# 1970 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 1970.

## Arthropods
### Newly named insects

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Aphaenogaster avita | Sp nov | Valid | Fujiyama | early - middle Miocene | Chojabaru Formation | Japan | A myrmicin ant Moved to Paraphaenogaster avita (2016) | |
| "Holcorpidae" | Fam nov | nomen nudum | Zherikhin | Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA | A scorpionfly family, type sp. H. maculosa No formal description provided | |

## Archosauromorphs
### Newly named diapsids

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
| Longisquama | fam et gen et sp nov | valid | Sharov | Middle to Late Triassic | Kyrgyzstan | possible gliding reptile covered with Feather-like Scales. | Longisquama insignis |

### Newly named dinosaurs

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Daspletosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Russell | Late Cretaceous | Oldman Formation | Canada ( Alberta)  USA ( Montana | A tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid. | Daspletosaurus |
| Deinocheirus | fam, gen et sp nov | Valid | Osmólska & Roniewicz | late Cretaceous | Nemegt Formation | Mongolia | | Deinocheirus |
| Dilophosaurus | gen nov | Valid | Welles | Early Jurassic | Kayenta formation | USA ( Arizona) | A Two-crested Dilophosaur. | Dilophosaurus |
| "Likhoelesaurus" | gen et sp nov | Nomen nudum. | Ellenberger | Late Triassic | Lower Elliot Formation | South Africa | Misidentified non-dinosaurian archosaur. | |
| "Megadontosaurus" | gen et sp nov | Nomen nudum | Brown vide: Ostrom | Early Cretaceous | Cloverly Formation | | Chimera of Deinonychus and Microvenator. | |
| Microvenator | gen et sp nov | Valid | Ostrom | Early Cretaceous | Cloverly Formation | USA ( Montana | | Microvenator celer |
| Sauropelta | gen et sp nov | Valid | Ostrom | Early Cretaceous | Cloverly Formation | USA ( Montana, Utah and Wyoming) | a nodosaurid | Sauropelta |
| Staurikosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Colbert | Late Triassic | Santa Maria Formation | Brazil | a herrerasaurid | Staurikosaurus |
| Tenontosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Ostrom | Early Cretaceous | Cloverly Formation | USA ( Arizona, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming) | an ornithopod. with a Long Tail. | Tenontosaurus |

### Newly named birds

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Anabernicula robusta | Sp. nov. | jr synonym | Short | Early Pleistocene | Yarmouth Intergalcial | USA | An Anatidae, jr synonym of Brantadorna robusta |
| Aquila borrasi | Sp. nov. | jr synonym | Arredondo | Pleistocene | Cave deposits | Cuba | An Accipitridae, jr synonym of Buteogallus borrasi. |
| Chubutodyptes biloculata | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | valid | George G. Simpson | Early Miocene | Patagonian | Argentina | A Spheniscidae, this is the type species of the new genus, Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche, 2007 transferred the species to the genus Palaeospheniscus Moreno et Mercerat, 1891. |
| Heterochen pratensis | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | valid | Lester L. Short | Early Pliocene | Valentine Formation | USA ( Nebraska) | An Anatidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Mancalla milleri | Sp. nov. | valid | Hildegarde Howard | Middle Pliocene | Blancan, San Diego Formation | USA ( California) | An Alcidae, Mancallinae. |
| Primobucco mcgrewi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | valid | Pierce Brodkorb | Early Eocene | Green River Formation | USA ( Wyoming) | Described as a Bucconidae, Feduccia et Martin, 1976 erected the family Primobucconidae for it, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Proagriocharis kimballensis | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | valid | Larry D. Martin James Tate, Jr. | Late Pliocene | Kimball Formation | USA ( Nebraska) | A Meleagridae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Pseudaptenodytes macraei | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | valid | George G. Simpson | Late Miocene | Cheltenhamian | Australia | A Spheniscidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Pseudaptenodytes minor | Sp. nov. | valid | George G. Simpson | Late Miocene | Cheltenhamian | Australia | A Spheniscidae. |
| Tringa antiqua | Sp. nov. | valid | J. Alan Feduccia | Late Pliocene | Hemphillian | USA ( Kansas) | A Scolopacidae. |
| Zonotrichia robusta | Sp. nov. | valid | Eduardo P. Tonni | Middle Pleistocene | Miramar | Argentina | A Passerellidae. |

### Newly named Pterosaurs

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Pterodaustro | gen et sp nov | Valid | Bonaparte | early Cretaceous | Lagarcito Formation | Argentina | a Ctenochasmatid pterodactyloid. with a Flamingo-like feeding style. | Pterodaustro guinazui |