# 1979 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 1979.

## Bryophytes

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Aulacomnium heterostichoides | Sp nov | Valid | Janssens | Ypresian | Horsefly Shales | Canada British Columbia | An aulacomniaceous moss. | |

## Fish

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Libotonius pearsoni | Sp nov | Valid | Wilson | Ypresian | Klondike Mountain Formation | USA Washington | A libotoniid sandroller relative. | Libotonius pearsoni |

## Archosauromorphs

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

### Non Avian Dinosaurs

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| "Gadolosaurus" | | Nomen nudum. | Saito | Cenomanian | Bayan Shireh Formation | Mongolia | informal name created by phonetic translation of the crylic for hadrosaur ("gadrosavr") into Japanese. Skeleton considered possibly a juvenile Arstanosaurus. | juvenile ?Arstanosaurus |
| Gilmoreosaurus | Gen et comb nov | Valid | Brett-Surman | Cretaceous late Campanian - early Maastrichtian | Iren Dabasu Formation | Mongolia | A hadrosauroid. | Gilmareasaurus |
| Gravitholus | | Junior synonym? | Wall & Galton | Judithian | Dinosaur Park Formation | Canada ( Alberta) | A pachycephalosaur, possible Junior synonym of Stegoceras. | Gravitholus |
| Maiasaura | | Valid | Horner & Makela | Judithian | Upper Two Medicine Formation | United States ( Montana) | Publication of Maiasaura renewed interest in the Two Medicine Formation. | Maiasaura peeblesorum |
| Majungatholus | Gen et sp nov | Junior synonym | Hans-Dieter Sues & Philippe Taquet | Maastrichtian | Maevarano Formation | Madagascar | Described as a pachycephalosaur, now considered an abelisaurid. The type species is M. atopus. Junior synonym of Majungasaurus. | Majungasaurus |
| Microhadrosaurus | Gen et sp nov | Nomen dubium. | Zhiming | Campanian | Yuanpu Formation | China | A hadrosaurid. | |
| Mussaurus | | Valid | Bonaparte & Vince | Norian | Laguna Colorada Formation | Argentina | An anchisaurian. | Mussaurus |
| Nanshiungosaurus | | Valid | Zhiming | Campanian | Yuanpu Formation | China | A therizinosaur. | Nanshiungosaurus |
| Patagosaurus | | Valid | Bonaparte | Callovian | Canadon Asfalto Formation | Argentina | A sauropod. | Patagosaurus |
| Piatnitzkysaurus | | Valid | Bonaparte | Callovian | Canadon Asfalto Formation | Argentina | A piatnitzkysaurid. | Piatnitzkysaurus |
| Secernosaurus | | Valid | Brett-Surma | Cretaceous late Campanian - early Maastrichtian | Bajo Barreal Formation Los Alamitos Formation | Argentina | A saurolophine hadrosaurid. | |
| Segnosaurus | | Valid | Perle | Cenomanian-Turonian | Bayan Shireh Formation | Mongolia | A therizinosaur. | Segnosaurus |
| Torvosaurus | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Galton & Jenson | Jurassic late Kimmeridgian-Tithonian | Morrison Formation | United States Colorado | A megalosaurid. | Torvosaurus |
| Unquillosaurus | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Powell | Campanian | Los Blanquitos Formation | Argentina | A possible Carcharodontosaurian. | |
| Volkheimeria | | Valid | Jose Bonaparte | Callovian | Canadon Asfalto Formation | Argentina | A sauropod. | |
| Yandusaurus | Gen et sp nov | Valid | He | Oxfordian | Shangshaximiao Formation | China | A basal neornithischian ornithopod. | |

