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Ramalho, Távora & Zagorsek | Early Miocene | Pirabas Formation | Brazil | A member of Lepralielloidea belonging to the family Metrarabdotosidae. |
| Metrarabdotos elongatum | Sp. nov | Valid | Ramalho, Távora & Zagorsek | Early Miocene | Pirabas Formation | Brazil | A member of Lepralielloidea belonging to the family Metrarabdotosidae. |
| Microeciella kolomnensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Viskova & Pakhnevich | Middle Jurassic (Callovian) | | Russia | A bryozoan belonging to the suborder Tubuliporina and the family Oncousoeciidae. |
| Microporella rusti | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino et al. | Pleistocene | Nukumaru Limestone | New Zealand | A member of the family Microporellidae. |
| Nellia winstonae | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Quadricellariidae. |
| Nevianipora isfahani | Sp. nov | Valid | Zágoršek, Yazdi & Bahrami | Miocene | Qom Formation | Iran | A cyclostome bryozoan. |
| 'Onychocella' barbata | Sp. nov | Valid | Martha, Niebuhr & Scholz | Late Cretaceous (late Cenomanian) | Dölzschen Formation | Germany | A cheilostome bryozoan. Taylor, Martha & Gordon (2018) transferred this species to the genus Kamilocella. |
| Onychocella saxoniae | Sp. nov | Valid | Martha, Niebuhr & Scholz | Late Cretaceous (late Cenomanian) | Dölzschen Formation | Germany | A cheilostome bryozoan. |
| Paralicornia interdigitata | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Candidae. |
| Paraseptopora geometrica | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (late Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Septoporidae. |
| Paraseptopora irregularis | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Septoporidae. |
| Pharopora | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wyse Jackson, Ernst & Suárez Andrés | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | Hook Head Formation | Ireland | A member of Cryptostomata belonging to the family Rhabdomesidae. The type species is P. regularis. |
| Pleuromucrum epifanioi | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Phidoloporidae. |
| Pleuromucrum liowae | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Phidoloporidae. |
| Polyascosoecia iranica | Sp. nov | Valid | Zágoršek, Yazdi & Bahrami | Miocene | Qom Formation | Iran | A cyclostome bryozoan. |
| Puellina quadrispinosa | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Cribrilinidae. |
| Revalotrypa inopinata | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorov, Koromyslova & Martha | Ordovician (Floian) | | Russia | An esthonioporate bryozoan belonging to the family Revalotrypidae. |
| Revalotrypa yugaensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Fedorov, Koromyslova & Martha | Ordovician (Floian) | | Russia | An esthonioporate bryozoan belonging to the family Revalotrypidae. |
| Schizolepraliella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A Schizoporella-like cheilostome bryozoan of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is S. nancyae. |
| Selenaria lyrulata | Sp. nov | Valid | López-Gappa, Pérez & Griffin | Early Miocene | Monte León Formation | Argentina | A bryozoan belonging to the family Selenariidae. |
| Spiniflabellum jacksoni | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Cribrilinidae. |
| Steginoporella tiara | Sp. nov | Valid | Gordon, Voje & Taylor | Early Pleistocene | | New Zealand | A member of Cheilostomata belonging to the family Steginoporellidae. |
| Stylopoma farleyensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Schizoporellidae. |
| Stylopoma leverhulme | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Schizoporellidae. |
| Thalamoporella bitorquata | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Thalamoporellidae. |
| Thalamoporella hastigera | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Thalamoporellidae. |
| Thalamoporella ogivalis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Thalamoporellidae. |
| Thalamoporella papalis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Thalamoporellidae. |
| Thalamoporella polygonalis | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Thalamoporellidae. |
| Trypostega vokesi | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Trypostegidae. |
| Turbicellepora giardinai | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Celleporidae. |
| Utropora parva | Sp. nov | Valid | Suárez Andrés & Wyse Jackson | Devonian (Emsian–early Eifelian) | Moniello Formation | Spain | A member of Fenestrata belonging to the family Semicosciniidae. |
| Vix scolaroi | Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino, Taylor & Portell | Early Miocene | Chipola Formation | United States ( Florida) | A cheilostome bryozoan belonging to the family Vicidae. |
| Wilbertopora manubriformis | Sp. nov | Valid | Taylor & Martha | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Beer Head Limestone Formation | United Kingdom | A cheilostome bryozoan. |
| Wilbertopora ostiolatoides | Sp. nov | Valid | Martha, Niebuhr & Scholz | Late Cretaceous (mid-late Turonian) | Strehlen Formation | Germany | A cheilostome bryozoan. |

## Brachiopods
### Research

* A study on the selectivity of brachiopod extinctions during the Ordovician–Silurian extinction events is published by Finnegan, Rasmussen & Harper (2017).
* A study on the patterns of biomineralization of Late Permian brachiopod shells and on their implications for inferring the environmental disruptions associated with the Permian–Triassic extinction event is published by Garbelli, Angiolini & Shen (2017).

### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Acrothyra bonnia | Sp. nov | Valid | Skovsted et al. | Cambrian Stage 4 | Forteau Formation | Canada ( Newfoundland and Labrador) | A member of Acrotretida belonging to the family Acrotretidae. |
| Anarhynchia smithi | Sp. nov | Valid | Pálfy et al. | Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) | Inklin Formation | Canada ( British Columbia) | |
| Atelelasma longisulcum | Sp. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Dunabrattin Limestone Formation Tramore Limestone Formation | Ireland | A member of Strophomenata belonging to the order Billingsellida and the family Clitambonitidae. |
| Atychorhynchia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baeza-Carratalá, Reolid & García Joral | Early Jurassic (late Pliensbachian–early Toarcian) | Zegrí Formation | Spain | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the family Norellidae. The type species is A. falsiorigo. |
| Avdeevella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baranov | Ordovician | | Russia | The type species is A. mica. |
| Bilobia alichovae | Sp. nov | Valid | Madison | Ordovician (Sandbian) | | Russia ( Leningrad Oblast) | A member of Strophomenida. |
| Bittnerithyris | Gen. nov | Valid | Popov & Zakharov | Early Triassic (Olenekian) | | Russia ( Primorsky Krai) | A member of Terebratulida. |
| Bronnothyris danaperensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Bitner & Müller | Eocene (Priabonian) | | Ukraine | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Megathyrididae. |
| Burrirhynchia albiensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Gaspard | Early Cretaceous (Albian) | | France | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the family Tetrarhynchiidae. |
| Colaptomena auduni | Sp. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Tramore Limestone Formation | Ireland | A member of Strophomenida belonging to the family Rafinesquinidae. |
| Cyrtinaella? houi | Sp. nov | Valid | Lü & Ma | Devonian (late Frasnian) | | China | A member of Spiriferinida. |
| Cyrtospirifer ainosawensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Tazawa, Inose & Kaneko | Late Devonian | Ainosawa Formation | Japan | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Cyrtospiriferidae. |
| Cyrtospirifer choanjiensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Tazawa | Late Devonian | | Japan | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Cyrtospiriferidae. |
| Dactylogonia costellata | Sp. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Dunabrattin Limestone Formation Tramore Limestone Formation | Ireland | A member of Strophomenida belonging to the family Strophomenidae. |
| Dirafinesquina antiqua | Sp. nov | Valid | Popov & Cocks | Ordovician (Dapingian) | | Iran | A strophomenoid brachiopod. |
| Discinisca suborbicularis | Sp. nov | Valid | Smirnova et al. | Late Jurassic | | Russia | |
| Discinisca undata | Sp. nov | Valid | Smirnova in Smirnova et al. | Late Jurassic | | Russia | A brachiopod belonging to the family Discinidae, a species of Discinisca. |
| Elkanathyris | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Copper & Jin | Silurian (Aeronian) | | Canada ( Quebec) | An athyride brachiopod. The type species is E. pallula. |
| Eoporambonites raziabadensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Popov & Cocks | Ordovician (Dapingian) | | Iran | A porambonitoid brachiopod. |
| Foveola ivari | Sp. nov | Valid | Holmer et al. | Ordovician (Sandbian) | | Estonia | A member of Obolidae. |
| Gypidula xui | Sp. nov | Valid | Lü & Ma | Devonian (late Frasnian) | | China | A member of Pentamerida. |
| Hesperorthis leinsterensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Dunabrattin Limestone Formation Tramore Limestone Formation | Ireland | A member of Orthida belonging to the family Hesperorthidae. |
| Hexigtenichonetes | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Shen in Shen et al. | Permian (Guadalupian) | Miaoling Formation | China | A member of Productida belonging to the family Rugosochonetidae. The type species is "Hemichonetes" hemipleura Li & Su in Li et al. (1980); genus also includes "Hemichonetes guangxingensis Li & Su in Li et al. (1980), "Hemichonetes subquadrata Li & Su in Li et al. (1980) and "Hemichonetes yanjiensis Li & Su in Li et al. (1980). |
| Hibernobonites | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Dunabrattin Limestone Formation Tramore Limestone Formation Tourmakeady Limestone Formation? | Ireland | A member of Pentamerida belonging to the family Porambonitidae. The type species is "Atrypa" filosa M'Coy (1846); genus might also include "Porambonites" dubius Williams & Curry (1985). |
| Howellites hibernicus | Sp. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Dunabrattin Limestone Formation Tramore Limestone Formation | Ireland | A member of Orthida belonging to the family Dalmanellidae. |
| Isophragma parallelum | Sp. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Dunabrattin Limestone Formation Tramore Limestone Formation | Ireland | A member of Strophomenida belonging to the family Plectambonitidae. |
| Joania ukrainica | Sp. nov | Valid | Bitner & Müller | Eocene (Priabonian) | | Ukraine | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Megathyrididae. |
| Karadagithyris boullierae | Sp. nov | Valid | Halamski & Cherif | Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) | Argiles de Saïda Formation | Algeria | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Muirwoodellidae. |
| Karlsorus | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Jin & Holmer | Silurian (Wenlock) | | Sweden | A new genus for "Pentamerus" gothlandicus Lebedev (1892). |
| Koninckodonta sumuntanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Baeza-Carratalá, Reolid & García Joral | Early Jurassic (late Pliensbachian–early Toarcian) | Zegrí Formation | Spain | A member of Athyridida belonging to the family Koninckinidae. |
| Kurtothyris | Nom. nov | Valid | Shen in Shen et al. | Permian (late Cisuralian) | Chihsia Formation | China | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Skelidorygmidae; a replacement name for Litothyris Chang (1987). The type species is "Litothyris" anhuiensis Chang (1987). |
| Kyrshabaktella diabola | Sp. nov | Valid | Skovsted et al. | Cambrian Stage 4 | Forteau Formation | Canada ( Newfoundland and Labrador) | A member of Linguloidea belonging to the family Kyrshabaktellidae. |
| Lacunites ivantsovi | Sp. nov | Valid | Holmer et al. | Ordovician (early Darriwilian) | | Russia | A paterinid brachiopod. |
| Lamellaerhynchia carronensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Gaspard | Early Cretaceous (Albian) | | France | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the family Cyclothyrididae. |
| Leptagonia franca | Sp. nov | Valid | Mottequin & Simon | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | Tournai Formation | Belgium | A member of Strophomenoidea belonging to the family Rafinesquinidae. |
| Levipugnax? liui | Sp. nov | Valid | Lü & Ma | Devonian (late Frasnian) | | China | A member of Rhynchonellida. |
| Liaotarimella | Nom. nov | Valid | Shen in Shen et al. | Permian (Artinskian) | Wutankule Formation | China | A member of Productida belonging to the family Productellidae. A replacement name for Tarimella Chen (2004). The type species is "Tarimella" tarimensis Chen (2004). |
| Lichuanorelloides | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wang et al. | Early Triassic | | China | Genus includes new species L. lichuanensis. |
| Meristella? aksuensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Modzalevskaya et al. | Devonian (Lochkovian) | | Tajikistan | |
| Nisusia guizhouensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Mao et al. | Cambrian | Kaili Formation Qingxudong Formation | China | A brachiopod belonging to the subphylum Rhynchonelliformea, order Kutorginida and the family Nisusiidae. |
| Nucleospira hannoniae | Nom. nov | Valid | Mottequin & Simon | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | Tournai Formation | Belgium | A member of Athyridida belonging to the family Nucleospiridae; a replacement name for Athyris globulina de Koninck (1887). |
| Onniella variabilis | Sp. nov | Valid | Harper, Parkes & Zhan | Ordovician (Katian) | Raheen Formation | Ireland | A dalmanelloid brachiopod belonging to the family Dalmanellidae. |
| Ouraniorhynchus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Modzalevskaya et al. | Devonian (Lochkovian) | | Tajikistan | A brachiopod. Genus includes new species O. dronovi. |
| Permocryptospirifer | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Shen & Grunt in Shen et al. | Permian (late Cisuralian and Guadalupian) | Chihsia Formation Maokou Formation Shazipo Formation | China | A member of Athyridida belonging to the family Athyrididae. The type species is "Cryptospirifer" omeishanensis Huang (1933); genus also includes "Cryptospirifer" minor Yang (1984) and "Cryptospirifer" shawanensis Jin et al. (1974). |
| Piarorhynchella tazawai | Sp. nov | Valid | Popov & Zakharov | Early Triassic (Olenekian) | | Russia ( Primorsky Krai) | A member of Rhynchonellida. |
| Platystrophia tramorensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Liljeroth et al. | Ordovician | Tramore Limestone Formation | Ireland | A member of Orthida belonging to the family Platystrophiidae. |
| Pustulobolus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Skovsted et al. | Cambrian Stage 3-4 | Forteau Formation | Canada ( Newfoundland and Labrador) | A member of Linguloidea belonging to the family Eoobolidae. The type species is P. triangulus. |
| Qidongia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Lü & Ma | Devonian (late Frasnian) | | China | A member of Terebratulida. The type species is Q. tani. |
| Rhipidomella discreta | Sp. nov | Valid | Cisterna et al. | Carboniferous (late Serpukhovian–Bashkirian) | El Paso Formation | Argentina | A brachiopod belonging to the group Orthida and the family Rhipidomellidae. |
| Rioultina zalasensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Radwańska | Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) | | Poland | A member of Thecideida belonging to the family Thecidellinidae. |
| Sericoidea hibernica | Sp. nov | Valid | Harper, Parkes & Zhan | Ordovician (Katian) | Raheen Formation | Ireland | A plectambonitoid brachiopod belonging to the family Sowerbyellidae. |
| Serratocrista scaldisensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Mottequin & Simon | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | Tournai Formation | Belgium | A member of Orthotetida belonging to the family Schuchertellidae. |
| Simehorthis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kebria-Ee Zadeh, Popov & Ghobadi Pour | Ordovician (Darriwilian) | Lashkarak Formation | Iran | A member of Orthida belonging to the family Hesperorthidae. Genus includes new species S. fascicostellata. |
| Somalithyris lakhaparensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Mukherjee & Shome | Late Jurassic (Tithonian) | | India | |
| Starnikoviella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baranov | Ordovician | | Russia | The type species is S. settedabanica. |
| Tectogonotoechia rivasi | Sp. nov | Valid | García-Alcalde & Herrera | Devonian (Pragian) | Nogueras Formation | Spain | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the superfamily Ancistrorhynchoidea and the family Iberirhynchiidae. |
| Thomasaria? baii | Sp. nov | Valid | Lü & Ma | Devonian (late Frasnian) | | China | A member of Spiriferida. |
| Thomasaria? liangi | Sp. nov | Valid | Lü & Ma | Devonian (late Frasnian) | | China | A member of Spiriferida. |
| Tunethyris blodgetti | Sp. nov | Valid | Feldman | Middle Triassic | Saharonim Formation | Israel | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Dielasmatidae. |
| Westonia mardini | Sp. nov | Valid | Mergl et al. | Cambrian (Furongian) | Sosink Formation | Turkey | |
| Xiangia | Gen. et sp. nov | Junior homonym | Lü & Ma | Devonian (late Frasnian) | | China | A member of Spiriferida. The type species is X. liaoi. The generic name is preoccupied by Xiangia Peng (1987). |
| Zhanorthis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Popov & Cocks | Ordovician (Dapingian) | | Iran | An orthoid brachiopod. Genus includes new species Z. gerdkuhensis. |
| Ziyunospirifer | Nom. nov | Valid | Shen in Shen et al. | Early Carboniferous | Zhaojiashan Formation | China | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Choristitidae; a replacement name for Quizhouspirifer Xian (1982). The type species is "Quizhouspirifer" ziyunensis Xian (1982). |

