Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils.[1] 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 1904.
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Dinosaurs
Newly named dinosaurs
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[2]
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov | Broom | now considered an indeterminate sauropod |  | |||||
gen et sp nov | Valid | Type species: Centrosaurus apertus |  |
Plesiosaurs
- Plesiosaur gastroliths documented.[5]
Synapsids
Non-mammalian
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov | Valid | Middle Abrahamskraal Formation | A member of Scylacosauridae. |  | ||||
Gen et sp nov | Valid | Lucas | Late Triassic (Carnian) |
| A member of Stahleckeriidae. |  | ||
Gen et sp nov | Valid | |||||||
Gen et sp nov | Junior synonym | Middle Permian | A junior synonym of Titanosuchus. |
Metatherians
| Name | Authors | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argyrolagus | Ameghino | 4 Millions years ago | A Distante relative of the Shrew Opossum |
Eutherians
Cetaceans
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nom. nov. | Valid | Fraas | Middle Eocene (Bartonian) | Giushi Formation | A protocetid. Replacement name for Mesocetus Fraas, 1904 (non van Beneden, 1880). | |||
Gen. et. sp. nov | Fraas | Middle Eocene (Bartonian) | ||||||
Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Fraas | Middle Eocene (Lutetian) | Mokattam Formation | A protocetid. |
Even-toed Ungulates
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prosthennops | Valid | Matthew | 10 Millions of years ago | An Extinct Tayassuid. |
References
- Brown, B. (1904) Stomach stones and food of plesiosaurs, Science, n.s. 20, (501): 184-185
- Sanders F, Manley K, Carpenter K. Gastroliths from the Lower Cretaceous sauropod Cedarosaurus weiskopfae. In: Tanke D.H, Carpenter K, editors. Mesozoic vertebrate life: new research inspired by the paleontology of Philip J. Currie. Indiana University Press; Bloomington, IN: 2001. pp. 166–180.
- Williston, Samuel Wendel; 1904; The stomach stones of the plesiosaurs; Science; 20 pp. 565; American Association for the Advancement of Science