2014 in reptile paleontology

This list of fossil reptiles described in 2014 is a list of new taxa of fossil reptiles that were described during the year 2014, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to reptile paleontology that occurred in 2014.

Ichthyopterygians

Research Anatomy, taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of Cretaceous ophthalmosaurids Simbirskiasaurus birjukovi and Pervushovisaurus bannovkensis are reevaluated by Fischer et al. (2014).

New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesJanusaurusGen. et sp. novValidRoberts et al.Late JurassicAgardhfjellet FormationAn ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur. The type species is Janusaurus lundi. Zverkov & Prilepskaya (2019) considered Janusaurus to be a junior synonym of the genus Arthropterygius, though the authors maintained J. lundi as a distinct species within the latter genus; Delsett et al. (2019) rejected this synonymy.LeniniaGen. et sp. novValidFischer et al.Early Cretaceous (early Aptian)An ophthalmosaurine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur. The type species is Leninia stellans.SisteroniaGen. et sp. novValidFischer et al.Cretaceous (early Albian to early Cenomanian)Cambridge Greensand Gault Formation Marnes Bleues FormationA platypterygiine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur. The type species is Sisteronia seeleyi.Undorosaurus trautscholdiSp. novValidArkhangelsky & ZverkovLate JurassicAn ophthalmosaurine ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur, a species of Undorosaurus.

Sauropterygians

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAristonectes quiriquinensisSp. nov ValidOtero et al.Late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian)Quiriquina FormationA plesiosaur, a species of Aristonectes.Cymatosaurus erikaeSp. nov ValidMaischMiddle Triassic (earliest Anisian)Röt FormationA species of Cymatosaurus.MajiashanosaurusGen. et sp. nov ValidJiang et al.Early Triassic (Olenekian)Nanlinghu FormationA basal member of Eosauropterygia. The type species is Majiashanosaurus discocoracoidis.Nothosaurus zhangiSp. novValidLiu et al.Middle Triassic (Anisian)Guanling FormationA nothosaur, a species of Nothosaurus.OdoiporosaurusGen. et sp. nov ValidRenesto, Binelli & HagdornMiddle Triassic (Anisian)Besano FormationA pachypleurosaur. The type species is Odoiporosaurus teruzzii.PararcusGen. et sp. novValidKlein & ScheyerMiddle Triassic (early Anisian)Vossenveld FormationA placodont. The type species is Pararcus diepenbroeki.Pliosaurus patagonicusSp. nov ValidGasparini & O'GormanLate Jurassic (middle Tithonian)Vaca Muerta FormationA species of Pliosaurus.

Lepidosaurs

Newly named rhynchocephalians Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesKawasphenodon peligrensisSp. novValidApesteguia, Gómez & RougierPalaeoceneSalamanca FormationAn opisthodontian sphenodontid, a species of Kawasphenodon.Priosphenodon minimusSp. novValidApesteguia & CarballidoEarly Cretaceous Cerro Barcino FormationAn eilenodontine sphenodontid, a species of Priosphenodon.

Newly named lizards Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesBlanus mendeziSp. novValidBolet et al.Miocene (11.6 Mya)Vallès-Penedès BasinAn amphisbaenian, a species of Blanus.Blanus thomaskelleriSp. novValidČerňanský, Rage & KlembaraEarly MioceneAn amphisbaenian, a species of Blanus.CalangubanGen. et sp. novValidSimões, Caldwell & KellnerEarly CretaceousCrato FormationOriginally described as a scleroglossan lizard with scincomorph affinities; subsequently argued to be a borioteiioid. The type species is Calanguban alamoi.DakotasepsNom. nov ValidNydamLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Dakota FormationA member of Scincomorpha of uncertain phylogenetic placement, assigned by Nydam (2013) to an informal paramacellodid-cordylid grade; a replacement name for Dakotasaurus Nydam (2013) (preoccupied).FuniusaurusGen. et sp. novValidXu et al.Late CretaceousQiupa FormationA member of Polyglyphanodontidae. The type species is Funiusaurus luanchuanensis.MaioricalacertaGen. et sp. novValidBailon et al.Early Pliocene (Zanclean)A member of Lacertidae. The type species is Maioricalacerta rafelinensis.PyrenasaurusGen. et sp. novValidBolet & AugéLate EoceneA member of Scincoidea, possibly a skink. The type species is Pyrenasaurus evansae.

Newly named snakes Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAdinophisGen. et sp. novValidPritchard et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Maevarano FormationA member of Madtsoiidae. The type species is Adinophis fisaka.Indophis fanambinanaSp. novValidPritchard et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Maevarano FormationA member of Nigerophiidae, a species of Indophis.RukwanyokaGen. et sp. novValidMcCartney et al.OligoceneNsungwe FormationThe most ancient booid snake and boa from Africa. The type species is Rukwanyoka holmani.SeismophisGen. et sp. novValidHsiou et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Alcântara FormationA snake of uncertain phylogenetic placement, possibly a relative of Najash rionegrina. The type species is Seismophis septentrionalis.

Turtles

Research Redescription of the rediscovered holotype of the Jurassic turtle Plesiochelys etalloni is published by Anquetin, Deschamps & Claude (2014).