## Echinoderms
### Research

* Systematic revision of the North American members of the diploporitan family Holocystitidae is published by Sheffield & Sumrall (2017).
* Triassic members of the otherwise Paleozoic groups of sea urchins (the family Proterocidaridae), brittle stars (the family Eospondylidae) and starfish are reported by Thuy, Hagdorn & Gale (2017).
* Phylogenetic analysis and systematic revision of early to middle Paleozoic non-camerate crinoids published by Wright (2017).
* Systematic revision of Ordovician camerate crinoids published by Cole (2017).
* Major revision to the classification of fossil and extant Crinoidea by Wright et al. (2017), including the presentation of new phylogeny-based and rank-based classifications.
* A study on large-scale patterns of morphologic evolution in the Paleozoic radiation of eucladid crinoids is published by Wright (2017).
* A study on the internal morphology of the water vascular system in a specimen of a stem-ophiuroid species Protasterina flexuosa from the Ordovician (Katian) Kope Formation (Kentucky, United States) is published by Clark et al. (2017).
* A study on the paleoecology of the echinoderm species known from the upper Campanian Pierre Shale (including the crinoid Lakotacrinus brezinai), especially on their adaptations to the cold seep environment, is published by Kato, Oji & Shirai (2017).

### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Amblypygus matruhensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Ali | Middle Miocene | | Egypt | A sea urchin. |
| Ambonacrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cole et al. | Ordovician (Katian) | Fombuena Formation | Spain | A diplobathrid camerate crinoid. Genus includes new species A. decorus. |
| Andymetra toarcensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Hess & Thuy | Early Jurassic | | France | A comatulid crinoid. |
| Anthroosasterias | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Blake | Carboniferous | Gilmore City Formation | United States ( Iowa) | A starfish belonging to the family Urasterellidae. Genus includes new species A. mikrotero. |
| Antillaster farisi | Sp. nov | Valid | Ali | Middle Eocene | | Egypt | A sea urchin. |
| Aspidophiura? seren | Sp. nov | Valid | Ewin & Thuy | Jurassic | Oxford Clay Formation | United Kingdom | A brittle star. |
| Ateleocystites? lansae | Sp. nov | Valid | McDermott & Paul | Ordovician (Katian) | Slade and Redhill Beds | United Kingdom | A mitrate belonging to the family Anomalocystitidae, possibly a species of Ateleocystites. |
| Brissus mihalyi | Sp. nov. | Valid | Polonkai et al. | Middle Miocene | Leitha Limestone Formation | Hungary | A heart urchin belonging to the family Brissidae. |
| Crepidosoma doylei | Sp. nov | Valid | Blake, Donovan & Harper | Silurian (Telychian) | Kilbride Formation | Ireland | A brittle star belonging to the group Oegophiurida and the family Encrinasteridae. |
| Dalicrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cole et al. | Ordovician (Katian) | Fombuena Formation | Spain | A diplobathrid camerate crinoid. Genus includes new species D. hammanni. |
| Diplodetus brisenoi | Sp. nov | Valid | Silva-Martínez et al. | Late Cretaceous (early Campanian) | Austin Formation | Mexico | A heart urchin belonging to the family Brissidae. |
| Echinocyamus belali | Sp. nov | Valid | Ali | Middle Eocene | | Egypt | A sea urchin. |
| Enakomusium whymanae | Sp. nov | Valid | Ewin & Thuy | Jurassic | Oxford Clay Formation | United Kingdom | A brittle star. |
| Eopatelliocrinus hispaniensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Cole et al. | Ordovician (Katian) | Fombuena Formation | Spain | A monobathrid camerate crinoid. |
| Eotiaris guadalupensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Thompson in Thompson, Petsios & Bottjer | Permian (Capitanian) | Bell Canyon Formation | United States ( Texas) | A sea urchin. The name first appeared in the publication of Thompson et al. (2015); however, it was published in an online only journal Scientific Reports and it was not registered with ZooBank, making it invalid until it was validated by Thompson, Petsios & Bottjer (2017). |
| Felbabkacystis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Nardin et al. | Cambrian (Drumian) | Jince Formation | Czech Republic | A transitional form between calyx-bearing and theca-bearing blastozoans. Genus includes new species F. luckae. |
| Fombuenacrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cole et al. | Ordovician (Katian) | Fombuena Formation | Spain | A diplobathrid camerate crinoid. Genus includes new species F. nodulus. |
| Forcipicrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Hess & Thuy | Early Jurassic | | France | An isocrinid crinoid. Genus includes new species F. normannicus. |
| Globator roselli | Sp. nov | Valid | Carrasco | Eocene | | Spain | A sea urchin related to members of the genus Conulus. |
| Goniopygus emmae | Sp. nov | Valid | Forner i Valls | Late Cretaceous (Campanian) | | Morocco | A sea urchin belonging to the group Arbacioida and the family Acropeltidae. |
| Grigopyrgus | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Müller & Hahn | Early Devonian | | Germany | A member of Edrioasteroidea belonging to the family Agelacrinitidae; a new genus for "Agelacrinites" curvatus Grigo (1995). |
| Goyacrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cole et al. | Ordovician (Katian) | Fombuena Formation | Spain | A diplobathrid camerate crinoid. Genus includes new species G. gutierrezi. |
| Heropyrgus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Briggs et al. | Silurian | Herefordshire Lagerstätte | United Kingdom | A rhenopyrgid edrioasteroid. The type species is H. disterminus. |
| Holocystites salmoensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Sheffield, Ausich & Sumrall | Ordovician (Hirnantian) | Ellis Bay Formation | Canada ( Quebec) | A member of Diploporita belonging to the group Sphaeronitida and the family Holocystitidae. |
| Metalia lindaae | Sp. nov | Valid | Ali | Middle Eocene | | Egypt | A sea urchin. |
| Monostychia alanrixi | Sp. nov | Valid | Sadler, Martin & Gallagher | Miocene | Colville Sandstone | Australia | A sea urchin. |
| Monostychia macnamarai | Sp. nov | Valid | Sadler, Martin & Gallagher | Miocene | Colville Sandstone | Australia | A sea urchin. |
| Monostychia robertirwini | Sp. nov | Valid | Sadler, Martin & Gallagher | Miocene | Colville Sandstone | Australia | A sea urchin. |
| Moroccodiscus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Reich et al. | Ordovician (Darriwilian) | Taddrist Formation | Morocco | A cyclocystoid echinoderm. Genus includes new species M. smithi. |
| Oehlerticrinus peachi | Sp. nov | Valid | Donovan & Fearnhead | Early Devonian | Looe Basin | United Kingdom | A crinoid belonging to the group Monobathrida and the family Hexacrinitidae. |
| Ophiotitanos smithi | Sp. nov | Valid | Ewin & Thuy | Jurassic | Oxford Clay Formation | United Kingdom | A brittle star. |
| Ova rancoca | Sp. nov | Valid | Zachos | Paleocene (Thanetian) | Vincentown Formation | United States ( New Jersey) | A sea urchin. |
| Paerticrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wright & Toom | Silurian (Rhuddanian) | | Estonia | A crinoid. Genus includes new species P. arvosus. |
| Palaeocomaster structus | Sp. nov | Valid | Hess & Thuy | Early Jurassic | | France | A comatulid crinoid. |
| Persiacarpos | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Rozhnov & Parsley | Cambrian | Mila Formation | Iran | A member of Cornuta. Genus includes new species P. jefferiesi. |
| Petalobrissus ossoi | Sp. nov | Valid | Forner i Valls | Late Cretaceous (Campanian) | | Morocco | A sea urchin belonging to the group Cassiduloida and the family Faujasidae. |
| Petalocrinus stenopetalus | Sp. nov | Valid | Mao et al. | Silurian (Aeronian) | | China | A crinoid belonging to the family Petalocrinidae. |
| Picassocrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cole et al. | Ordovician (Katian) | Fombuena Formation | Spain | A cladid crinoid. Genus includes new species P. villasi. |
| Ronsocrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cordie & Witzke | Devonian (Givetian) | | United States ( Iowa) | A camerate crinoid belonging to the family Melocrinitidae. Genus includes new species R. rabia. |
| Salenia palmyra | Sp. nov | Valid | Zachos | Paleocene (Danian) | Clayton Formation | United States ( Alabama Georgia (U.S. state)) | A sea urchin. |
| Sanducystis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Zamora et al. | Cambrian (Furongian) | Sandu Formation | China | A stemmed echinoderm. The type species is S. sinensis. |
| Singillatimetra truncata | Sp. nov | Valid | Hess & Thuy | Early Jurassic | | France | An isocrinid crinoid. |
| Solanocrinites jagti | Sp. nov | Valid | Hess & Thuy | Early Jurassic | | France | A comatulid crinoid. |
| Spinimetra | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Hess & Thuy | Early Jurassic | | France | A comatulid crinoid. Genus includes new species S. chesnieri. |
| Spirocrinus circularis | Sp. nov | Valid | Mao et al. | Silurian (Aeronian) | | China | A crinoid belonging to the family Petalocrinidae. |
| Spirocrinus dextrosus | Sp. nov | Valid | Mao et al. | Silurian (Aeronian) | | China | A crinoid belonging to the family Petalocrinidae. |
| Staurasterias | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Blake | Carboniferous | Keokuk Formation | United States ( Indiana) | A starfish belonging to the family Urasterellidae. Genus includes new species S. elegans. |
| Sumrallia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Müller & Hahn | Early Devonian | Seifen Formation | Germany | A member of Edrioasteroidea. Genus includes new species S. rseiberti. |
| Superstesaster | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Villier et al. | Early Triassic | | United States ( Utah) | A starfish. Genus includes new species S. promissor. |
