Contents

2024 in archosaur paleontology: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:08, 16 June 2024

This article records new taxa of every kind of fossil archosaur that are scheduled to be described during 2024, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to the paleontology of archosaurs that will be published in 2024.

Pseudosuchians

New pseudosuchian taxa

General pseudosuchian research

• Sennikov (2024) interprets ornithosuchids as macrophagous predators with specialized jaw apparatus, and notes analogs between them and saber-toothed therapsids (including mammals).^[8]
• A study on the anatomy of the skull and on the neurology of Tarjadia ruthae is published by Desojo et al. (2024).^[9]
• Redescription of the skeletal anatomy of Shuvosaurus inexpectatus is published by Nesbitt & Chatterjee (2024).^[10]
• Mastrantonio et al. (2024) describe the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton of the most complete specimen of Prestosuchus chiniquensis reported to date, and revise the diagnosis for P. chiniquensis.^[11]

Aetosaur research

Crocodylomorph research

• Woodward et al. (2024) note correlation between alligator femur volume and body mass, and use femur volume to determine body mass of goniopholidids, dyrosaurs, notosuchians and thalattosuchians.^[12]
• A study on the morphological diversity of the pelvic girdle of thalattosuchians and dyrosaurids throughout their evolutionary history is published by Scavezzoni et al. (2024).^[13]
• Young et al. (2024) provide higher level systematization for Thalattosuchia under both the PhyloCode and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, naming new taxa Neothalattosuchia, Euthalattosuchia and Dakosaurina.^[14]
• A study on the morphology of osteodermsofIndosinosuchus and an unnamed member of Mesoeucrocodylia from the Late Jurassic Phu Noi excavation site (Thailand) is published by Bhuttarach et al. (2024).^[15]
• Weryński et al. (2024) identify a teleosauroid rostrum from the Częstochowa Sponge Limestone Formation (Poland) as belonging to a non-machimosaurin machimosaurid feeding on large prey, with morphological similarities to Neosteneosaurus edwardsi and Proexochokefalos heberti, providing evidence that such teleosauroids were present outside of Western Europe during the Oxfordian.^[16]
• Scheyer et al. (2024) describe teleosauroid tooth crowns associated with ichthyosaur remains (with scavenging traces also produced by a teleosauroid) from the Bajocian Hauptrogenstein Formation (Switzerland), representing the oldest fossil material of a member of the tribe Machimosaurini reported to date.^[17]
• Hua, Liston & Tabouelle (2024) describe a specimen of Metriorhynchus cf. superciliosus from the Callovian strata from the "Vaches Noires" cliffs of Villers-sur-Mer (France), preserved with gastric contents that include remains of the gill apparatus of Leedsichthys, and interpret the studied specimen as providing evidence of Metriorhynchus scavenging on the remains of Leedsichthys.^[18]
• A study on the bone histology of Araripesuchus buitreraensis, providing evidence of generally slow, annually interrupted growth rate, is published by Navarro et al. (2024).^[19]
• Evidence of a continuous and coordinated tooth replacement in Armadillosuchus arrudai, ensuring that the animal would not lose too many teeth simultaneously and that its feeding abilities were not affected by tooth loss, is presented by Borsoni, Carvalho & Marinho (2024).^[20]
• Dos Santos et al. (2024) describe the skeletal anatomy of the most complete juvenile baurusuchid specimen reported to date, and report evidence of differences in skull ornamentation and muscle development between juvenile and adult baurusuchid specimens which might be indicative of ontogenetic niche partitioning.^[21]
• Fossil material of a goniopholidid, interpreted as a basal form that shared several anatomical traits with derived members of the group, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Kitadani Formation (Japan) by Obuse & Shibata (2024).^[22]
• Forêt et al. (2024) study factors driving tethysuchian evolution, reporting evidence of a turnover after the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event when a dyrosaurid-dominated fauna replaced a pholidosaurid-dominated one, of increased tethysuchian biodiversity after the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, and of a positive correlation between body length and temperature.^[23]
• Rocchi & Vila (2024) describe fossil material of Allodaposuchus cf. subjuniperus from the lower Maastrichtian deposits of the Suterranya-Mina de lignit locality (La Posa Formation; Lleida, Spain), providing evidence of the presence of a third early Maastrichtian species of Allodaposuchus (in addition to A. palustris and A. hulki) in the Tremp Group.^[24]
• Yates & Stein (2024) interpret Ultrastenos willisi and "Baru" huberiassynonymous, but maintain Ultrastenos as a distinct mekosuchine genus, resulting in a new combination Ultrastenos huberi.^[25]
• Redescription of Arambourgia gaudryi is published by Conedera et al. (2024), who recover A. gaudryi as an alligatorine, and interpret it as a semi-terrestrial animal.^[26]
• Redescription of Crocodylus palaeindicus and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of members of Crocodyloidea is published by Chabrol et al. (2024), who consider Crocodylus sivalensis to be a junior synonymofC. palaeindicus, find evidence of a close relationship of Crocodylus checchiai and Crocodylus falconensis with extant American crocodiles, recover Kinyang as a crocodyline rather than osteolaemine, recover Albertosuchus knudsenii, Prodiplocynodon langi and "Crocodylus" affinis outside Crocodyloidea, and consider an alligatoroid placement for the clade Orientalosuchina to be highly labile.^[27]