### Birds

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Amplibuteo hibbardi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | An Accipitridae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Anas albae | Sp. nov. | Valid | Dénes Jánossy | Late Pliocene | MN 15-16-17 | Hungary | An Anatidae. |
| Anas amotape | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | An Anatidae. |
| Anas sanctaehelenae | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Early Pleistocene; Late Pleistocene | La Carolina | Ecuador | An Anatidae. |
| Anas talarae | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Early Pleistocene; Late Pleistocene | Argentina: Centinale del Mar; Talara Tar Seeps | Argentina  Peru | An Anatidae, transferred to the genus Callonetta Delacour, 1936 by Agnolin, 2006. |
| Ardea bennuides | Sp. nov. | Valid | Ella Hoch | Subrecent | 5000 YBP (Years Before Present) | UAE | A giant Ardeidae, not formally described but a photo is published which keeps it from being a Nomen Nudum. |
| Argillipes magnus | Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Early Middle Oligocene | MP 21-23 | UK | Described in the Catharthidae, transferred to Aves Incertae Sedis. |
| Barawertornis tedfordi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Patricia Vickers-Rich | Late Oligocene/Early Miocene | Carl Creek Limestone | Australia | A Dromornithidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Belonopterus edmundi | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Charadriidae. |
| Bubo longaevus | Sp. nov. | Valid | A. S. Umanskaya | Late Miocene | MN 11-13 | Soviet Union (Actually Ukraine) | A Strigidae, transferred to the genus Asio Brisson, 1760 by Mlíkovský, 1998. |
| Bullockornis planei | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Patricia Vickers-Rich | Middle-Late Miocene | Camfield Beds | Australia | A Dromornithidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Caprimulgus piurensis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Caprimulgidae-nightjar. |
| Cayaoa bruneti | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Eduardo P. Tonni | Late Oligocene-Miocene | | Argentina | An Anatidae. |
| Corvus simionescui | Sp. nov. | Valid | Jenö Kessler | Early Pliocene | MN 15 | Romania | A Corvidae, possibly a synonym of Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758. |
| Cuculus csarnotanus | Sp. nov. | Valid | Dénes Jánossy | Early Pliocene | MN 15 | Hungary | A Cuculidae. |
| Dege hendeyi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | George G. Simpson | Late Miocene-Early Pliocene | Varswater Formation | South Africa | A Spheniscidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Dromornis stirtoni | Sp. nov. | Valid | Patricia Vickers-Rich | Late Miocene-Early Pliocene | Alcoota Homestead | Australia | A Dromornithidae. |
| Eudocimus peruvianus | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Threskiornithidae. |
| Gallinago veterior | Sp. nov. | Valid | Dénes Jánossy | Early Pliocene | MN 15 | Hungary | A Scolopacidae. |
| Geronogyps reliquus | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Cathartidae. |
| Glareola neogena | Sp. nov. | Valid | Peter Ballmann | Middle Miocene | MN 6 | Germany | A Glareolidae. |
| Gymnogyps howardae | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Cathartidae. |
| Ilbandornis? lawsoni | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Patricia Vickers-Rich | Late Miocene-Early Pliocene | Alcoota Homestead | Australia | A Dromornithidae, not certainly an Ilbandornis Rich, 1979. |
| Ilbandornis woodburnei | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Patricia Vickers-Rich | Late Miocene-Early Pliocene | Alcoota Homestead | Australia | A Dromornithidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Latipons gardneri | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Middle Eocene | MP 11-13 | UK | A Rallidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Latipons robinsoni | Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Middle Eocene | MP 11-13 | UK | A Rallidae. |
| Litoripes medius | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Middle Eocene | MP 11-13 | UK | Described in the Phasianidae, but transferred by Mlíkovský, 2002. to Aves Incertae Sedis, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Micropalama chapmani | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Scolopacidae. |
| Milvago brodkorbi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Falconidae. |
| Milvoides kempi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Middle Eocene | MP 11-13 | UK | Described as an Accipitridae, known only from a damaged distal end of a right tarsometatarsus, making it not possible to identify it, better treated as Aves Incertae Sedis, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Mioglareola gregaria | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Peter Ballmann | Early Miocene Czech Republic; Middle Miocene Germany | MN 4b; MN 6 | Czech Republic  Germany | A Glareolidae, it is the type species of the new genus. |
| Miootis compactus | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | A. S. Umanskaya | Late Miocene | MN 13 | Soviet Union (Actually Ukraine) | An Otididae, it is the type species of the new genus. |
