# 1987 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 1987.

## Plants
### Basal eudicots
#### Proteales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Langeria | gen et sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | First described as a witch-hazel genus The type species is L. magnifica | Langeria magnifica |
| Macginitiea | Gen et comb nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Paleocene | Fort Union Formation | USA Wyoming | A platanaceous genus The type species is Liquidambar gracile (1872) | synonymy Aralia gracilis Lesquereux 1878 Aralia notata Lesquereux 1878 Aralia republicensis Brown 1937 Aralia whitneyi auct. non Lesquereux nec. Berry, 1929 Platanus appendiculata auct. non Lesquereux nec. Berry, 1929 Platanus dubia Lesquereux (non Ettingshausen), 1874 Platanus nobilis auct. non Newberry. Brown, 1962 p.p. nec Hickey, 1977 | Macginitiea gracilis |

### Superasterids
#### Cornales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Tsukada | gen et sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | A dove-tree relative The type species is T. davidiifolia | Tsukada davidiifolia |

#### Santalales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Schoepfia republicensis | Comb nov | Valid | (Lamotte) Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | Cornus acuminata Berry, 1929 | First suggested to be a Schoepfia relative, Moved from Cornus republicensis 1944 | Schoepfia republicensis |

### Superrosids
#### Fagales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Alnus parvifolia | Comb nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | synonymy Alnus corralina auct. non Lesquereux nec Brown, 1937 (p. p.) Alnus elliptica Berry, 1929 Betula parvifolia Berry, 1926 Carpinus grandis auct. non Unger. nec Berry, 1926 (p. p.) | An alder species Moved from Betula parvifolia (1926) | Alnus parvifolia |
| Betula leopoldae | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | A birch species | Betula leopoldae |
| Carya washingtonensis | sp nov | Valid | Manchester | Miocene Langhian | Badger Pocket-Squaw Creek, Wanapum Basalts | USA Washington | | described from one of the oldest rodent nut caches known | |
| Fagopsis undulata | Comb nov | Valid | (Knowlton) Wolfe & Wehr | Paleocene | Langford Formation | US Wyoming | synonymy Carpinus grandis auct. non Unger. nec Dawson, 1890 Fagopsis longifolia p.p. auct. non (Lesquereux) Hollick nec. Becker, 1961 | A fagaceous species Moved from Fagus undulata (1899) | Fagopsis undulata |

#### Malvales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Tilia johnsoni | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | A linden species | Tilia johnsoni |

#### Rosales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Photinia pageae | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | A Photinia species | Photinia pageae |

#### Sapindales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Acer alaskense | Sect and sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Latest Paleocene | Chickaloon Formation | USA Alaska | | Oldest Acer sp in Alaska; Only species of the section Alaskana | |
| Acer ashwilli | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | early Oligocene | John Day Formation | USA Oregon | | extinct member of section Ginnala | |
| Acer browni | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | early - Middle Miocene | Collawash flora and several other floras | USA Canada | | extinct member of section Parviflora | |
| Acer castorrivularis | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Late Eocene | Beaver Creek Flora | USA Montana | | extinct member of section Macrantha | |
| Acer clarnoense | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Late Eocene | John Day Formation | USA Oregon | | extinct member of section Macrantha | |
| Acer dettermani | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Late Eocene - early Oligocene | Meshik Volcanics | USA Alaska | | extinct member of section Macrantha | |
| Acer douglasense | sect and sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | early Eocene | West Foreland Formation | USA Alaska | | Only species of the section Douglasa | |
| Acer eonegundo | Sp. nov. | valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Middle-Late Eocene | "Bull Run" Flora | USA | | extinct species of Acer sect. Negundo | |
| Acer ferrignoi | sp nov | valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Late Miocene | Lolo pass flora | USA Oregon | | Member of Acer Section Rubra | |
| Acer hillsi | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | one of two species in the extinct section Stewarta | |
| Acer ivanofense | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Latest Eocene - Early Oligocene | Meshik Volcanics | USA Alaska | | extinct member of section Glabra | |
| Acer kenaicum | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Oligocene | Tsadaka Formation & Tyonek Formation | USA Alaska | | extinct member of section Rubra | |
| Acer latahense | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | early - Late Miocene | Latah Formation | USA Washington | | extinct member of Acer section Macrantha | |
| Acer lincolnense | Sp. nov. | valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Late Eocene | Beaver Creek Flora | USA Montana | | A possible member of Acer sect. Cissifolia | |
| Acer republicense | Sect and sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | USA Washington | | type and only species in the extinct section Republica | |
| Acer rousei | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Allenby Formation | Canada British Columbia | | only species in the extinct section Rousea | |
| Acer smileyi | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Late Oligocene - Middle Miocene | Clarkia and other formations | USA Idaho | | extinct member of section Parviflora | |
| Acer stewarti | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Allenby Formation | Canada British Columbia | | one of two species in the extinct section Stewarta | |
| Acer stonebergae | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Allenby Formation | Canada British Columbia | | one of three species in the extinct section Torada | |
| Acer taggarti | sp nov | valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Middle Miocene | Mascall Formation | USA Oregon | | Member of Acer Section Rubra | |
| Acer taurocursum | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Late Eocene | Bull Run Flora | USA Nevada | | extinct member of section Rubra | |
| Acer toradense | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | one of three species in the extinct section Torada | |
| Acer traini | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Early to middle Miocene | Trout Creek flora | USA Canada | | extinct member of section Glabra | |
| Acer washingtonense | Sect and sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Tanai | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | type species in the extinct section Torada | |
| Acer whitebirdense | Comb nov | Valid | (Ashlee) Wolfe & Tanai | Middle Miocene | White Bird Flora | USA Idaho | | member of Acer section Rubra | |
| Barghoornia | gen et sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | A burseraceous genus The type species is B. oblongifolia | Barghoornia oblongifolia |
| Bohlenia | gen et comb nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | Comptonia insignis auct. non Lesquereux. Berry, 1929 | A sapindaceous genus The type species is Dipteronia americana (1935) (in part) Also includes Dipteronia insignis (1937) | Bohlenia americana |
| Rhus malloryi | sp nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | A sumac relative Split into four species in 2019 | Rhus malloryi |