Non-avian dinosaurs

New dinosaur taxa

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Chakisaurus[28]	Gen. et sp. nov		Alvarez Nogueira et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian)	Huincul Formation	Argentina	Anelasmarian ornithopod. The type species is C. nekul.
Datai[29]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Xing et al.	Late Cretaceous (Turonian-Early Coniacian)	Zhoutian Formation	China	Anankylosaurid. The type species is D. yingliangis.
Diuqin[30]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Porfiri et al.	Late Cretaceous (Santonian)	Bajo de la Carpa Formation	Argentina	Aunenlagiine theropod. The type species is D. lechiguanae.
Dornraptor[31]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Baron	Early Jurassic (Hettangian–Sinemurian)	Blue Lias Formation	United Kingdom	Anaverostran theropod. The type species is D. normani.
Eoneophron[32]	Gen. et sp. nov		Atkins-Weltman et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Hell Creek Formation	United States ( South Dakota)	Acaenagnathid theropod. The type species is E. infernalis.
Gandititan[33]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Han et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian)	Zhoutian Formation	China	A titanosaur sauropod. The type species is G. cavocaudatus.
Hesperonyx[34]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Rotatori et al.	Late Jurassic	Lourinhã Formation	Portugal	An early diverging iguanodontian ornithopod, possibly a dryomorphan. The type species is H. martinhotomasorum.
Inawentu[35]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Filippi et al.	Late Cretaceous (Santonian)	Bajo de la Carpa Formation	Argentina	A titanosaur sauropod. The type species is I. oslatus. Announced in 2023; the final article version was published in 2024.
Jingiella[36]	Gen. et sp. nov		Ren et al.	Late Jurassic	Dongxing Formation	China	Amamenchisaurid sauropod. The type species is J. dongxingensis. The initially proposed name is preoccupied by Jingia Chen, 1983.[37] The replacement name was published in an addendum.[38]
Kiyacursor[39]	Gen. et sp. nov		Averianov et al.	Early Cretaceous (Aptian)	Ilek Formation	Russia ( Kemerovo Oblast)	Anoasaurid theropod. The type species is K. longipes.
Koleken[40]	Gen. et sp. nov		Pol et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian)	La Colonia Formation	Argentina	Anabelisaurid theropod. The type species is K. inakayali.
Minqaria[41]	Gen. et sp. nov		Longrich et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Ouled Abdoun Basin	Morocco	Alambeosaurine hadrosaurid belonging to the tribe Arenysaurini. The type species is M. bata.
Musankwa[42]	Gen. et sp. nov		Barrett et al.	Late Triassic (Norian)	Pebbly Arkose Formation	Zimbabwe	Amassopodan sauropodomorph. The type species is M. sanyatiensis.
Riojavenatrix[43]	Gen. et sp. nov		Isasmendi et al.	Early Cretaceous (Barremian-Aptian)	Enciso Group	Spain	Aspinosaurid theropod. The type species is R. lacustris.
Sidersaura[44]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Lerzo et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Turonian)	Huincul Formation	Argentina	Arebbachisaurid sauropod. The type species is S. marae.
Thyreosaurus[45]	Gen. et sp. nov		Zafaty et al.	Middle Jurassic	El Mers Group	Morocco	Astegosaurian. The type species is T. atlasicus.
Tiamat[46]	Gen. et sp. nov		Pereira et al.	Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian)	Açu Formation	Brazil	Abasal titanosaur sauropod. The type species is T. valdecii.
Tietasaura[47]	Gen. et sp. nov		Bandeira et al.	Early Cretaceous (Valanginian–Hauterivian)	Marfim Formation	Brazil	An elasmarian ornithopod. The type species is T. derbyiana.
Titanomachya[48]	Gen. et sp. nov		Pérez-Moreno et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian)	La Colonia Formation	Argentina	A titanosaur sauropod. The type species is T. gimenezi.
Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis[49]	Sp. nov	Valid	Dalman et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian)	Hall Lake Formation	United States ( New Mexico)	Atyrannosaurine; a species of Tyrannosaurus.
Udelartitan[50]	Gen. et sp. nov	In press	Soto et al.	Late Cretaceous	Guichón Formation	Uruguay	A titanosaur sauropod belonging to the group Saltasauroidea. The type species is U. celeste.
Vectidromeus[51]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Longrich et al.	Early Cretaceous (Barremian)	Wessex Formation	United Kingdom	Ahypsilophodontid. The type species is V. insularis. Announced in 2023; the final article version was published in 2024.
Yanbeilong[52]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Jia et al.	Early Cretaceous (Albian)	Zuoyun Formation	China	A stegosaurian. The type species is Y. ultimus.