| Teleosaster | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Hunter & McNamara | Permian (Kungurian) | Cundlego Formation | Australia | A brittle star. Genus includes new species T. creasyi. |
| Tintinnabulicrinus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wright & Toom | Ordovician (Katian) | | Estonia | A crinoid. Genus includes new species T. estoniensis. |
| Ulphaceaster | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Néraudeau et al. | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | | France | A sea urchin belonging to the family Archiaciidae. Genus includes new species U. sarthacensis. |
| Vologesia rollingstones | Sp. nov | Valid | Schlüter & Wiese | Late Cretaceous (early Campanian) | | Spain | A sea urchin belonging to the family Echinolampadidae. |

## Conodonts
### Research

* A study on the conodont assemblage from the Silurian (Homerian) Rootsiküla Formation (Estonia), interpreted as occurring in the evaporite-bearing strata, and on the conodont diversity in various environments, is published by Jarochowska et al. (2017).
* Articulated skeletal remains of Hindeodus parvus, providing direct evidence of the number and arrangement of elements in the apparatus, are described from the Lower Triassic of China by Zhang et al. (2017).

### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Acodus zeballus | Sp. nov | Valid | Voldman & Albanesi in Voldman et al. | Early Ordovician | | Argentina | |
| Aldridgeognathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Miller et al. | Ordovician (Darriwilian) | Amdeh Formation | Oman | A member of Balognathidae. Genus includes new species A. manniki. |
| Bispathodus ultimus corradinii | Subsp. nov | Valid | Söte, Hartenfels & Becker | Devonian (Famennian) | | Germany | |
| Coelocerodontus hunanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Furongian) | Panjiazui Formation | China | A euconodont. |
| Ctenopolygnathus parallelus | Sp. nov | Valid | Ovnatanova et al. | Late Devonian | Kedzyrschor Formation | Russia | |
| Fahraeusodus jachalensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Feltes & Albanesi in Serra et al. | Ordovician (Darriwilian) | Gualcamayo Formation Las Aguaditas Formation Las Chacritas Formation San Juan Formation | Argentina | |
| Furnishina wangcunensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Furongian) | Bitiao Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. |
| Gothodus vetus | Sp. nov | Valid | Voldman & Albanesi in Voldman et al. | Early Ordovician | | Argentina | |
| Guexispathodus | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Plasencia et al. | Middle Triassic | Mukheiris Formation Saharonim Formation | Israel  Jordan | A member of the family Gondolellidae. The type species is "Neospathodus" shagami Benjamini & Chepstow-Lusty (1986); genus also includes "Pseudofurnishius" siyalaensis Sadeddin & Kozur (1992). |
| Gullodus tieqiaoensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Sun et al. | Permian | | China | |
| Icriodus ballbergensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Lüddecke, Hartenfels & Becker | Devonian (Famennian) | | Germany | |
| Icriodus marieae | Sp. nov | Valid | Suttner, Kido & Suttner | Middle Devonian | Valentin Formation | Austria  France  Germany | |
| Idiognathodus boardmani | Sp. nov | Valid | Hogancamp & Barrick | Carboniferous (Gzhelian) | Heebner Shale | United States | |
| Idiognathodus itaitubensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Cardoso, Sanz-López & Blanco-Ferrera | Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) | Tapajós Group | Brazil | |
| Idiognathoides luokunensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Hu & Qi in Hu et al. | Carboniferous (Bashkirian) | | China | |
| Iowagnathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Liu et al. | Ordovician (Whiterock Stage) | Winneshiek Konservat-Lagerstätte | United States ( Iowa) | Genus includes new species I. grandis. |
| Kirilella | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Plasencia et al. | Middle Triassic | | Austria  Canada  China  Egypt  Hungary  Israel  Italy  Japan  Jordan  Russia  Spain  United States | A member of the family Gondolellidae. The type species is "Polygnathus" mungoensis Diebel (1956); genus also includes "Tardogondolella" diebeli Kozur & Mostler (1971), "Epigondolella" mostleri Kozur in Kozur & Mock (1972) and "Metapolygnathus" longobardicus Kovács (1983). |
| Laiwugnathus hunanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Drumian) | Huaqiao Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. |
| Laiwugnathus transitans | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Guzhangian and Paibian) | Chefu Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. |
| Lenathodus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Izokh in Izokh & Yazikov | Early Carboniferous | | Russia | Genus includes new species L. bakharevi. |
| Lugnathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian Stage 10 and Early Ordovician (Tremadocian) | Panjiazui Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. Genus includes new species L. hunanensis. |
| Marquezella | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Plasencia et al. | Middle Triassic | | Austria  Bulgaria  China  France  Greece  Hungary  India  Italy  Japan  Russia  Slovakia  Slovenia  Spain | A member of the family Gondolellidae. The type species is "Gladigondolella" truempyi Hirsch (1971); genus also includes "Polygnathus" japonicus Hayashi (1968). |
| Mayrodus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Zhang, Jowett & Barnes | Silurian (Sheinwoodian) | Cape Phillips Formation | Canada ( Nunavut) | A conodont of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is M. melchini. |
| Miaognathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian Stage 10 | Shenjiawan Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. Genus includes new species M. multicostatus. |
| Millerodontus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Furongian) | Shenjiawan Formation | China | A euconodont. Genus includes new species M. intermedius. |
| Mosherella praebudaensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Chen & Lukeneder | Late Triassic (Carnian) | Kasimlar Formation | Turkey | |
| Neopolygnathus communis yazikovi | Subsp. nov | Valid | Izokh in Izokh & Yazikov | Early Carboniferous | | Russia | |
| Neopolygnathus crucesignatis | Sp. nov | Valid | Plotitsyn & Zhuravlev | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | | Russia | |
| Norigondolella carlae | Sp. nov | In press | Rigo et al. | Late Triassic (Carnian) | Scillato Formation | Austria  Italy  Turkey | A member of Ozarkodinida. |
| Omanognathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Miller et al. | Ordovician (Darriwilian) | Amdeh Formation | Oman | A member of Balognathidae. Genus includes new species O. daiqaensis. |
| Palmatolepis chernovi | Sp. nov | Valid | Soboleva | Devonian (Frasnian) | | Russia | |
| Palmatolepis spallettae | Nom. nov | Valid | Klapper et al. | Devonian (Frasnian) | | Canada ( Ontario) | A replacement name for Palmatolepis nodosa Klapper et al. (2004). |
| Palmatolepis zhuravlevi | Sp. nov | Valid | Soboleva | Devonian (Frasnian) | | Russia | |
| Polygnathus arcus | Sp. nov | Valid | Plotitsyn & Zhuravlev | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | | Russia | |
| Polygnathus mawsonae | Sp. nov | Junior homonym | Ovnatanova et al. | Devonian (Famennian) | Sortomael' Formation | Australia  Russia | Ovnatanova et al. (2019) coined a replacement name Polygnathus sharyuensis. |
| Polygnathus postvogesi | Sp. nov | Valid | Plotitsyn & Zhuravlev | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | | Russia | |
| Prosagittodontus compressus | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Guzhangian and Paibian) | Chefu Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. |
| Pseudohindeodus elliptica | Sp. nov | Valid | Sun et al. | Permian | | China | |
| Quadralella wanlanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang et al. | Triassic | | China | |
| Quadralella yongyueensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang et al. | Triassic | | China | |
| Siphonodella carinata | Sp. nov | Valid | Zhuravlev | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | Idzhid Formation | Russia ( Komi Republic) | |
| Siphonodella kalvodai | Sp. nov | Valid | Kaiser, Kumpan & Cígler | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | Líšeň Formation | Czech Republic  Tajikistan | A member of Ozarkodinida belonging to the family Elictognathidae. |
| Sweetognathus asymmetrica | Sp. nov | Valid | Sun et al. | Permian | | China | |
| Tujiagnathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Furongian) | Bitiao Formation | China | A euconodont. Genus includes new species T. gracilis. |
| Vjalovognathus carinatus | Sp. nov | Valid | Wang et al. | Permian (Changhsingian) | | China  India | |
| Wangcunella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Furongian) | Bitiao Formation | China | A euconodont. Genus includes new species W. conicus. |
| Wangcunognathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Paibian) | Bitiao Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. Genus includes new species W. elegans. |
| Westergaardodina dimorpha | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Paibian) | Bitiao Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. |
| Westergaardodina gigantea | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Guzhangian) | Chefu Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. |
| Westergaardodina sola | Sp. nov | Valid | Dong & Zhang | Cambrian (Guzhangian) | Chefu Formation | China | A member of Paraconodontida. |
| Zentagnathus | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Voldman & Albanesi in Voldman et al. | Early Ordovician | | Argentina | A new genus for "Trapezognathus" primitivus Voldman, Albanesi & Zeballo in Voldman et al. (2013); genus also includes "Trapezognathus" argentinensis Rao et al. (1994) |