### incertae sedis

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Princetonia | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Stockey | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Princeton Chert | Canada British Columbia | | An angiosperm flower genus of uncertain affiliation. The type species is P. allenbyensis | |
| Republica | gen, sp, et comb nov | Valid | Wolfe & Wehr | Eocene Ypresian | Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain Formation | US Washington | | An incertae sedis angiosperm possibly of Hamamelididae affiliations Type species R. hickeyi. Genus also includes Dicotylophyllum kummerensis (1977) and Dicotylophyllum litseafolia (1969) | Republica hickeyi |

## Molluscs
### Newly described bivalves

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Tuarangia gravgaerdensis | sp nov | valid | Berg-Madsen | Middle Cambrian | Bornholm | Denmark | second Tuarangia species named | |

## Arthropods
### Newly described arachnids

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Attercopus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Shear et al. | Givetian | Gilboa, New York | USA | one of the oldest spiders | |

### Newly described crustaceans

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Homarus morrisi | Sp nov | Valid | Quayle | Ypresian–Bartonian | | England | | |

### Newly described insects

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Baikuris | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Dlussky | Santonian | Taimyr amber | Russia | A sphecomyrmine ant. Two species B. mandibularis and B. mirabilis | Baikuris mandibularis |
| Sapho armissani | Sp nov. | Valid | Nel | Stampian | Narbonne Basin | France | A Calopterygid damselfly. | Sapho armissani |

## Reptiles
### Archosauromorphs

* Stokes suggests that sauropods recycled their gastroliths and chose them based on brightness of color.
* First Argentinosaurus bone found.

#### Newly described dinosaurs

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Aeolosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid taxon | Powell | Late Cretaceous | Angostura Colorada Formation | Argentina | A titanosaurian | |
| Aragosaurus | Gen et sp nov | Valid taxon | Sanz, Buscalioni, Casanovas-Cladellas, & Santafé | Hauterivian-Barremian | | Spain | | |
| Borogovia | gen et sp nov | Valid taxon | Osmólska | Late Cretaceous | | Mongolia | | |
| "Clevelanotyrannus" | gen et sp nov | Nomen nudum | Bakker, Williams & Currie vide: Currie | Late Cretaceous | Lance Formation | USA | determined to be a junior synonym of Nanotyrannus | "Clevelanotyrannus" |
| "Jiangjunmiaosaurus" | nomen nudum | Anonymous | Middle Jurassic | Shishugou Formation | | China | Junior synonym of Monolophosaurus | Monolophosaurus |
| Maleevus | gen et sp nov | Valid taxon | Tumanova | Late Cretaceous | | Mongolia | | |
| Pseudolagosuchus | Gen et sp nov | Valid taxon | Arcucci | Ladinian (Middle Triassic) | Chañares Formation | Argentina | possibly a jr synonym of Lewisuchus | |
| Ugrosaurus | gen et sp nov | Junior synonym | Cobabe & David Fastovsky | Late Cretaceous | Hell Creek Formation | USA | Junior synonym of Triceratops | Triceratops |
| "Unicerosaurus" | | Nomen nudum | Baugh vide: Armstrong | | Glen Rose, Texas? | USA | Possibly a Fish neural spine, never formally described | |
| Walkeria | gen et sp nov | name preoccupied | Chatterjee | Late Triassic | Maleri Formation | India | Name preoccupied by a bryozoan. Renamed Alwalkeria in 1994. | Alwalkeria |