General non-avian dinosaur research

• Review of studies on the phylogenetic relationships of main dinosaur groups from the preceding years is published by Lovegrove, Upchurch & Barrett (2024).^[53]
• Evidence indicating that the evolution of rostral keratin cover was associated with partial tooth reduction throughout the evolutionary history of dinosaurs, but does not explain the complete loss of teeth in dinosaur lineages, is presented by Aguilar-Pedrayes, Gardner & Organ (2024).^[54]
• A study on the evolutionary rates of biting mechanics in herbivorous dinosaurs is published by Kunz and Sakamoto (2024), who interpret their findings as indicating that biomechanic evolution rates can reveal ecological signatures in different lineages and ontogenetic stages.^[55]
• Caspar et al. (2024) present revised estimates of encephalization and telencephalic neuron counts in dinosaurs, contesting neuron count and relative brain size estimates presented in the study of Herculano-Houzel (2023),^[56] and in particular contesting estimates of exceptional neuron counts and relative brain size in large-bodied theropods compared to other dinosaurs presented by the cited author.^[57]
• A study on the evolution of the dinosaurian climatic niche landscape throughout the Mesozoic is published by Chiarenza et al. (2024), who report that the distribution of sauropodomorphs indicates their preference for warm environments, while ornithischians and theropods explored a broader range of environments with varied climates, and interpret the colonization of areas with colder climates by theropods since the Early Jurassic as likely related to the evolution of endothermy.^[58]
• Putative bone fragments of large-bodied dinosaurs from Rhaetian strata in France, Germany and United Kingdom are reinterpreted as fossil material of large-bodied ichthyosaurs by Perillo & Sander (2024).^[59]
• Romilio et al. (2024) describe dinosaur tracks from the Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) Razorback Beds (Australia), representing the oldest dinosaur tracks from the country to date.^[60]
• Troiano et al. (2024) report the discovery of an association of Early Cretaceous dinosaur tracks and petroglyphs from the Serrote do Letreiro Site (Brazil).^[61]
• Review of the fossil record of Late Triassic and Jurassic dinosaurs from India is published by Khosla & Lucas (2024).^[62]
• Maidment (2024) describes the diversity of dinosaurs from the upper Morrison Formation (United States) in time and space, and finds evidence supporting cladogenesis as a means of increasing diplodocine diversity over time, as well as spatial segregation of Allosaurus and Camarasaurus species.^[63]
• Bandeira et al. (2024) revise dinosaur remains from the Lower Cretaceous Massacará and Ilhas groups (Recôncavo Basin, Brazil) collected between 1859 and 1906, and interpret the studied fossils as indicative of the presence of an Early Cretaceous dinosaur assemblage including theropods, sauropods and ornithopods.^[47]
• Kirkland et al. (2024) describe the biodiversity of Cretaceous dinosaurs from Utah (United States).^[64]
• A study on the diversification of non-avian dinosaurs, inferred from available dinosaur phylogenies, is published by Allen et al. (2024), who find it impossible to decisively conclude whether dinosaurs experienced a decline in diversity before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event on the basis of available data, noting the impact of the phylodynamic models used in the study (specifically their assumptions about sampling and changes in the number of species through time) on estimates of dinosaur evolutionary rates.^[65]