## Amphibians
### Research

* A study on the evolution of eye size in early tetrapods and in fish belonging to the lineage that gave rise to tetrapods, as well as on the impact of the eye size on the eye performance while viewing objects through water and through air is published by MacIver et al. (2017).
* A study on the evolution of forelimb musculature from the lobe-finned fish to early tetrapods is published online by Molnar et al. (2017).
* A study on the influence of habitat traits on the persistence length of living and fossil amphibian species is published by Tietje & Rödel (2017).
* A study on the development of the vertebral intercentrum and pleurocentrum in fossil amphibians is published by Danto et al. (2017).
* A study on the probable function of the interpterygoid vacuities (holes in the palate) in temnospondyls as the site of muscle attachment is published by Witzmann & Werneburg (2017).
* A study on the earliest larval development in temnospondyls, as indicated by specimens from the Permian (Sakmarian) lake sediments near Obermoschel (Saar–Nahe Basin, Germany), is published by Werneburg (2017).
* A study on the histology of the small palatal plates and their denticles in a Permian dissorophoid temnospondyl from the Dolese Brothers Limestone Quarry near Richards Spur (Oklahoma, United States) is published by Gee, Haridy & Reisz (2017).
* Taxonomic revision of all described rhinesuchids and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of members of Rhinesuchidae is published by Marsicano et al. (2017), who transfer the species "Rhinesuchus" capensis Haughton (1925) to the genus Rhinesuchoides.
* New specimen of the rhinesuchid Australerpeton cosgriffi (a skull and mandible) is described from the Permian Rio do Rasto Formation (Brazil) by Azevedo, Vega & Soares (2017).
* A description of the anatomy of the braincase and middle ear regions of an exceptionally well-preserved skull of Stanocephalosaurus amenasensis from the Triassic of Algeria is published by Arbez, Dahoumane & Steyer (2017).
* A study on the anatomy of the skulls of metoposaurid species Metoposaurus krasiejowensis and Apachesaurus gregorii, as well as its implications for establishing whether metoposaurids were active or ambush predators is published by Fortuny, Marcé-Nogué & Konietzko-Meier (2017).
* An analysis of the microanatomy and histology of metoposaurid vertebra from the Petrified Forest National Park is published by Gee, Parker & Marsh (2017), who interpret Apachesaurus gregorii as more likely to be an early ontogenetic stage of a large metoposaurid, such as Koskinonodon perfectus rather than a distinct species.
* A juvenile specimen of Koskinonodon perfectus is described from the Norian Petrified Forest Member of the Late Triassic Chinle Formation (Arizona, United States) by Gee & Parker (2017).
* A study on the physiology (especially metabolic rate, body temperature, breathing, feeding, digestion, osmoregulation and excretion) of Archegosaurus decheni is published by Witzmann & Brainerd (2017).
* A study on the histology of the dermal skull roof bones in Kokartus honorarius is published by Skutschas & Boitsova (2017).
* Fossilized soft tissues preserved with the type specimen of the salamander Phosphotriton sigei are described by Tissier, Rage & Laurin (2017).
* A study on the bite force in extant Cranwell's horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli) and its implications for estimating the bite force in the Late Cretaceous species Beelzebufo ampinga is published by Lappin et al. (2017).
* Frog fossils, including the first known fossils of shovelnose frogs, are described from the early Pliocene of Kanapoi (Kenya) by Delfino (2017).
* A study on the morphology of the skull of Lethiscus stocki and on the phylogenetic relationships of early tetrapods, recovering lepospondyls as a polyphyletic group, is published by Pardo et al. (2017).

### New taxa
#### Temnospondyls

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Aphaneramma gavialimimus | Sp. nov | Valid | Fortuny et al. | Early Triassic (Olenekian) | | Madagascar | | Aphaneramma |
| Chinlestegophis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Pardo, Small & Huttenlocker | Late Triassic | Chinle Formation | United States ( Colorado) | A member of Stereospondyli, possibly a stem-caecilian. The type species is C. jenkinsi. | |
| Cyclotosaurus naraserluki | Sp. nov | Valid | Marzola et al. | Late Triassic | Fleming Fjord Formation | Greenland | | Cyclotosaurus |
| Tomeia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Eltink, Stock Da-Rosa, & Dias-da-Silva | Early Triassic | Sanga do Cabral Formation | Brazil | A capitosaur. | |

#### Lissamphibians

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Chachaiphrynus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Nicoli | Oligocene | | Argentina | A member of Odontophrynidae. The type species is C. lynchi. |
| Genibatrachus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Gao & Chen | Early Cretaceous | Guanghua (upper part of Longjiang) Formation | China | A crown-group frog. The type species is G. baoshanensis. |
| Sanshuibatrachus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wang, Roček & Dong | Early Eocene | | China | A pelobatoid frog of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Genus includes new species S. sinensis. |

#### Other amphibians

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Spathicephalus marsdeni | Sp. nov | Valid | Smithson et al. | Carboniferous (Viséan) | Anstruther Formation | United Kingdom | A member of the superfamily Baphetoidea. | |
| Yumenerpeton | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Jiang, Ji & Mo | Middle Permian | Xidagou Formation | China | A bystrowianid chroniosuchian. The type species is Y. yangi. | |

## Synapsids
### Non-mammalian synapsids
#### Research

* Phreatophasma aenigmaticum is argued to be a member of Caseidae by Brocklehurst & Fröbisch (2017).
* New fossil material of the caseid Alierasaurus ronchii is described from the Permian deposits of Cala del Vino Formation (Sardinia, Italy) by Romano et al. (2017).
* A study on the histology of the humeri of Ophiacodon, revealing the existence of fibrolamellar bone in the postcranial bones of this taxon, is published by Shelton & Sander (2017).
* A study on the body size evolution of edaphosaurids and sphenacodontids is published by Brocklehurst & Brink (2017).
* A study on the evolution of the endothermy in non-mammalian therapsids as indicated by oxygen isotope composition of bone and tooth phosphate in Permian and Triassic therapsids is published by Rey et al. (2017).
* A study on the brain morphology of non-mammaliaform therapsids based on skull endocasts of Moschops capensis and a number of biarmosuchians (including Herpetoskylax hopsoni and members of the genera Hipposaurus and Lemurosaurus) is published by Benoit et al. (2017).
* A study on the morphology of the bony labyrinth of five biarmosuchian specimens is published by Benoit et al. (2017).
* A study on the anatomy of the skull of Moschops capensis, revealing adaptations of the central nervous system related to head-to-head fighting, is published by Benoit et al. (2017).
* A study on the resting metabolic rate in Moghreberia nmachouensis is published by Olivier et al. (2017).
* A study on the contents of the depression known as the "unossified zone" in the brain cavity of Diictodon feliceps is published by Laaß, Schillinger & Kaestner (2017).
* A reassessment of the skull morphology and phylogenetic position of Compsodon helmoedi is published by Angielczyk & Kammerer (2017).
* A skeleton of Lystrosaurus curvatus in a fossilized burrow, preserved with taphonomic evidence indicating that this individual was the burrow maker, is described from the Lower Triassic of the South African Karoo Basin by Botha-Brink (2017).
* A structure analogous to the mammalian neocortex is reported in Kawingasaurus fossilis by Laaß & Kaestner (2017).
* A gorgonopsian dentary affected by a condition closely resembling compound odontoma is reported from the Upper Permian of Tanzania by Whitney, Mose & Sidor (2017).
* A detailed description of the braincase of two gorgonopsian specimens (a probable specimen of Aelurosaurus wilmanae from South Africa and a possible specimen of Arctognathus? nasuta from Tanzania) is published by Araújo et al. (2017).
* A redescription and revision of the gorgonopsian genus Arctops is published by Kammerer (2017).
* Rediscovered holotype of the gorgonopsian species Clelandina major is described by Kammerer (2017), who considers this species to be a junior synonym of Clelandina rubidgei.
* A study on the anatomy of the teeth and maxilla of Euchambersia mirabilis and its implications for the hypothesis that venom gland were present in this species is published by Benoit et al. (2017).
* A redescription and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of Silphoictidoides ruhuhuensis is published by Maisch (2017), who considers the species to be a basal member of Baurioidea.
* A study on the internal morphology of the interorbital region of the skull of basal cynodonts, including rarely fossilized orbitosphenoid elements, is published by Benoit et al. (2017).
* A study on the anatomy of the nasal regions of the non-mammalian cynodonts Massetognathus, Probainognathus and Elliotherium, comparing it to the nasal regions of fossil mammaliaforms and extant mammals, is published by Crompton et al. (2017).
* A survey of the aggregations of the specimens of Galesaurus planiceps and Thrinaxodon liorhinus, with emphasis on whether the aggregations consist of individuals of similar age or representing a mixture of different age classes, is published by Jasinoski & Abdala (2017).
* A study on the ontogenetic changes in the skull and mandible of Galesaurus planiceps is published by Jasinoski & Abdala (2017).
* A description of the postcranial skeleton of Boreogomphodon from the Triassic Pekin Formation (North Carolina, United States) and a review of the postcranial variation across members of the family Traversodontidae is published by Liu, Schneider & Olsen (2017).
* A study on the jaw movement of Exaeretodon argentinus as indicated by its dental microwear is published by Kubo, Yamada & Kubo (2017).
* A study on the morphology of the teeth of the cynodont Candelariodon barberenai, as well as on the phylogenetic relationships of the species, is published by Martinelli et al. (2017).
* A description of the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton of Tritylodon longaevus is published by Gaetano, Abdala & Govender (2017).
* A reassessment of the anatomy of the postcanine teeth of Stereognathus, based upon all available material from the United Kingdom, is published by Panciroli et al. (2017), who consider the species S. hebridicus to be a junior synonym of the species S. ooliticus.
* Cast of a burrow which was probably made by a tritheledontid cynodont is described from the Early Jurassic upper Elliot Formation (South Africa) by Bordy et al. (2017).
* A study on the evolution of jaw muscles across the cynodont–mammaliaform transition is published by Lautenschlager et al. (2017).

#### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Alemoatherium | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Martinelli et al. | Late Triassic (late Carnian) | Santa Maria Formation | Brazil | A cynodont belonging to the group Prozostrodontia. The type species is A. huebneri. |
| Aleodon cromptoni | Sp. nov | Valid | Martinelli et al. | Triassic (Ladinian—early Carnian) | | Brazil  Namibia? | A cynodont belonging to the family Chiniquodontidae. |
| Bulbasaurus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kammerer & Smith | Late Permian | Teekloof Formation | South Africa | A dicynodont belonging to the family Geikiidae. The type species is B. phylloxyron. |
| Dalongkoua | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Liu & Abdala | Late Permian | Guodikeng Formation | China | A therocephalian. The type species is D. fuae. |
| Microwhaitsia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Huttenlocker & Smith | Permian (Wuchiapingian) | Teekloof Formation | South Africa | A whaitsiid therocephalian. The type species is M. mendrezi. |
| Nuurtherium | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Velazco, Buczek & Novacek | Late Jurassic | Ulan Malgait Sequence | Mongolia | A tritylodontid cynodont. The type species is N. baruunensis. |
| Ophidostoma | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Huttenlocker & Smith | Permian (Wuchiapingian) | Teekloof Formation | South Africa | A whaitsioid therocephalian of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is O. tatarinovi. |
| Parasuminia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kurkin | Permian (Severodvinian) | Poldarsa Formation | Russia | An anomodont related to Suminia. Genus includes new species P. ivakhnenkoi. |
| Scalenodon ribeiroae | Sp. nov | Valid | Melo, Martinelli & Soares | Triassic | Santa Maria Supersequence | Brazil | A traversodontid cynodont. |
| Shartegodon | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Velazco, Buczek & Novacek | Late Jurassic | Ulan Malgait Sequence | Mongolia | A tritylodontid cynodont. The type species is S. altai. |
| Shiguaignathus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Liu & Abdala | Late Permian | Naobaogou Formation | China | An akidnognathid therocephalian. The type species is S. wangi. |

### Mammals
## Other animals
### Research

* A study on a succession of Ediacaran to Cambrian fossil assemblages from the eastern Siberian Platform (Russia) is published by Zhu et al. (2017), who argue that so-called Ediacaran and earliest Cambrian skeletal biotas overlap without notable biotic turnover.
* A study on the Ediacaran taxon Parvancorina minchami, indicating that this animal was capable of performing rheotaxis, is published by Paterson et al. (2017).
* A study on the water flow around the body of the Ediacaran taxon Parvancorina and its implications for the feeding mode and mobility of this animal is published by Darroch et al. (2017).
* Fossils of members of the genus Namacalathus (co-occurring with Cloudina and Corumbella) are reported from the Ediacaran Tagatiya Guazú Formation (Itapucumi Group, Paraguay) by Warren et al. (2017), extending known geographic range of the taxon.
* A study on the morphology, growth and development of Dickinsonia costata is published by Evans, Droser & Gehling (2017).
* A study on the growth and development of Dickinsonia is published by Hoekzema et al. (2017), who interpret this taxon as an animal.
* A study on the anatomy of Dickinsonia costata and D. tenuis is published by Zakrevskaya & Ivantsov (2017), who interpret D. costata as probably descended from D. tenuis by neoteny.
* Description of newly discovered disc-shaped, soft-bodied fossils from the early Cambrian Carrara Formation (California, United States), tentatively assigned to the genus Discophyllum (an animal of uncertain phylogenetic placement, might be a chondrophore or an eldoniid) is published by Lieberman et al. (2017).
* Specimens of Cloudina associated with microbial mat textures are reported from the Ediacaran Tamengo Formation (Brazil) by Becker-Kerber et al. (2017).
* An assemblage of trace fossils from Ediacaran–Cambrian siltstones in Brazil, probably produced by a nematoid-like organism, is described by Parry et al. (2017).
* A diverse fauna dominated by sponges living immediately after the Hirnantian extinction is described from China by Botting et al. (2017).
* A diverse Early Triassic (Olenekian) marine assemblage (Paris biota), including leptomitid protomonaxonid sponges (a group otherwise known only from Cambrian and Ordovician), new forms of the crinoid order Holocrinida displaying advanced characters, a probable basal ophiodermatid and gladius-bearing coleoids (previously unknown in Early Triassic strata) is reported from Paris (Idaho, United States) by Brayard et al. (2017).
* A study on the muscle anatomy of Pambdelurion whittingtoni is published by Young & Vinther (2017).
* Cambrian species Zhenghecaris shankouensis, originally classified as a bivalved arthropod, is reinterpreted as a member of Radiodonta by Zeng et al. (2017).
* The holotype specimen of a putative lobopodian species Aysheaia prolata is reinterpreted as an isolated frontal appendage of a radiodontan belonging to the genus Stanleycaris by Pates, Daley & Ortega-Hernández (2017).
* A revision of the radiodontan genus Caryosyntrips is published by Pates & Daley (2017), who interpret the holotype specimen of a putative lobopodian species Mureropodia apae as a partial isolated appendage of a member of the genus Caryosyntrips.
* Description of the morphology of Amplectobelua symbrachiata, with a focus on its head region, is published by Cong et al. (2017).
* A study on the anatomy of the Cambrian hyolith Haplophrentis, as well as on the phylogenetic relationships of the hyoliths, is published by Moysiuk, Smith & Caron (2017).
* A study on the phylogenetic relationships of Tullimonstrum gregarium, challenging its interpretation as a vertebrate, is published by Sallan et al. (2017).
* New exceptionally preserved fossils of Vetulicola longbaoshanensis are described from the Lower Cambrian Wulongqing Formation (China) by Li, Liu & Ou (2017).
* Putative trematode metacercariae preserved at the base of the femora of an agamid lizard are described from the Cretaceous Burmese amber (Myanmar) by Poinar et al. (2017).

### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Acoelia discontinua | Sp. nov | Valid | Wu | Permian (Changhsingian) | | China | A calcareous sponge belonging to the order Inozoa and the family Acoeliidae. |
| Aeroretiolites | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Melchin, Lenz & Kozłowska | Silurian | | Canada | A graptolite. Genus includes new species A. cancellatus. |
| Aladraco | Nom. et sp. nov | Valid | Geyer | Cambrian | Jbel Wawrmast Formation Tannenknock Formation | Germany  Morocco | A member of Hyolitha; a replacement name for Oxyprymna Kiderlen (1933). Genus includes A. schloppensis (Wurm, 1925) and a new species A. ougnatensis. |
| Allonnia erjiensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Yun, Zhang & Li | Cambrian | Chengjiang Lagerstätte | China | A chancelloriid. |
| Andiprion | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Hints et al. | Ordovician (Dapingian) | | Argentina | A polychaete described on the basis of scolecodonts. Genus includes new species A. paxtonae. |
| Angulosuspongia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Yang et al. | Cambrian Stage 5 | Kaili Formation | China | A sponge belonging to the order Verongida and the family Vauxiidae. Genus includes new species A. sinensis. |
| Ankalodous | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Shu et al. | Cambrian Series 3 | Qiongzhusi (Chiungchussu) Formation | China | An arrow worm. The type species is A. sericus. |
| Archaeochionelasmus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kočí et al. | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Bohemian Cretaceous Basin | Czech Republic | An animal of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Originally interpreted as a barnacle belonging to the group Balanomorpha and the superfamily Chionelasmatoidea; Gale & Skelton (2018) considered it to be a rudist bivalve instead. Genus includes new species A. nekvasilovae. |
| Biskolites | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Valent, Fatka & Marek | Cambrian (Drumian) | Buchava Formation | Czech Republic | A member of Hyolitha. Genus includes new species B. iactans. |
| Capinatator | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Briggs & Caron | Cambrian | Burgess Shale | Canada ( British Columbia) | An arrow worm. The type species is C. praetermissus. |
| Caryosyntrips camurus | Sp. nov | Valid | Pates & Daley | Cambrian | Burgess Shale Langston Formation Valdemiedes Formation? | Canada ( British Columbia)  United States ( Utah)  Spain? | A member of Radiodonta. |
| Caryosyntrips durus | Sp. nov | Valid | Pates & Daley | Cambrian | Wheeler Shale | United States ( Utah) | A member of Radiodonta. |
| Cloudina ningqiangensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Cai et al. | Late Ediacaran | | China | |
| Cloudina xuanjiangpingensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Cai et al. | Late Ediacaran | | China | |
| Conchicolites rossicus | Sp. nov | Valid | Vinn & Madison | Ordovician (Katian) | | Russia | A member of Cornulitida belonging to the family Cornulitidae. |
| Conciliospongia | Gen. et sp. nov | | Botting, Zhang & Muir | Late Ordovician | Wenchang Formation | China | A stem-demosponge of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is C. anjiensis. |
| Corallistes campanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Świerczewska-Gładysz | Late Cretaceous (early Campanian) | | Poland | A lithistid demosponge belonging to the family Corallistidae. |
| Cretacimermis aphidophilus | Sp. nov | Valid | Poinar | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Burmese amber | Myanmar | A nematode belonging to the family Mermithidae. |
| Eolorica | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Harvey & Butterfield | Cambrian (Furongian) | Deadwood Formation | Canada ( Saskatchewan) | A member of the total group of Loricifera. The type species is E. deadwoodensis. |
| Eorograptus spirifer | Sp. nov | Valid | Melchin, Lenz & Kozłowska | Silurian | | Canada | A graptolite. |
| Feiyanella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Han et al. | Earliest Cambrian | Kuanchuanpu Formation | China | A Cloudina-like tubular microfossil. The type species is F. manica. |
| Geoditesia jordaniensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Ungureanu, Ahmad & Farouk | Middle Jurassic (Callovian) | | Jordan | A sponge. |
| Glomerula gemmellaroi | Sp. nov | Valid | Sanfilippo in Sanfilippo et al. | Permian | "Pietra di Salomone" Limestone | Italy | A polychaete belonging to the family Sabellidae, a species of Glomerula. |
| Guettardiscyphia zitti | Sp. nov | Valid | Vodrážka | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | Bílá Hora Formation | Czech Republic | A hexactinellid sponge belonging to the family Cribrospongiidae. |
| Inquicus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cong et al. | Early Cambrian | Chengjiang Lagerstätte | China | A tiny worm infecting members of the genera Cricocosmia and Mafangscolex. Genus includes new species I. fellatus. |
| Keretsa | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ivantsov | Late Precambrian | Zimnie Gory Formation | Russia ( Arkhangelsk Oblast) | An early eumetazoan, showing similarities to the arthropod species Naraoia longicaudata. The type species is K. brutoni. |
| Labechia yeongwolense | Sp. nov | Valid | Jeon et al. | Ordovician (Darriwilian) | Yeongheung Formation | South Korea | A stromatoporoid. |
| Lepidocoleus kuangguoduni | Sp. nov | Valid | Gügel et al. | Devonian (Eifelian) | Nandan Formation | China | A machaeridian. |
| 'Linevitus' guizhouensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Sun et al. | Cambrian Stage 4 | Balang Formation | China | A member of Hyolitha. |
| Microdictyon cuneum | Sp. nov | Valid | Wotte & Sundberg | Cambrian | | United States ( Nevada) | A lobopodian. |
| Microdictyon montezumaensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Wotte & Sundberg | Cambrian | | United States ( Nevada) | A lobopodian. |
| Mughanniyyum | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ungureanu, Ahmad & Farouk | Middle Jurassic (Callovian) | | Jordan | A sponge. Genus includes new species M. hanium. |
| Multiconotubus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cai et al. | Late Ediacaran | | China | A Cloudina-like fossil. Genus includes new species M. chinensis. |
| Neophrissospongia kacperskii | Sp. nov | Valid | Świerczewska-Gładysz | Late Cretaceous (early Campanian) | | Poland | A lithistid demosponge belonging to the family Corallistidae. |
| Orthrozanclus elongata | Sp. nov | | Zhao & Smith in Zhao et al. | Cambrian Stage 3 | Maotianshan Shales | China | |
| Ovatiovermis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Caron & Aria | Cambrian | Burgess Shale | Canada ( British Columbia) | A lobopodian belonging to the family Luolishaniidae. The type species is O. cribratus. |
| Pachinion canaliculatum | Sp. nov | Valid | Świerczewska-Gładysz | Late Cretaceous (early Campanian) | | Poland | A lithistid demosponge belonging to the family Corallistidae. |
| Paratetragraptus cooperi | Sp. nov | Valid | VandenBerg | Ordovician (early Floian) | | Australia | A graptolite belonging to the group Dichograptina and the family Phyllograptidae. |
| Paratetragraptus? henrywilliamsi | Sp. nov | Valid | VandenBerg | Ordovician (early Floian) | | Australia | A graptolite belonging to the group Dichograptina and the family Phyllograptidae. |
| Paratetragraptus thomassmithi | Sp. nov | Valid | VandenBerg | Ordovician (early Floian) | | Australia | A graptolite belonging to the group Dichograptina and the family Phyllograptidae. |
| Plumulites lamonti | Sp. nov | Valid | Candela & Crighton | Silurian (Telychian) | Wether Law Linn Formation | United Kingdom | A machaeridian. |
| Propomatoceros permianus | Sp. nov | Valid | Sanfilippo in Sanfilippo et al. | Permian | "Pietra di Salomone" Limestone | Italy | A polychaete belonging to the family Serpulidae, a species of Propomatoceros. |
| Pseudoretiolites hyrichus | Sp. nov | Valid | Melchin, Lenz & Kozłowska | Silurian | | Canada | A graptolite. |
| Pyrgopolon (Septenaria) cenomanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Kočí, Jäger & Morel | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | | France | A polychaete belonging to the family Serpulidae. |
| Pyrgopolon (Turbinia?) gaiae | Sp. nov | Valid | Sanfilippo in Sanfilippo et al. | Permian | "Pietra di Salomone" Limestone | Italy | A polychaete belonging to the family Serpulidae, a species of Pyrgopolon. |
| Radiofibrosclera | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wu | Permian (Changhsingian) | | China | A sclerosponge. The type species is R. laibinensis. |
| Ratcliffespongia arivechensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Beresi et al. | Cambrian Series 3 | | Mexico | A reticulosan sponge of uncertain phylogenetic placement. |
| Saccorhytus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Han et al. | Earliest Cambrian | | China | An animal of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Originally described as an early deuterostome related to vetulicolians and vetulocystids, but subsequently argued to be an ecdysozoan. The type species is S. coronarius. |
| "Serpula" distefanoi | Sp. nov | Valid | Sanfilippo in Sanfilippo et al. | Permian | "Pietra di Salomone" Limestone | Italy | A polychaete belonging to the family Serpulidae. |
| Serpula? pseudoserpentina | Sp. nov | Valid | Kočí, Jäger & Morel | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | | France | A polychaete belonging to the family Serpulidae. |
| Silicunculus saaqqutit | Sp. nov | Valid | Peel | Cambrian Series 3 | | Greenland | A sponge. |
| Singuuriqia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Peel | Cambrian Stage 3 | Sirius Passet Lagerstätte | Greenland | A member of Priapulida. Genus includes new species S. simoni. |
| Siphusauctum lloydguntheri | Sp. nov | Valid | Kimmig, Strotz & Lieberman | Cambrian Stage 5 | Spence Shale | United States ( Utah) | |
| Tauricornicaris | Gen. et 2 sp. nov | Valid | Zeng et al. | Early Cambrian | Chengjiang Lagerstätte | China | Originally considered as member of Radiodonta, possibly a member of Hurdiidae, but denied in 2018. Genus includes new species T. latizonae and T. oxygonae. |
| Thoracospongia lacrimiformis | Sp. nov | Valid | Peel | Cambrian Series 3 | | Greenland | A sponge. |
| Tianzhushanella tolli | Sp. nov | Valid | Kouchinsky et al. | Cambrian | Medvezhya Formation | Russia | A member of Tianzhushanellidae (a group of animals of uncertain phylogenetic placement, possibly stem-brachiopods). |
| Tshallograptus | Gen. et comb. et 3 sp. nov | Valid | VandenBerg | Ordovician (early Floian) | | Australia  Canada | A graptolite belonging to the group Dichograptina and the family Phyllograptidae. The type species is "Graptolithus" fruticosus Hall (1858); genus also includes new species T. tridens, T. cymulus and T. furcillatus. |
| Valospongia sonorensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Beresi et al. | Cambrian Series 3 | | Mexico | A reticulosan sponge of uncertain phylogenetic placement. |
| Vittatusivermis | Gen. et sp. nov | | Zhang et al. | Cambrian (Fortunian) | Yuhucun Formation | China | A worm-like organism, possibly a member of Bilateria of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is V. annularius. |
| Websteroprion | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Eriksson, Parry & Rudkin | Devonian (late Emsian-early Eifelian) | Kwataboahegan Formation | Canada ( Ontario) | A eunicidan polychaete of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is W. armstrongi. |

## Other organisms
### Research

* Eoarchean (over 3,700 million years old) organic residues are reported from Isua, West Greenland by Hassenkam et al. (2017).
* Putative fossilized microorganisms that are at least 3,770 million and possibly 4,280 million years old are described from the Nuvvuagittuq belt (Quebec, Canada) by Dodd et al. (2017).
* Organic carbon contents are reported from the oldest metasedimentary rocks from northern Labrador (Canada) by Tashiro et al. (2017), who interpret the finding as the oldest evidence of organisms greater than 3.95 Ga; the study is subsequently criticized by Whitehouse et al. (2019).
* Potential biosignatures, including stromatolites, are reported from the newly discovered rocks recovered from ca. 3.48 billion years old Dresser Formation (Pilbara Craton, Australia) by Djokic et al. (2017).
* Lenticular structures known from the ~3.4 Ga Kromberg Formation (Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa) are interpreted as organic Archean microfossils by Oehler et al. (2017).
* Fossils of early eukaryotes Tappania plana, Dictyosphaera macroreticulata and Valeria lophostriata are described from the early Mesoproterozoic Greyson Formation (Belt Supergroup, Montana, United States) by Adam et al. (2017).
* 2.4-billion-year-old filamentous fossils forming mycelium-like structures, considered to be either the oldest known fungi or members of an unknown branch of fungus-like mycelial organisms, are described from the Ongeluk Formation (South Africa) by Bengtson et al. (2017).
* A study on the anatomy of the fossils of Chuaria circularis recovered from the Tonian Liulaobei Formation (China) is published by Tang et al. (2017), who interpret Chuaria as most likely a simple multicellular organism (a colonial organism without cell differentiation).
* A study on the apatitic scale microfossils from the Fifteenmile Group (Yukon, Canada), indicating that the fossils document the existence of eukaryotic biomineralizing organisms approximately 810 million years ago, is published by Cohen et al. (2017).
* A study on the structure, morphology, and development of the large intracellular structures preserved in embryo-like microfossils from the Ediacaran Weng'an Biota (China) is published by Yin et al. (2017), who interpret these structures as likely cell nuclei.
* A study testing the suggested link between the appearance of large body size in rangeomorphs (organisms of uncertain phylogenetic placement, likely animals) in the Ediacaran and postulated regional increases in environmental nutrient levels is published by Hoyal Cuthill & Conway Morris (2017).
* A study on the internal morphology of Rangea from the Nama Group (Namibia), based on data obtained using X-ray micro-computed tomography, is published by Sharp et al. (2017).
* Smith et al. (2017) report the discovery of fossils of Gaojiashania from the Ediacaran strata of the Nama Group (Namibia) and a new fossil assemblage from the Ediacaran strata of the Wood Canyon Formation (Nevada, United States), including erniettomorphs and a variety of tubular body fossils.
* A study on the well-preserved Devonian calcareous nanicellid foraminiferans from the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Poland) and their implications for the biomineralization style and affinities of Paleozoic fusulinid foraminiferans is published by Dubicka & Gorzelak (2017).
* Four forms of modern-looking gilled mushrooms, including two taxa belonging to the family Marasmiaceae, are described from the Cretaceous Burmese amber by Cai et al. (2017).

### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Acadialithus | Gen. et 2 sp. nov | Valid | Howe | Late Jurassic (Tithonian) | | Bulgaria Offshore eastern Newfoundland, Canada Offshore in the eastern Gulf of Mexico Offshore of the northeast coast of the United States | A nannofossil. Genus includes new species A. dennei and A. valentinei. |
| Adendorfia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Worobiec et al. | Miocene | | Germany | A fungus, probably a member of Chaetomiaceae. Genus includes new species A. miocenica. |
| Algites philippoviensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Naugolnykh | Permian (Kungurian) | Philippovian Formation | Russia | A brown alga. |
| Algites shurtanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Naugolnykh | Permian (Kungurian) | Shurtan Formation | Russia | A brown alga. |
| Alpinoschwagerina nagatoensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Permian (Asselian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Amsassia argentina | Sp. nov | Valid | Carrera, Astini & Gomez | Early Ordovician | La Silla Formation | Argentina | A coral-like organism of uncertain phylogenetic placement. |
| Asterina indodeightonii | Sp. nov | Valid | Vishnu et al. | Mid-Miocene to early Pleistocene | | India | A fungus, a species of Asterina. |
| Asterina mioconsobrina | Sp. nov | Valid | Vishnu et al. | Mid-Miocene to early Pleistocene | | India | A fungus, a species of Asterina. |
| Asterina miosphaerelloides | Sp. nov | Valid | Vishnu et al. | Mid-Miocene to early Pleistocene | | India | A fungus, a species of Asterina. |
| Asterina neocombreticola | Sp. nov | Valid | Vishnu et al. | Mid-Miocene to early Pleistocene | | India | A fungus, a species of Asterina. |
| Asterina neoelaeocarpi | Sp. nov | Valid | Vishnu et al. | Mid-Miocene to early Pleistocene | | India | A fungus, a species of Asterina. |
| Asterina presaracae | Sp. nov | Valid | Vishnu et al. | Mid-Miocene to early Pleistocene | | India | A fungus, a species of Asterina. |
| Baculogypsinella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Matsumaru | Eocene | | Philippines | A foraminifer. Genus includes new species B. eocenica. |
| Blastanosphaira | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Javaux & Knoll | Mesoproterozoic | Mainoru Formation | Australia | A possible eukaryotic microorganism of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is B. kokkoda. |
| Bonniea makrokurtos | Sp. nov | Valid | Cohen, Irvine & Strauss | Tonian | Callison Lake Formation | Canada ( Yukon) | A vase-shaped microfossil. |
| Braarudosphaera pseudobatilliformis | Sp. nov | Valid | Alves, Lima & Shimabukuro | Early Cretaceous (Aptian) | | Brazil | A haptophyte belonging to the family Braarudosphaeraceae. |
| Carbonoschwagerina nipponica | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Carboniferous (Kasimovian and Gzhelian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Cephalothecoidomyces | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Worobiec et al. | Neogene | | Germany  Poland | A fungus, probably a member of Cephalothecaceae. Genus includes new species C. neogenicus. |
| Chiphragmalithus muzylevii | Sp. nov | Valid | Musatov | Eocene (Ypresian) | | Russia | A haptophyte. |
| Cobios | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Du et al. | Ediacaran | Doushantuo Formation | China | A red alga. The type species is Cobios rubo. |
| Curviacus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Shen et al. | Ediacaran | Dengying Formation | China | A benthic modular organism consisting of serially arranged and crescent-shaped chambers. Genus includes new species C. ediacaranus. |
| Cyanonema grandis | Sp. nov | Valid | Shi & Feng in Shi et al. | Early Mesoproterozoic | Gaoyuzhuang Formation | China | A member of Cyanobacteria belonging to the group Nostocales. |
| Cycliocyrillium rootsi | Sp. nov | Valid | Cohen, Irvine & Strauss | Tonian | Callison Lake Formation Chuar Group (Kwagunt Formation) | Canada ( Yukon)  United States | A vase-shaped microfossil. Originally described as a species of Cycliocyrillium, but subsequently transferred to the genus Obelix. Morais et al. (2019) corrected the suffix for the specific epithet to rootsii. |
| Dalongicaepa | Gen. et sp. et comb. nov | Valid | Xiao & Suzuki in Xiao, Suzuki & He | Late Permian | Upper Dalong Formation | China  Thailand | A radiolarian belonging to the group Spumellaria and the family Spongotortilispinidae. The type species is D. bipolaris; genus also includes "Pseudospongoprunum" fontainei Sashida in Sashida et al. (2000). |
| Denaricion | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Bengtson in Bengtson et al. | ~1.6 billion years ago | | India | An organism of uncertain phylogenetic placement, might be an alga or prokaryote. Genus includes new species D. mendax. |
| Devisphaera | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Tang et al. | Late Mesoproterozoic – early Neoproterozoic | Madhubani Group | India | An organic-walled microfossil. Genus includes new species D. corallis. |
| Discusphyton | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Wang, Wang & Du | Ediacaran | Doushantuo Formation | China | A macroalga of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Genus includes new species D. whenghuiensis. |
| Fissumella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cruz-Abad et al. | Early Cretaceous (Albian) | | Italy | A foraminifer. Genus includes new species F. motolae. |
| Flabelloperforata | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schlagintweit & Rashidi | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Tarbur Formation | Iran | A foraminifer belonging to the group Loftusiida, possibly a member of the family Biokovinidae. Genus includes new species F. tarburensis. |
| Gigadiacrodium | Gen. et comb. et sp. nov | Valid | Szczepanik, Servais & Żylińska | Cambrian (Furongian) | Alum Shale Formation Elliott's Cove Formation | Canada  Iran  Italy  Poland  Sweden | An acritarch. The type species is "Veryhachium" martinum Pittau (1985); genus also includes new species G. vidalii. |
| Gigantosphaeridium floccosum | Sp. nov | Valid | Agić, Moczydłowska & Yin | Early Mesoproterozoic | Ruyang Group | China | A microfossil. |
| Gondwanagaricites | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Heads, Miller & Crane | Early Cretaceous (Aptian) | Crato Formation | Brazil | A gilled mushroom. Genus includes new species G. magnificus. |
| Hagenococcus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Krings et al. | Early Devonian | Rhynie chert | United Kingdom | A microorganism of uncertain phylogenetic placement, most likely an alga with affinities to the Chlorophyta or Streptophyta. Genus includes new species H. aggregatus. |
| Haplophragmoides arcticus | Sp. nov | Valid | Kaminski, Waskowska & Chan | Middle Pleistocene | | Arctic Ocean (Lomonosov Ridge) | A foraminifer. |
| Jigulites titanicus | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Carboniferous (Gzhelian) and Permian (Asselian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Limeta | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Morais, Fairchild & Lahr in Morais et al. | Neoproterozoic | Urucum Formation | Brazil | A vase-shaped microfossil. Genus includes new species L. lageniformis. |
| Montiparus minensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Carboniferous (Kasimovian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Nannoconus troelsenii | Sp. nov | Valid | Alves, Lima & Shimabukuro | Early Cretaceous (Aptian) | | Brazil | A haptophyte belonging to the family Nannoconaceae. |
| Oscillatoriopsis gigas | Sp. nov | Valid | Shi & Feng in Shi et al. | Early Mesoproterozoic | Gaoyuzhuang Formation | China | A member of Cyanobacteria belonging to the group Oscillatoriales. |
| Palaeoamphora | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Morais, Fairchild & Lahr in Morais et al. | Neoproterozoic | Urucum Formation | Brazil | A vase-shaped microfossil. Genus includes new species P. urucumense. |
| Palaeostromatus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Dentzien-Dias, Poinar & Francischini | Permian (Guadalupian) | Rio do Rasto Formation | Brazil | An actinomycete. Genus includes new species P. diairetus. |
| Paleohaimatus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Poinar | Eocene-Miocene | El Mamey Formation (Dominican amber) | Dominican Republic | A member of Apicomplexa belonging to the group Piroplasmida. Genus includes new species P. calabresi. |
| Parastaffelloides kanmerai | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Carboniferous (Moscovian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Pentadinium darmirae | Sp. nov | Valid | Slimani & Ţabără in Ţabără et al. | Paleocene (Danian) | Izvor Formation Runcu Formation | Romania | A dinoflagellate belonging to the group Gonyaulacales and the family Gonyaulacaceae. |
| Persiella | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schlagintweit & Rashidi | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Tarbur Formation | Iran | A foraminifer belonging to the group Loftusiida, possibly a member of the family Spirocyclinidae. Genus includes new species P. pseudolituus. |
| Pocillithus crucifer | Sp. nov | Valid | Lees, Bown & Young | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | | Tanzania | A haptophyte belonging to the family Papposphaeraceae. |
| Pocillithus macleodii | Sp. nov | Valid | Lees, Bown & Young | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | | Tanzania | A haptophyte belonging to the family Papposphaeraceae. |
| Quasifusulinoides grandis | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Carboniferous (Kasimovian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Rafatazmia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Bengtson in Bengtson et al. | ~1.6 billion years ago | | India | An alga of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Genus includes new species R. chitrakootensis. |
| Ramathallus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Sallstedt in Bengtson et al. | ~1.6 billion years ago | | India | A possible stem-florideophycean red algae. Genus includes new species R. lobatus. |
| Schwagerina wakatakeyamensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Permian (Asselian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Schwagerina watanabei | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Permian (Asselian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Spearlithus | Gen. et 12 sp. nov | Valid | Da Gama | Pleistocene | | Dominican Republic | A calcareous nannofossil of uncertain phylogenetic placement. |
| Staffella subsphaerica | Sp. nov | Valid | Kobayashi | Carboniferous (Kasimovian and Gzhelian) | Akiyoshi Limestone Group | Japan | A foraminifer belonging to the group Fusulinida. |
| Stradnerlithus? haynesiae | Sp. nov | Valid | Lees, Bown & Young | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | | Tanzania | A haptophyte belonging to the order Stephanolithiales and the family Stephanolithiaceae. |
| Stradnerlithus wendleri | Sp. nov | Valid | Lees, Bown & Young | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | | Tanzania | A haptophyte belonging to the order Stephanolithiales and the family Stephanolithiaceae. |
| Suraqalatia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Görmüş, Ameen Lawa & Al Nuaimy | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | | Iraq | A foraminifer belonging to the family Dicyclinidae. Genus includes new species S. brasieri. |
| Synaptomitus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Poinar | Eocene to Miocene | Dominican amber | Dominican Republic | Originally described as a fungus belonging to the group Basidiomycota, but this interpretation was challenged by Selosse et al. (2017). Genus includes new species S. orchiphilus. |
| Syracosphaera antiqua | Sp. nov | Valid | Bown, Lees & Young | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | | Tanzania | A haptophyte belonging to the order Syracosphaerales and the family Syracosphaeraceae. |
| Syracosphaera repagula | Sp. nov | Valid | Bown, Lees & Young | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | | Tanzania | A haptophyte belonging to the order Syracosphaerales and the family Syracosphaeraceae. |
| Tarburina | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schlagintweit, Rashidi & Barani | Late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) | Tarbur Formation | Iran | A foraminifer. Genus includes new species T. zagrosiana. |
| Taruma | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Morais, Fairchild & Lahr in Morais et al. | Neoproterozoic | Urucum Formation | Brazil | A vase-shaped microfossil. Genus includes new species T. rata. |
| Tortolithus foramen | Sp. nov | Valid | Lees, Bown & Young | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | | Tanzania | A haptophyte of uncertain phylogenetic placement. |
| Veteronostocale grandis | Sp. nov | Valid | Shi & Feng in Shi et al. | Early Mesoproterozoic | Gaoyuzhuang Formation | China | A member of Cyanobacteria belonging to the group Nostocales. |
| Windipila | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Krings & Harper | Early Devonian | Windyfield chert | United Kingdom | A fungus described on the basis of a reproductive unit. Genus includes new species W. spinifera. |
| Xiaohongyuia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Shi & Feng in Shi et al. | Late Paleoproterozoic | Dahongyu Formation | China | A probable eukaryotic microfossil. Genus includes new species X. sinica. |