| Miraquila terrestris | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | An Accipitridae, transferred to the genus Buteogallus Lesson, 1830 by Suárez et Olson, 2009, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Nannonetta invisitata | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | An Anatidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Nucleornis insolitus | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | George G. Simpson | Miocene | Duinefontein | South Africa | A Spheniscidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Nuntius solitarius | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Scolopacidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Oligocathartes olsoni | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Early Middle Oligocene | MP 21-23 | UK | Described in the Catharthidae, but the holotype is too fragmentary for identification so best treated as Aves Incertae Sedis. |
| Palaeopapia hamsteadiensis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Early Middle Oligocene | MP 21-23 | UK: | An Anseriformes Incertae Sedis. |
| Paracathartes howardae | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison | Early Eocene | Greybullian, Middle Wasatchian, Willwood Formation | USA ( Wyoming) | Described as a Cathartidae, Houde 1988 placed it in the Lithornithiformes, Houde, 1988, Lithornithidae Houde, 1988, it is the type species of the new genus. |
| Paracygnopterus scotti | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid ? | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Early Middle Oligocene | MP 21-23 | UK | An Anatidae, it is the type species of the new genus. |
| Parvirallus gracilis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Middle Eocene | MP 11-13 | UK | A Rallidae. |
| Percolinus proudlocki | Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Middle Eocene | MP 11-13 | UK | Described as a Phasianidae, transferred to the genus Talantatos Reichenbach, 1852 and placed in the Cariamidae door Mlíkovský, 2002. |
| Phalacrocorax tanzaniae | Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Early-Middle Pleistocene | Kamasian | Tanzania | A Phalacrocoracidae. |
| Porzana estramosi | Sp. nov. | Valid | Dénes Jánossy | Middle Miocene | MN 6-8 | Hungary | A Rallidae. |
| Proanser major | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | A. S. Umanskaya | Late Miocene | MN 11 | Ukraine | An Anatidae, it is the type species of the new genus. |
| Proardeola walkeri | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Colin J. O. Harrison | Early Miocene | MN 2a | France | An Ardeidae, it is the type species of the new genus. |
| Proceriavis martini | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid ? | Colin J. O. Harrison Cyril A. Walker | Early Middle Oligocene | MP 21-23 | UK | Described as an Eleutherornithidae, based on a fragment of a cervical vertebra, best treated as Aves Incertae Sedis, it is the type species of the new genus. |
| Sarcoramphus? fisheri | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Cathartidae, not certain to be a Sarcoramphus Duméril, 1806. |
| Scolopax baranensis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Dénes Jánossy | Early Pliocene | MN 15 | Hungary | A Scolopacidae. |
| Steganopus graui | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Phalaropodidae. |
| Syrigma sanctimartini | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | An Ardeidae. |
| Theristicus wetmorei | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Threskiornithidae. |
| Thinocorus koepckeae | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Thinocoridae. |
| Tringa ameghini | Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Scolopacidae. |
| Turdoides borealis | Sp. nov. | Valid ? | Dénes Jánossy | Early Pliocene | MN 15 | Hungary | The holotype is a heavily eroded proximal part of a left humerus, best placed in Passeriformes Incertae Sedis. |
| Valenticarbo praetermissus | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid ? | Colin J. O. Harrison | Late Pliocene | Siwalik complex | India | A Phalacrocoracidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Viator picis | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr. | Late Pleistocene | Talara Tar Seeps | Peru | A Charadriidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |

## Plesiosaurs

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Dravidosaurus | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Yadagiri & Ayyasami | Cretaceous Coniacian | Trichinopoly Group | India | Either a Plesiosaur or Stegosaur | |

## Synapsids

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes |
| Aycrossia | Gen et sp nov | valid | Bown | Eocene Bridgerian | Aycross Formation | US Wyoming | An Omomyid primate The type species is A. lovei |
| Gazinius | Gen et sp nov | valid | Bown | Eocene Bridgerian | | US Wyoming | An Omomyid primate The type species is G. amplus |
| Strigorhysis | Gen et sp nov | valid | Bown | Eocene Bridgerian | Aycross Formation | US Wyoming | An Omomyid primate The type species is S. bridgerensis |

## Expeditions, field work, and fossil discoveries

* While volunteering for field work on a team led by Philip Currie, Darren Tanke learned about the lost "Eoceratops" first excavated by William Edmund Cutler. Tanke would later rediscover the specimen in London's Natural History Museum.