Saurischian research

• A study on the femoral histology of amniotes from the Triassic Ischigualasto Formation (Argentina), including early dinosaurs Chromogisaurus novasi, Eodromaeus murphi, Eoraptor lunensis, Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis and Sanjuansaurus gordilloi, is published by Curry Rogers et al. (2024), who find that early dinosaurs known from this formation grew at least as quickly as sauropodomorph and theropod dinosaurs from the later Mesozoic, and that their elevated growth rates did not set them apart from other amniotes living at the same time.^[66]
• Paio et al. (2024) describe a new rib fragment from the Campanian–Maastrichtian aged Marília Formation (Brazil), and interpret it as representing an indeterminate saurischian.^[67]

Theropod research

• A study on the femoral shape variation in theropods, providing evidence of evolution of similar adaptations to gigantism in large-bodied theropods regardless of their phylogenetic affinities, is published by Pintore et al. (2024).^[68]
• Dridi et al. (2024) describe tracks of medium to large-sized theropods from the Lower Cretaceous (Hauterivian–Barremian) strata from the Jebel Kebar locality (Bouhedma Formation, Tunisia), extending known geographic range of non-avian theropods to higher latitudes within Gondwana.^[69]
• A study on the affinities of shed tooth crowns of theropods from the Turonian-Coniacian Portezuelo Formation (Argentina), providing evidence of a previously undocumented diversity of theropods from this formation, is published by Meso et al. (2024).^[70]
• Mohabey et al. (2024) review and redescribe Laevisuchus indicus, Jubbulpuria tenuis and Compsosuchus solus, and describe a new noasaurid dentary from central India with procumbent dentition similar to the one present in Masiakasaurus.^[71]
• A study on the affinities of isolated theropod teeth from the Kem Kem Group (Morocco) is published by Hendrickx et al. (2024), who identify teeth of abelisaurids, spinosaurines, carcharodontosaurids and a non-abelisauroid ceratosaur or a megaraptoran.^[72]
• A probable ceratosaurid dentary is described from the Toarcian Cañadón Asfalto Formation (Argentina) by Pradelli, Pol & Ezcurra (2024), expanding known theropod diversity from this formation.^[73]
• A study on the affinities of isolated theropod teeth from the Bauru Basin (Brazil) is published by Delcourt et al. (2024), who argue that the geographical distribution of abelisaurids in South America was influenced by climatic conditions.^[74]
• Ribeiro et al. (2024) identify a theropod tooth from the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Missão Velha Formation (Brazil) as the oldest abelisaurid record in the South America reported to date.^[75]
• A study in the bone histology of a mid-sized abelisaurid from the Upper Cretaceous Serra da Galga Formation (Brazil) is published by Aureliano et al. (2024), who report that, despite living in a semiarid tropical environment, the studied specimen had a growth rate similar to those of the Patagonian abelisaurids.^[76]
• A study on the skeletal pathologies affecting known specimens of brachyrostran abelisaurids is published by Baiano et al. (2024), who diagnose the fusion of two caudal vertebrae of the holotype specimen of Aucasaurus garridoiascongenital malformation and diagnose partial fusion of five caudal vertebrae of the holotype of Elemgasem nubilus as spondyloraptropathy, in both cases representing the first occurrences of the diagnosed pathologies among non-tetanuran theropods.^[77]
• Cau (2024) reinterprets "compsognathid" theropod specimens as juveniles of members of non-maniraptoriform tetanuran groups.^[78]
• Montealegre, Castillo-Visa & Sellés (2024) describe previously unpublished fossil material of theropods (cf. Protathlitis and a carcharodontosaurid which might be distinct from Concavenator) from the Barremian Arcillas de Morella Formation (Spain).^[79]
• Yun (2024) identifies convergent similarities in craniodental anatomy between spinosaurs and phytosaurs.^[80]
• Myhrvold et al. (2024) use statistical analyses to reconsider previous descriptions by Fabbri et al. (2022) of spinosaurs such as Spinosaurus as subaqueous foragers,^[81] and provide evidence that Spinosaurus was likely not an aquatic pursuit predator.^[82]
• Evidence from the study of patterns in skull shape, interpreted as indicating that Spinosaurus fed on aquatic prey and likely used the "stand-and-wait" predation strategy, is presented by Smart & Sakamoto (2024).^[83]
