Protozoa
New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesPaleoleishmania neotropicumsp novValid PoinarBurdigalianDominican ambersecond record, and youngest, of the extinct genus Paleoleishmania
Plants
Ferns and fern allies Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymy Notes ImagesCalcaropterisGen et 2 sp novvalidMiller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationA matoniaceous morphogenus.The type species is C. boeselii Also includes C. bifurcataCladophlebis baja-beeceensisSp novvalidMiller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationA osmundaceous foliage morphospecies.Cladophlebis methowensisSp novvalidMiller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationA osmundaceous foliage morphospecies.FurcillopterisGen, sp, et comb novvalid(R.W. Brown) Miller & HickeyPaleoceneDanianFort Union FormationA fern morphogenus of uncertain affinity.The type species is Dryopteris serrata (1962) Also includes F. oblongataMicrophyllopteris delicataSp novvalidMiller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationA gleicheniaceous morphospecies.Microphyllopteris gieseckianaComb novvalid(Heer) Miller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationGleichenites nordenskioldi A gleicheniaceous morphospecies.Moved from Gleichenia gieseckiana (1868) Neocalamites vagantaSp novvalidMiller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationAn apocalamitaceous morphospecies.ParamatoniaGen et sp novvalidMiller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationA matoniaceous morphogenus.The type species is P. linearisSectilopterisGen et 3 comb novvalid(Fontaine) Miller & HickeyCretaceousAptianPatuxent FormationA fern morphogenus of uncertain affinity.The type species is Sphenopteris latiloba (1886) Also includes Sphenopteris newberryi (1956) & Hymenopteris psilotoides (1824)WinthropterisGen et sp novvalidMiller & HickeyCretaceousLate AlbianWinthrop FormationA blechnaceous morphogenus.The type species is W. ovalis
Angiosperms
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesDillhoffiaGen. et sp. nov.ValidManchester & PiggYpresianUnnamed Formation, Kamloops GroupPluricarpellatiaGen. et sp. nov.ValidMohr, Bernardes-de-Oliveira & TaylorEarly CretaceousCrato Formation
Monocots Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesMontrichardia aquaticasp novValidHerrera et alMiddle to late PaleoceneCerrejón Formationonly fossil record of the genus MontrichardiaPetrocardiumgen et sp novValidHerrera et alMiddle to late PaleoceneCerrejón FormationTwo named species Petrocardium cerrejonense and Petrocardium wayuuorum
Arthropoda
Arachnomorphs
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesDicranocarisGen et sp novvalidBriggs, Lieberman, Hendricks, Halgedahl & JarrardMiddle CambrianWheeler Formation Marjum FormationAn arachnormorph of uncertain classification. Type species D. guntherorumNettapezouraGen et sp novvalidBriggs, Lieberman, Hendricks, Halgedahl & JarrardMiddle CambrianMarjum FormationAn arachnormorph of uncertain classification. Type species N. basilikaPalaeosiroGen et sp novvalidPoinarCenomanianBurmese amberA stylocellid harvestman. Type species P. burmanicum
Crustaceans Research Schram (2008) publishes an adjustment to the taxonomy of Paleozoic stomatopods, erecting the family Archaeocarididae.