### Newly named birds

| Name | Status | Novelty | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Aenigmavis sapea | jr synonym | Gen et sp. nov. | Peters | Middle Eocene | Messel pit | Germany | An Ameghinornithidae, jr synonym of Strigogyps sapea. it is the type species of the genus Aenigmavis Peters, 1987. |
| Aythya chauvirae | Valid | Sp nov. | Cheneval | Middle Miocene | | France | An Anatidae. |
| Calcardea junnei | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Gingerich | Early Eocene | Wilwood Formation | USA | Monotypic with C. junnei. Originally classified as a member of Ardeidae; this interpretation was rejected by Mayr, Gingerich & Smith (2019), who considered this bird to be a member of Telluraves, and claimed that it resembled parrot-like taxon Vastanavis. |
| Carduelis triasi | Valid | Sp nov. | Alcover & Florit | Late Pleistocene-Holocene | La Palma | Canary Islands | A Fringillidae, Carduelinae. |
| Dromaius gidju | jr synonym | Sp nov. | Patterson & Vickers Rich | Middle Miocene | Wipajiri Formation | Australia | A Dromaiidae, jr synonym of Emuarius gidju. |
| Ducula david | Valid | Sp. nov. | Balouet & Olson | Holocene | Uvea | Wallis and Futuna | A Columbidae. |
| Eoglaucidium pallas | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Fischer | Middle Eocene | Messel pit & Geiseltal | Germany | A Sandcoleid, monotypic with E. pallas. |
| Janipes nymphaeobates | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Rasmussen, Olson, & Simons | Early Oligocene | Jebel Qatrani Formation | Egypt | A Jacanidae, monotypic with J. nymphaeobates |
| Juncitarsus merkeli | Valid | Sp. nov. | Dieter S. Peters | Middle Eocene | Messel pit | Germany | A Juncitarsid |
| Necrobyas medius | jr synonym | Sp. nov. | Mourer-Chauviré | Eocene or Oligocene | Phosphorites du Quercy | France | A Tytonid, transferred to Prosybris medius in 1998. |
| Nupharanassa | Valid | Gen et sp. nov. | Rasmussen, Olson, & Simons | Early Oligocene | Jebel Qatrani Formation | Egypt | A Jacanidae, two species N. bulotorum and N. tolutaria. |
| Otis khosatzkii | Valid | Sp. nov. | Bocheński & Kurochkin | Late Pliocene | | Moldova | An Otidid |
| Otis paratetrax | Valid | Sp nov. | Bocheński & Kurochkin | Late Pliocene | | Moldova Ukraine | An Otididae. |
| Palaeoalectoris | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Hou | Argonian | Xiacaowan Formation | China | A Threskiornithid, monotypic with P. songlinensis. |
| Palaeobyas | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Mourer-Chauviré | Eocene or Oligocene | Phosphorites du Quercy | France | A Sophiornithid, monotypic with P. cracrafti. |
| Palaeoglaux | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Mourer-Chauviré | Late Eocene | | France | A Palaeoglaucid, monotypic with P. perrierensis. |
| Palaeotyto cadurcensis | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Mourer-Chauviré | Eocene or Oligocene | Phosphorites du Quercy, | France | A Sophiornithid, monotypic with P. cadurcensis. |
| Petralca austriaca | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Mlíkovský | Late Oligocene & Early Miocene | | Austria | Monotypic with P. austriaca. Originally thought to be an auk; Göhlich & Mayr (2018) reinterpreted it as a member of Gaviiformes. |
| Platalea tiangangensis | Valid | Sp. nov. | Hou | Argonian | Xiacaowan Formation | China | A Phasianid. |
| Prefica | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Olson | Early Eocene | Green River Formation | USA | A Steatornithidae, Preficinae, monotypic with P. nivea |
| Sophiornis | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Mourer-Chauviré | Eocene or Oligocene | Phosphorites du Quercy | France | A Sophiornithid, monotypic with S. quercynus |
| Vini sinotoi | Valid | Sp. nov. | Steadman & Zarriello | Holocene | Ua Huka; Hiva Oa; Tahuata | French Polynesia | A Psittacidae, Loriinae. |
| Vini vidivici | Valid | Sp. nov. | Steadman & Zarriello | Holocene | Tahuata | French Polynesia | A Psittacidae, Loriinae. |
| Tytthostonyx glauconiticus | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Olson & Parris, | Maastrichtian | Hornerstown Formation | USA | A Tytthostonychid, monotypic with T. glauconiticus |
| Xenerodiopus | Valid | Gen et sp nov. | Rasmussen, Olson, & Simons | Early Oligocene | Jebel Qatrani Formation | Egypt | A Xenerodiopid, monotypic with X. mycter |

#### Pterosaurs

| Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Arambourgiania | Gen nov | Valid | Nesov, Kanznyshkina, & Cherepanov | Maastrichtian | | Jordan | New generic name for "Titanopteryx philadelphiae" |
| Tropeognathus | Gen et sp nov | jr synonym? | Wellnhofer | Cenomanian | Santana Formation | Brazil | possibly a jr synonym of Ornithocheirus |

## Synapsids
### Mammals

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Propoecilogale | Gen. nov | Valid | Petter | Late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene | Bolt's Farm | South Africa | A mustelid, type species is P. bolti originally named as Ictonyx bolti in 1985. | |