• Buffetaut & Tong (2024) reinterpret a purported ichthyosaur tooth from the Sao Khua Formation collected in 1962 and described in 1963 as a spinosaurid tooth and the first finding of a non-avian dinosaur fossil reported from Thailand.^[84]
• Teeth of a probable basal tyrannosauroid are described from the Upper Jurassic Phu Kradung Formation (Thailand) by Chowchuvech et al. (2024).^[85]
• Xing et al. (2024) describe large tyrannosauroid teeth from the Maastrichtian Dalangshan Formation, representing the southernmost record of tyrannosauroids in China reported to date.^[86]
• Słowiak, Brusatte & Szczygielski (2024) reevaluate the fossil material attributed to Bagaraatan ostromi, interpreting the holotype as an indeterminate juvenile tyrannosaurid, and reporting that some of the fossils originally attributed to B. ostromi are actually caenagnathid bones.^[87]
• Longrich & Saitta (2024) review the taxonomic status of Nanotyrannus and argue that multiple lines of evidence support it as a distinct, small-bodied, possibly non-tyrannosaurid taxon, rather than an immature form of Tyrannosaurus.^[88]
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of Kinnareemimus khonkaenensis is published by Samathi (2024).^[89]
• Description of the skeletal anatomy of Nothronychus graffami and N. mckinleyi, providing evidence of the presence of traits convergent with extant birds, ornithischian dinosaurs and titanosaur sauropods, is published by Smith & Gillette (2024).^[90]
• Park et al. (2024) propose that early pennaraptorans might have used their pennaceous feathers to flush hiding insects and to generate lift or drag during the pursuit of the flushed insects, and propose that such use of the pennaceous feathers might have contributed to the evolution of larger and stiffer feathers.^[91]
• A characterization of how number and shape of flight feathers correlate with locomotory style in extant birds is published by Kiat & O'Connor (2024). Extrapolating these patterns to Mesozoic pennaraptorans, the authors suggest that Caudipteryx and anchiornithines may have been secondarily flightless.^[92]
• A study on the evolution of the pectoral girdle of pennaraptorans is published by Wu et al. (2024), who report evidence of modifications changing the range of motion of the forelimb that preceded the origin of flight in paravians, as well as evidence of subsequent flight adaptive modifications in avialans.^[93]
• Meade et al. (2024) report evidence indicating that the ability of the skull to resist large mechanical stresses appeared early in oviraptorosaur evolution, before the appearance of the highly modified oviraptorid cranial architecture.^[94]
• The first caenagnathid fossil material from the upper Campanian De-na-zin Member of the Kirtland Formation (New Mexico, United States) is described by Funston, Williamson & Brusatte (2024).^[95]
• Description of the skeletal anatomy of Oksoko avarsan is published by Funston (2024).^[96]
• Zhu, Wang & Wang (2024) study the microstructural variation of elongatoolithid eggs from China, and interpret the studied variation as indicating that not all elongatoolithid eggshells can be related to oviraptorosaurs.^[97]
• A study on the skull shape and bite mechanics of dromaeosaurids is published by Tse, Miller & Pittman (2024), who interpret Deinonychus antirrhopus as adapted to taking large vertebrate prey, and interpret Halszkaraptor escuilliei as unlikely to feed on fish, and more likely to have a feeding ecology similar to those of extant waterfowl.^[98]
• Possible dromaeosaurid eggs are described from the Upper Cretaceous Lianhe Formation (China) by Wu et al. (2024), who name a new ootaxon Gannanoolithus yingliangi, and interpret the discovery of paired eggs of Gannanoolithus as possible evidence that dromaeosaurids had paired functional oviducts.^[99]
• Gianechini, Colli & Makovicky (2024) present a reconstruction of the pelvic and hindlimb musculature of Buitreraptor gonzalezorum.^[100]
• Based on comparisons to extant birds, joint poses in the foot of Deinonychus during its walk cycle are reconstructed by Manafzadeh, Gatesy & Bhullar (2024).^[101]
• Description of the braincase and cranial endocastofSinovenator changii, interpreted as morphologically intermediate between basal theropods and extant birds, is published by Yu et al. (2024).^[102]
• Xing et al. (2024) describe tracks from the Upper Cretaceous Shaxian Formation (Fujian, China) which might have been produced by a large-bodied (estimated hip height of over 1.8 m) troodontid, and name a new ichnotaxon Fujianipus yingliangi.^[103]

