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 1939.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
+...

Arthropods

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Newly named Arachnids

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Segestria succinei[2]

Sp nov

Valid

Berland

Early Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

A segestriid spider

 
Segestria succinei

Newly named insects

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Ctenobethylus succinalis[3]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Brues

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant,
type species C. succinalis jr synonym of Ctenobethylus goepperti

 
Ctenobethylus goepperti

Protonephrocerus collini[4]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Carpenter & Hull

Priabonian

Baltic Amber

A big-headed fly; moved to Metanephrocerus collini in 1948

Protonephrocerus florissantius[5]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Carpenter & Hull

Priabonian

Florissant Formation

A big-headed fly; moved to Priabona florissantius

Archosauromorpha

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Newly named dinosaurs

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Data courtesy of George Olshevky's dinosaur genera list.[6]

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Omeisaurus

Gen et sp nov

valid

Young

Bathonian-Callovian

Shaximiao Formation

A sauropod

 
Omeisaurus

Plesiosaurs

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References

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  1. ^ Gini-Newman, Garfield; Graham, Elizabeth (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 9780070887398. OCLC 46769716.
  2. ^ Berland, L. (1939). "Description de quelques arignées fossils". Revue Française d'Entomologie. 6: 1–9.
  3. ^ Dlussky, G. M. (1997). "Genera of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Baltic amber". Paleontological Journal. 31: 616–627.
  4. ^ Kehlmaier, C; Dierick, M; Skevington, JH (2014). "Micro-CT studies of amber inclusions reveal internal genitalic features of big-headed flies, enabling a systematic placement of Metanephrocerus Aczel, 1948 (Insecta: Diptera: Pipunculidae)". Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 72 (1): 23–36.
  5. ^ Archibald, SB; Kehlmaier, C; Mathewes, RW (2014). "Early Eocene big headed flies (Diptera: Pipunculidae) from the Okanagan Highlands, western North America". The Canadian Entomologist. 146 (4): 429–443. doi:10.4039/tce.2013.79.
  6. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-04.
  7. ^ Riggs (1939). Sanders, Manley, and Carpenter (2001), "Table 12.1" page 167.
  • Riggs, Elmer Samuel; 1939a; A specimen of Elasmosaurus serpentinus; Geological Series of Field Museum of Natural History; VI(No. 25) pp. 385–391
  • 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.