## General paleontology

Research related to paleontology that either does not concern any of the groups of the organisms listed above, or concerns multiple groups.
* A study on the links between changes in the composition of exposed continental crust and oxygenation of the atmosphere in the Precambrian is published by Smit & Mezger (2017).
* A review of the progress in modeling the Snowball Earth atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere, specifically as it pertains to Cryogenian geology and geobiology, is published by Hoffman et al. (2017).
* A revised record of fossil eukaryotic steroids during the Neoproterozoic is presented by Brocks et al. (2017), who argue that bacteria were the only notable primary producers in the oceans before the Cryogenian, and that rapid rise of marine planktonic algae to domination occurred in the narrow time interval between the Sturtian and Marinoan glaciations, 659–645 million years ago, likely driving the subsequent radiation of animals in the Ediacaran period.
* A study evaluating whether mass extinction events over the last 500 million year were caused by astronomical phenomena is published by Erlykin et al. (2017).
* A study on the water column geochemistry of the Yangtze Sea during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition and its implications for the relationship between ocean oxygenation and Early Cambrian animal diversification is published by Zhang et al. (2017).
* A study on the links between the expansion of siliceous sponges and seawater oxygenation during the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition is published by Tatzel et al. (2017).
* A study on the factors influencing marine invertebrate diversity dynamics through the Phanerozoic is published by Cermeño et al. (2017).
* Edwards et al. (2017) identify a strong temporal link between the rising atmospheric oxygen levels and the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.
* A study on the impact of the drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide (caused by burial of organic carbon leading to the formation of coal) on the climate around the Carboniferous/Permian boundary is published by Feulner (2017).
* A comprehensive reconstruction of the Permian (Lopingian) Bletterbach Biota (Italy) and a review of other best-known Lopingian terrestrial associations containing both vertebrate and plant remains is published by Bernardi et al. (2017).
* A study on the causal connection between the Siberian Traps large igneous province magmatism and Permian–Triassic extinction event, identifying the initial emplacement pulse as likely to have triggered mass extinction, is published by Burgess, Muirhead & Bowring (2017).
* Viglietti, Rubidge & Smith (2017) review the tectonic setting of the Late Permian Karoo Basin (South Africa), provide an updated basin development model, and interpret their findings as indicating that the climatic changes associated with the Permian–Triassic extinction event were occurring much lower in the stratigraphy (and thus earlier) than previously documented.
* A summary of knowledge of the impact of Permian-Triassic mass extinction on reef ecosystems, and on their recovery after this extinction, is presented by Martindale, Foster & Velledits (2017).
* A study on benthic invertebrate communities from the Lower Triassic Werfen Formation (Italy), aiming to test whether carbon isotope perturbations during the Early Triassic were associated with biotic crises that impeded benthic recovery after the Permian–Triassic extinction event, is published by Foster et al. (2017).
* A study on the impact of the magmatic activity associated with the Central Atlantic magmatic province on the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event is published by Davies et al. (2017).
* A study on the volcanic activity at the end of the Triassic as indicated by mercury concentrations in sediments from around the world is published by Percival et al. (2017).
* A study on the oxygen levels in Earth's oceans during and after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event as indicated by uranium isotopes in shallow-marine limestones in the Lombardy Basin (northern Italy) is published by Jost et al. (2017).
* A high-resolution stratigraphic chart for terrestrial Late Cretaceous units of North America and a study on the stratigraphic ranges of North American dinosaurs is published by Fowler (2017).
* A study on the impact that large amounts of soot injected into the atmosphere during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (probably caused by global wildfires) had on the climate is published by Bardeen et al. (2017).
* A study estimating the decrease of the air temperature and the duration of the climate cooling caused by Chicxulub impact at the end of the Cretaceous is published by Brugger, Feulner & Petri (2017).
* A study on the volume of the climate-active gases released from sedimentary rocks as a result of the Chicxulub impact, as well as on their effect on the global climate, is published by Artemieva, Morgan & Expedition 364 Science Party (2017).
* Kaiho & Oshima (2017) calculate the amounts of stratospheric soot and sulfate formed by a virtual asteroid impact at various global locations, and conclude that the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event was caused by the Chicxulub impact happening at the hydrocarbon-rich, sulfate-dominated area on the Earth's surface, and that an impact at a low–medium hydrocarbon area on Earth would be unlikely to cause mass extinction.
* A study on the data sets of molluscan fossils from the Cretaceous–Paleogene of the Seymour Island (Antarctica) is published by Tobin (2017), who identifies possible evidence of two separate extinction events, one prior to the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, and one simultaneous with the bolide impact at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary.
* A study on the behavioral and ecological diversification of animals that colonized land as indicated by trace fossils is published by Minter et al. (2017).
* A study on the age of the Cowie Harbour Fish Bed (Scotland, United Kingdom), containing fish and arthropod fossils (including the millipede Pneumodesmus newmani), is published by Suarez et al. (2017).
* A study on the preservation of skin and keratinous integumentary structures in tetrapod fossils through time is published by Eliason et al. (2017).
* A study on the differences between the tetrapod faunas at different latitudes during the early and middle Permian, as well as their implications for establishing whether the Olson's Extinction was a genuine event, is published by Brocklehurst et al. (2017).
* A study on the non-flying terrestrial tetrapod species richness through the Mesozoic and early Palaeogene is published by Close et al. (2017).
* A study on the evolution of the shape of brain and skull roof during the transition from early reptiles through archosauromorphs, including nonavian dinosaurs, to birds is published by Fabbri et al. (2017).
* A study on the structure and vulnerability of the food web in marine vertebrate assemblages prior to the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event as indicated by calcium isotope data from plesiosaurs and mosasaurs is published by Martin et al. (2017).
* Qvarnström et al. (2017) reconstruct fossil inclusions in two coprolites (produced by an insectivorous animal and a large aquatic predator) from the Late Triassic locality of Krasiejów (Poland) using propagation phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography.
* A study on the fossil inclusions in coprolite fragments (produced by medium to large-sized carnivores, possibly therocephalian therapsids or early archosauriforms) recovered from the Late Permian locality of Vyazniki (Russia) is published by Bajdek et al. (2017).
* A new tetrapod assemblage from the lowermost levels of the Triassic Chañares Formation (Argentina), dominated by fossils of Tarjadia ruthae, dicynodonts and cynodonts, and also including fossils of other pseudosuchians and rhynchosaurs, is described by Ezcurra et al. (2017), who also reinterpret Tarjadia ruthae and Archeopelta arborensis as erpetosuchid archosaurs.
* A study on the cosmopolitanism of terrestrial amniote faunas in the aftermath of the Permian–Triassic extinction event and Triassic–Jurassic extinction event is published by Button et al. (2017).
* Frese et al. (2017) determine the mineral and elemental composition of a range of fossils from the Talbragar fossil site (Australia) and their rock matrices using ultraviolet light-induced fluorescence/photoluminescence, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffractometry, and use those techniques to reveal anatomical details of animals and plants fossils that weren't discernible otherwise.
* A study on changes of the size of fossil marine shells and predatory drill holes in those shells during the Phanerozoic, as well as their implications for changes of predator-prey size ratio throughout the Phanerozoic, is published by Klompmaker et al. (2017).
* A study evaluating the utility of oxygen-isotope compositions of fossilised foraminifera tests as proxies for surface- and deep-ocean paleotemperatures, and its implications for inferring Late Cretaceous and Paleogene deep-ocean and high-latitude surface-ocean temperatures, is published by Bernard et al. (2017).
* A study on the glacial development and environmental changes in the Aurora Subglacial Basin (Antarctica) throughout the Cenozoic based on geophysical and geological evidence is published by Gulick et al. (2017).
* A study on the onset duration of the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum is published by Kirtland Turner et al. (2017).
* A study on the relationship between volcanic activity in the North Atlantic Igneous Province and the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum is published by Gutjahr et al. (2017).
* A study on the environment in the area corresponding to the present-day Amazon basin in the Miocene as indicated by data from the shark and ray fossils from the Pirabas Formation (Brazil) is published by Aguilera et al. (2017).
* A study on the impact of the Messinian salinity crisis on Mediterranean magmatism is published by Sternai et al. (2017).
* A study on the changes of ice sheets volume and sea level during the late Pliocene is published by de Boer et al. (2017).
* Pimiento et al. (2017) identify a previously unrecognized extinction event among marine megafauna at the end of the Pliocene.
* A study on the aridity in eastern Africa over the past 4.4 million years as indicated by oxygen isotope ratios in fossil herbivore tooth enamel, and on its implications for inferring the role of climate in shaping early hominin environments, is published by Blumenthal et al. (2017).
* Tierney, deMenocal & Zander (2017) reconstruct temperature and aridity in the Horn of Africa region spanning the past 200,000 years.
* A vertebrate fauna from the Pleistocene and Holocene of Sumba (Indonesia) is described by Turvey et al. (2017).
* A study on the modified mammalian bones from the Plio–Pleistocene of Ethiopia is published by Sahle, El Zaatari & White (2017), who interpret the marks on some of these bones as more likely to be produced by crocodiles than by hominids using stone tools.
* Hagstrum et al. (2017) report impact-related microspherules and elevated platinum concentrations found in fine-grained sediments retained within Late Pleistocene bison and mammoth skull fragments from Alaska and Yukon, and interpret the findings as evidence of repeated airbursts and ground/ice impacts associated with multiple episodes of cosmic impact.
* A study on changes in landscape moisture in the rangelands in Europe, Siberia and the Americas during the late Pleistocene as indicated by data from the bones of megaherbivores is published by Rabanus-Wallace et al. (2017).