Sauropodomorph research

• Silva et al. (2024) describe fossil material of a member or a relative of the group Bagualosauria from the Vila Botucaraí site (Candelária Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence, Brazil), representing the first sauropodomorph reported from this site.^[104]
• Evidence of variability of the pneumacity patterns of the cervical and dorsal vertebra in Plateosaurus is presented by Regalado Fernández (2024).^[105]
• Redescription of the holotype and a study on the affinities of Plateosaurus trossingensis is published by Schaeffer (2024).^[106]
• Zhao et al (2024) describe a new juvenile–subadult massospondylid specimen from the Lower Jurassic Lufeng Formation (Yunnan, China), increasing known diversity of massospondylids from Asia.^[107]
• "Gyposaurus" sinensis is interpreted as a probable junior synonymofLufengosaurus huenei by Wang, Zhao & You (2024).^[108]
• Barrett & Choiniere (2024) redescribe the skeletal anatomy of Melanorosaurus readi and designate the lectotype of this species.^[109]
• Using Spinophorosaurus as an example, Vidal (2024) explains how virtual 3D models of sauropods have enabled an understanding of their biomechanics.^[110]
• Agustí, Alcalá & Santos-Cubedo (2024) propose that sauropod gigantism was an adaptation that increased the ability of sauropods to travel great distances, necessitated by pronounced seasonal changes.^[111]
• King et al. (2024) report evidence of a previously unknown form of pneumaticity in a rib of a member of the genus Apatosaurus, and propose that rib pneumaticity among apatosaurines is individually variable.^[112]
• Windholz et al. (2024) describe a new rebbachisaurid caudal vertebra from the Cenomanian Candeleros Formation (Argentina), providing new information on the caudal anatomy and pneumaticity in rebbachisaurids.^[113]
• Beeston et al. (2024) describe new sauropod material from the Winton Formation (Australia), and interpret Australotitan cooperensis as an indeterminate diamantinasaurian that is likely a junior synonymofDiamantinasaurus matildae.^[114]
• Filippi et al. (2024) study fossil material of sauropods from the Cerro Overo – La Invernada area (Bajo de la Carpa Formation; Neuquén Province, Argentina), interpreted as suggestive of the presence of a diverse fauna of titanosauriforms coexisting in the environment during the Santonian.^[115]
• A study on the taphonomy of the fossil material of Kaijutitan maui and on its bone histology is published by Filippi, Previtera & Garrido (2024).^[116]
• A description and study of the morphological variability of sauropod appendicular remains from Maastrichtian sites of the Hațeg, Transylvanian, and Rusca Montană basins (Romania) is published by Mocho, Pérez-García & Codrea (2024), who interpret the studied remains as indicative of the presence of four or five sauropod taxa on the Hațeg Island during the Maastrichtian, including a titanosaur lineage with an extremely elongated manus.^[117]
• An overview of the largest known sauropods from Argentina is published by Calvo (2024).^[118]

Ornithischian research

• A study on the taxonomic affinities of isolated ornithischian teeth from Bathonian microvertebrate sites in the United Kingdom, providing evidence of the presence of a previously unknown, diverse ornithischian fauna, is published by Wills, Underwood & Barrett (2024).^[119]
• A study on tooth replacement pattern in Jeholosaurus shangyuanensis, providing evidence that teeth replacement rate slowed during ontogeny, is published by Hu et al. (2024).^[120]
• Redescription of the skeletal anatomy and a study on the affinities of Oryctodromeus cubicularis is published by Krumenacker et al. (2024).^[121]
• An osteology and phylogenetic analysis on Ajkaceratops kozmai, suggesting the initial classification of the species as a ceratopsian as uncertain and thus regarded as an enigmatic ornithischian, was published by Czepiński and Madzia (2024).^[122]

Thyreophoran research

• Satchell (2024) reidentified the proximal femur fragment (BELUM K3998) from the Lias GroupofNorthern Ireland as an indeterminate dinosaur remain, not a potential specimen of Scelidosaurus or an ornithischian.^[123]
• The first stegosaurian fossil material from Gansu (China), assigned to Stegosaurus sp., is described from the Lower Cretaceous Hekou Group by Li et al. (2024).^[124]
• Cross and Arbour (2024) describe an ankylosaur femur from the Cenomanian Dunvegan Formation (British Columbia, Canada).^[125]
• Soto Acuña, Vargas & Kaluza (2024) redescribe the holotype specimen of Antarctopelta from the Snow Hill Island Formation (Antarctica), and provide support for its phylogenetic position within the Parankylosauria.^[126]