Insects Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesCataglyphoidesGen et sp et comb novValid DlusskyMiddle EoceneBaltic amberFossil formicine ant, two species C. constrictus (Mayr, 1868) & C. intermedius Dlussky, 2008 Dolichoderus punctatusSp novValid DlusskyMiddle EoceneBaltic amberFossil dolichoderine ant Electropodagrion Gen et sp novvalidAzar & NelMiddle EoceneBaltic AmberA Megapodagrionidae damselflyElektroepyrisGen et sp novValidPerrichot & NelEoceneOise amberA bethylid waspFormosibittacusgen et sp novValidLi, Ren & ShihMiddle JurassicJiulongshan FormationA bittacidHaidomyrmodesgen et sp novValidPerrichot et alMiddle CretaceousCharentese amberA Sphecomyrminae ant, type species H. mammuthusJurahylobittacusgen et sp novValidLi, Ren & ShihMiddle JurassicJiulongshan FormationA bittacidLutzomyia adiketissp novValid Poinar Burdigalian Dominican amber Vector for the extinct Trypanosomatidae species Paleoleishmania neotropicumProraphidia gomezisp novValid JarzembowskiLower CretaceousLower Weald ClayProraphidia hopkinsisp novValid JarzembowskiBarremianProteroscelio gravatusSp novvalidJohnson, Musetti & MasnerEarly Cretaceous (Aptian)Lebanese AmberA member of Platygastroidea.Rhabdepyris gallicusSp novValidPerrichot & NelEoceneOise amberA bethylid waspSinomeganeura gen et sp novValid Ren, Nel, & Prokop NamurianTupo Formation Third Namurian age Meganeuridae griffenfly described.SinoprotelenomusNom novvalidZhang in Johnson, Musetti & MasnerMioceneA member of Platygastroidea; replacement name for Protelenomus Zhang (1989).Sphecomyrmodes occidentalisSp novjr synPerrichot et alMiddle CretaceousCharentese amberA stem group ant jr synonym of Gerontoformica occidentalisSyndesus ambericusSp novValidWoodruffBurdigalianDominican amberA stag beetleTermitaradus avitinquilinusSp novValidGrimaldi & EngelBurdigalianDominican amberA termite bug
Xiphosurans
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images Lunataspisgen et sp novValid taxonNowlan, Rudkin, & YoungLate OrdovicianChurchill River Group?
Fishes
Bony fish Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesArquatichthysValidLu & ZhuDevonian (Pragian)Posongchong FormationA basal member of Dipnomorpha. The type species is A. porosus.DonnroseniaValidLong, Choo, & YoungDevonian (Givetian)Aztec SiltstoneA basal member of Actinopterygii. Genus includes new species D. schaefferi.Genyonemus whistleriValidTakeuchi & HuddlestonLate MiocenePuente FormationA relative of the white croaker.Hiodon woodruffiComb novvalid(Wilson)YpresianKlondike Mountain FormationA mooneye, Moved from Eohiodon woodruffi Wilson 1978Tarachomylax multicostatusValidQiao & ZhuDevonian (Emsian)Chuandong FormationA lungfish.
Cartilaginous fish
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesThrinacoselacheGen. et. sp. nov.Jr. synonymGrogan & LundCarboniferous (Serpukhovian)Bear Gulch LimestoneType species is T. gracia. Genus now a junior synonym of Thrinacodus.
Placoderms
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesGavinaspisGen. et. sp. nov.ValidDupret & ZhuEarly Devonian (Lochkovian)Xitun FormationA phyllolepid. Materpiscisgen et sp novValidLong, Trinajstic, Young, & SendenLate DevonianGogo Formationdiscovered with fossilized embryo.
General research Hilton & Grande redescribe the fossil mooneyes of western North America synonymizing the genus Eohiodon with Hiodon. Cicimurri, Paris, & Everhart describe a partial dentition from a Holocephali chimaeroid fish found in the Niobrara Chalk.
Amphibians Jenkins, F. A., jr, Shubin, N. H., Gatesy, S. M., and Warren, A., 2008, Gerrothorax pulcherrimus from the Upper Triassic Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland and a reassessment of head lifting in temnospondyl feeding: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 28, n. 4, p. 935-950.
Newly named amphibians Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images Beelzebufo Valid taxon Evans Jones Krause Late Cretaceous (70 mya) Maevarano Formation Gerobatrachus Valid taxonAnderson Reisz Scott Fröbisch Sumida Early Permian (290 mya) () Oumtkoutia Valid taxonRage Dutheil Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Kem Kem Beds A pipid anuran.
Archosaurs
Newly named pseudosuchians Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAcynodon adriaticusSp. novValidDelfino, Martin & BuffetautLate CretaceousDakosaurus carpenteriSp. novValidWilkinson, Young & BentonLate Jurassic (Kimmeridgian)Kimmeridge Clay FormationA metriorhynchid crocodyliform. Originally described as a species of Dakosaurus, subsequently transferred to the separate genus Torvoneustes.Gryposuchus croizatiSp. novValidRiff & AguileraLate MioceneUrumaco FormationGuarinisuchusGen. et sp. novValidBarbosa, Kellner & VianaEarly Paleocene (Danian)Maria Farinha FormationA dyrosaurid crocodyliform. Genus includes new species G. munizi.OcepesuchusGen. et sp. novValidJouve et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Ouled Abdoun BasinA member of Gavialoidea. Genus includes new species O. eoafricanus.Postosuchus alisonaeSp. novValidPeyer et al.Late TriassicNewark Supergroup()SierritasuchusGen. et sp. novValidParker, Stocker & IrmisLate TriassicTecovas Formation()An aetosaur Genus includes new species S. macalpini.Sphagesaurus montealtensisSp. novValidAndrade & BertiniLate CretaceousAdamantina FormationA sphagesaurid crocodyliform. Originally described as a species of Sphagesaurus, but subsequently transferred to the genus Caipirasuchus.WargosuchusGen. et sp. novValidMartinelli & PaisLate CretaceousBajo de La Carpa FormationA baurusuchid crocodyliform. Genus includes new species W. australis.