Newly named turtles

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAlienochelysGen. et sp. novValidde Lapparent de Broin et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Oulad Abdoun BasinA sea turtle, a member of Dermochelyoidae. The type species is Alienochelys selloumi.Allaeochelys libycaSp. novValidHavlik, Joyce & BöhmeMiocene (Langhian)A relative of the pig-nosed turtle, a species of the (possibly paraphyletic) genus Allaeochelys.AshleychelysGen. et sp. nov ValidWeems & SandersOligoceneA pancheloniid sea turtle. The type species is Ashleychelys palmeri.AtolchelysGen. et sp. novValidRomano et al.Early Cretaceous (Barremian)Morro do Chaves FormationA bothremydid pleurodiran. The type species is Atolchelys lepida.Brodiechelys royoiSp. novValidPérez-García, Gasulla & OrtegaEarly AptianArcillas de Morella FormationA xinjiangchelyid, a species of Brodiechelys.Cheirogaster bacharidisiSp. novValidVlachos, Tsoukala & CorsiniPlioceneGonia FormationA tortoise, originally described as a species belonging to the genus Cheirogaster. Subsequently, transferred by Pérez-García & Vlachos (2014) to the genus Titanochelon.EodortokaGen. et sp. novValidPérez-García, Gasulla & OrtegaEarly Cretaceous (Aptian)Arcillas de Morella FormationA dortokid, a member of the clade Pan-Pleurodira (containing living pleurodirans and all turtles that are more closely related to them than to cryptodirans). The type species is Eodortoka morellana.GobiapaloneGen. et comb. et sp. novValidDanilov et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Maastrichtian)Barun Goyot Formation Bayan Shireh Formation Nemegt FormationA trionychine trionychid. The type species is "Amyda" orlovi Khosatzky (1976); genus also contains new species Gobiapalone breviplastra. The genus Gobiapalone was considered to be a junior synonym of the genus Kuhnemys by Georgalis & Joyce (2017), though the authors maintained G. orlovi and G. breviplastra as distinct species within the latter genus.Hylaeochelys kappaSp. novValidPérez-García & OrtegaLate Jurassic (Tithonian)Freixial FormationA basal member of Eucryptodira, a species of Hylaeochelys.Judithemys kranziSp. nov ValidWeemsPaleocene (early Thanetian)Aquia FormationA member of (likely paraphyletic) group "Macrobaenidae", a species of Judithemys.NemegtemysGen. et sp. novValidDanilov et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Nemegt FormationA cyclanorbine trionychid. The type species is Nemegtemys conflata.OsonachelusGen. et sp. novValidde Lapparent de Broin et al.Eocene (late Bartonian)Vic-Manlleu Marls FormationA cheloniid sea turtle. The type species is Osonachelus decorata.Procolpochelys charlestonensisSp. nov ValidWeems & SandersOligoceneA pancheloniid sea turtle; a species of Procolpochelys.RiodevemysGen. et sp. novValidPérez-García, Royo-Torres & CobosLate JurassicA pleurosternid paracryptodiran. The type species is Riodevemys inumbragigas.TacuarembemysGen. et sp. nov ValidPerea et al.Late Jurassic or earliest CretaceousTacuarembó FormationA turtle of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Tacuarembemys kusterae.TitanochelonGen. et comb. novValidPérez-García & VlachosEarly Miocene to early Pleistocene?A tortoise; a new genus for "Testudo" bolivari Hernández-Pacheco (1917). Genus also contains "Testudo" eurysternum Gervais (1848–1852), "Testudo" ginsburgi de Broin (1977), "Testudo" vitodurana Biedermann (1862), "Cheirogaster" steinbacheri Karl (1996), "Testudo" leberonensis Depéret (1890), "Testudo" schafferi Szalai (1931), "Testudo" perpiniana Depéret (1885) and "Cheirogaster" bacharidisi Vlachos et al. (2014). Genus might also contain "Testudo" gymnesicus Bate (1914).'Trionyx' baynshirensisSp. novValidDanilov et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Santonian)Bayan Shireh FormationA trionychine trionychid, a species of Trionyx sensu lato.'Trionyx' dissolutusSp. novValidVitek & DanilovLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)A trionychid, a species of Trionyx sensu lato.'Trionyx' gilbentuensisSp. novValidDanilov et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Nemegt FormationA trionychine trionychid, a species of Trionyx sensu lato.'Trionyx' gobiensisSp. novValidDanilov et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Nemegt FormationA trionychine trionychid, a species of Trionyx sensu lato.'Trionyx' shiluutulensisSp. novValidDanilov et al.Late Cretaceous (Campanian)A trionychine trionychid, a species of Trionyx sensu lato.

Archosauromorphs

Archosaurs

Basal archosauromorphs

Research A redescription of Tasmaniosaurus triassicus is published by Ezcurra (2014). A revision of anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of the archosauriform Dorosuchus neoetus is published by Sookias et al. (2014). A revision of putative euparkeriids from the Triassic of China is published by Sookias et al. (2014).

New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAenigmastropheusGen. et sp. nov ValidEzcurra, Scheyer & BulterLate Permian (Wuchiapingian)Usili FormationA non-archosauriform archosauromorph, probably a protorosaurian. The type species is Aenigmastropheus parringtoni.Garjainia madibaSp. nov ValidGower et al.Early Triassic (late Olenekian)Burgersdorp FormationAn erythrosuchid archosauriform, a species of Garjainia.Hyperodapedon tikiensisSp. nov ValidMukherjee & RayLate TriassicTiki FormationA rhynchosaur, a species of Hyperodapedon.Proterosuchus goweriSp. nov ValidEzcurra & ButlerEarly TriassicA proterosuchid archosauriform, a species of Proterosuchus.PseudochampsaGen. et comb. novValidTrotteyn & EzcurraLate Triassic (late Carnian or earliest Norian)Ischigualasto FormationA proterochampsid archosauriform; a new genus for "Chanaresuchus" ischigualastensis Trotteyn, Martínez & Alcober (2012).

Other reptiles