Cerapod research

• A review of Early Cretaceous Spanish styracosterns from the Maestrat Basin published by Santos-Cubedo (2024).^[127]
• Escanero-Aguilar et al. (2024) describe skull material of a hadrosauriform ornithopod from the Lower Cretaceous Castrillo de la Reina Formation (Spain), interpreted as more derived than Iguanodon but more basal than Proa, and expanding known diversity of ornithopods from the Cameros Basin.^[128]
• Nikolov, Dochev, & Brusatte (2024) test the ontogenetic age of small hadrosauroid bones from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Kaylaka Formation (Bulgaria), and determine that the specimen likely belonged to a late juvenile or young subadult, rather than a dwarved adult, and suggest that large terrestrial animals were able to populate some European islands via a cyclically appearing or short-lived dispersal route.^[129]
• The first described hadrosaurid footprints from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation are described by Powers et al. (2024), who assign them to the ichnospecies Hadrosauropodus langstoni.^[130]
• Evidence from the study of a skull of a juvenile hadrosaurine from the Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada), interpreted as indicative of differences in the dental battery development between hadrosaurid species which might have been related to dietary differences during early ontogeny, is presented by Warnock-Juteau et al. (2024).^[131]
• Sharpe et al. (2024) describe fossil material of a probable immature specimen of Edmontosaurus regalis from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation, and interpret its similarities to Ugrunaaluk kuukpikensis as supporting the referral of the Alaskan saurolophine material to Edmontosaurus cf. regalis.^[132]
• Description of the morphology of the skull and endocranium of Psittacosaurus sibiricus, based on the study of both juvenile and adult specimens, is published by Podlesnov et al. (2024).^[133]
• A description endocranial anatomy of the Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis published by Sakagami et al. (2024).^[134]
• Yang et al. (2024) describe a well-preserved scaled skin of a specimen of Psittacosaurus from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China, providing evidence of preservation of epidermal layers, corneocytes and melanosomes, and interpret the studied specimen as indicative of co-occurrence of feathers and reptile-type skin in non-feathered regions of the skin in Psittacosaurus.^[135]

Birds

New bird taxa

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Ardenna buchananbrowni[136]	Sp. nov	Valid	Tennyson et al.	Pliocene (Waipipian)	Tangahoe Formation	New Zealand	A species of Ardenna.
Enkuria[137]	Gen. et sp. et comb. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Pliocene and Pleistocene		Crimea	A relative of the grey partridge. The type species is E. voinstvenskyi; genus also includes "Phasianus" etuliensis Bocheński & Kurochkin (1987) from Moldova.
Eocypselus geminus[138]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Eocypselus.
Eocypselus grandissimus[138]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Eocypselus.
Eocypselus paulomajor[138]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Eocypselus.
Fluvioviridavis michaeldanielsi[139]	Sp. nov		Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Fluvioviridavis.
Fluvioviridavis nazensis[139]	Sp. nov		Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Fluvioviridavis.
Imparavis[140]	Gen. et sp. nov	In press	Wang et al.	Early Cretaceous	Jiufotang Formation	China	Anenantiornithine. The type species is I. attenboroughi.
Paralyra[141]	Gen. et comb. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Pliocene and Pleistocene		Poland	A grouse; a new genus for "Lagopus lagopus" atavus Jánossy (1974), originally described from the Rębielice Królewskie 1 locality in Poland, subsequently also described from the Taurida Cave in Crimea.[141]
Phalcrocorax bakonyiensis[142]	Sp. nov	Valid	Horváth, Futó, & Kessler	Miocene		Hungary	Acormorant; a species of Phalacrocorax.
Pristineanis[143]	Gen. et 2 sp. et comb. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom  United States	A possible member of Piciformes. The type species is P. minor; genus also includes new species P. major, as well as "Neanis" kistneri Feduccia (1973).
Septencoracias simillimus[143]	Sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene (Ypresian)	London Clay	United Kingdom	Astem group roller belonging or related to the family Primobucconidae.
Waltonirrisor[143]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene (Ypresian)	London Clay	United Kingdom	A member of Upupiformes. The type species is W. tendringensis.
Wunketru[144]	Gen. et comb. nov	In press	De Mendoza, Degrange & Tambussi	Eocene	Las Flores Formation	Argentina	A member of Anseriformes of uncertain affinites; a new genus for "Telmabates" howardae.