Newly named pterosaurs
Name StatusLocation Authors Notes Elanodactylus Valid Andres Ji, Q. Hongshanopterus Valid Xiaolin Wang de Almeida et al. Mythunga Valid Molnar Thulborn, R.A. Nemicolopterus Valid Wang Kellner et al. Raeticodactylus Junior synonym Stecher Jr. synonym of Caviramus Shenzhoupterus Valid Lü J. Unwin et al. Volgadraco Valid Averianov Arkhangelsky Pervushov
Dinosaurs Oviraptorosaurian eggs with embryonic skeletons are discovered for the first time in China. Mongolian Late Jurassic theropod fossils are found for the first time. A new study on morphological variation in shed theropod teeth from the Mil River Formation is published.
Newly named dinosaurs 28 new dinosaur genera were erected in 2008. Data courtesy of George Olshevky's dinosaur genera list.
Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAustroraptor Valid Novas Pol et al.Novas, Pol, Canale, Porfiri, Calvo.Campanian–MaastrichtianAllen Formation The largest dromaeosaurid yet discovered in the Southern Hemisphere.Dakotadon Valid PaulBarremianLakota Formation ()A new genus for "Iguanodon" lakotaensis (Weishampel and Bjork, 1989).Daxiatitan Valid You Li et al.You, Li, Zhou, Ji.Lower CretaceousLanzhou Basin A basal titanosaur.Diceratus Junior synonym MateusLate CretaceousObjective junior synonym of Nedoceratops; possible junior synonym of Triceratops.Dollodon Valid PaulBarremianBernissart An iguanodontian.Dongyangosaurus Valid Lü Azuma et al.Lü, Azuma, Chen, Zheng, Jin.early Late CretaceousFangyang Formation A titanosauriform.Duriavenator Valid BensonBajocianDorset A megalosaurid.Eocarcharia Valid Sereno BrusatteAptian/AlbianElrhaz Formation A carcharodontosaurid.Eomamenchisaurus Valid Lü Li et al.Lü, Li, Zhong, Ji, Li.Middle JurassicZhanghe Formation A mamenchisaurid.Epidexipteryx Valid Zhang Zhou et al.Zhang, Zhou, Xu, Wang, Sullivan.Late JurassicDaohugou Beds An avialian.Gobiceratops Valid AlifanovLate CretaceousBaruungoyot Formation Possible junior synonym of Bagaceratops.Kryptops Valid Sereno BrusatteAptian/AlbianElrhaz Formation An abelisaurid.Loricatosaurus Valid Maidment Norman et al.Maidment, Norman, Barrett, Upchurch.Callovian A stegosaurid.Microceratus Nomen dubium MateusCampanian Orkoraptor Valid Novas Ezcurra LecuonaMaastrichtianPari Aike Formation A neovenatorid.Peloroplites Valid Carpenter Bartlett et al.Carpenter, Bartlett, Bird, Barrick.Lower CretaceousCedar Mountain Formation A nodosaurid ankylosaur.Pitekunsaurus Valid Filippi GarridoCampanianAnacleto Formation A titanosaur.Qingxiusaurus Valid Mo Huang et al.Mo, Huang, Zhao, Wang, Xu.Late Cretaceous A titanosaur.Sahaliyania Valid Godefroit Hai et al.Godefroit, Hai, Yu, Lauters.MaastrichtianYuliangze Formation A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid.Similicaudipteryx Valid He Wang ZhouAptianJiufotang Formation A caudipterid oviraptorosaur.Tastavinsaurus Valid Canudo Royo-Torres Cuenca-BescósAptianXert Formation A titanosauriform. Lurasiformes.Uberabatitan Valid Salgado