Avian research

• A study performing quantitative functional imaging of the brain during rest and flight in rock doves with implications for the evolution of avian flight is published by Balanoff et al. (2024). They found increased neural activity in the cerebellum during flight, and through comparisons with cranial endocasts of extinct theropods, suggest that cerebellar expansion underlying such activity occurred at the base of Maniraptora, prior to the origin of avian flight.^[145]
• The Cretaceous fossil record of avialans from China is reviewed by Zhou & Wang (2024).^[146]
• Amorphometric study of a large sample of specimens of Confuciusornis sanctus is published by Zhou et al. (2024), who interpret their findings as indicative of the presence of sexual dimorphism in this species.^[147]
• The fossil record of avialans from the Upper Cretaceous Maastricht Formation (Belgium and the Netherlands) is reviewed by Field et al. (2024), who additionally present new data on the bone histology and hindlimb length of Asteriornis maastrichtensis.^[148]
• Stoicescu et al. (2024) describe partial femur of an avialan belonging or related to the species Elopteryx nopcsai from the Maastrichtian strata at the Nălaț-Vad locality (Romania), interpret E. nopcsai as a probable secondarily flightless avialan, and argue that Balaur bondoc might be a junior synonymofE. nopcsai.^[149]
• A study the relationship between the morphology of cervical vertebrae and dietary modes in extant and extinct birds is published by Liu et al. (2024), who report that Bohaiornis, Brevirostruavis and Longipteryx had cervical morphologies resembling those of extant insectivorous or raptorial birds, while Yanornis and Iteravis had cervical morphologies closer to those of extant generalist or herbivorous birds, falling into the ecological niches of aquatic or semiaquatic birds.^[150]
• A study aiming to determine the diets of members of the family Bohaiornithidae is published by Miller et al. (2024), who interpret their findings as indicating that the family included taxa adapted to diverse diets, and predict the ancestral member of Enantiornithes to have been a generalist which ate a wide variety of foods.^[151]
• A study on the limb bone histology and growth dynamics of Musivavis amabilis is published by Kundrát et al. (2024).^[152]
• The Cretaceous fossil record of avialans from Antarctica is reviewed by Acosta Hospitaleche et al. (2024).^[153]
• A study on the antiquity of the crown group of birds is published by Brocklehurst & Field (2024), who argue that the crown group originated between 110.5 and 90.3 million years ago, and that the majority of higher-order diversification within the crown group either spanned or postdated the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition.^[154]
• Widrig, Navalón & Field (2024) describe the external and internal morphology of the braincase of Lithornis vulturinus, interpret its neuroanatomy as likely similar to the neuroanatomy of the ancestral crown bird, and interpret L. vulturinus as a diurnal bird that likely was reliant on visual cues and had a well-developed sense of smell.^[155]
• The histochemistry of an ostrich eggshell from the Miocene Liushu Formation (China) is examined by Wu et al. (2024).^[156]
• Schroeter (2024) presents a characterization of diagenetiforms in a moa proteome.^[157]
• A draft genome of the little bush moa is presented by Edwards et al. (2024).^[158]
• Fossil material of a possible member of Galloanserae is described from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Lance Formation (Wyoming, United States) by Brownstein (2024), who interprets this finding as supporting a cosmopolitan distribution of early crown birds.^[159]
• McInerney, Blokland & Worthy (2024) redescribe the skull morphology of Genyornis newtoni and study its phylogenetic affinities, recovering the family Dromornithidae as more likely to be members of Anseriformes related to screamers than close relatives of the family Gastornithidae.^[160]
• A study on the vertebral column of Annakacygna hajimei is published by Matsuoka, Seoka & Hasegawa (2024), who reconstruct the neck of this bird with a curve at its base that increased the buoyancy and stability of the bird's body when it was in the water by helping it to put the base of the neck with its air sacs below the water surface.^[161]
• A case for the validity of Miotadorna catrionae is presented by Tennyson et al. (2024),^[162] in response to Worthy et al. (2022)^[163] considering it a junior synonymofMiotadorna sanctibathansi.
• Evidence from the study of mitogenomes of the extant Brazilian merganser and extinct Auckland Island merganser, interpreted as indicating that the studied mergansers are not sister taxa and that their ancestors moved into the Southern Hemisphere in two separate colonization events at least 7 million years ago, is presented by Rawlence et al. (2024).^[164]
• A study on the evolutionary history of neoavians, as indicated by genomic data, is published by Wu et al. (2024), who argue that the initial diversification of the crown group of birds was correlated with the rise of flowering plants in the Cretaceous, that modern birds survived the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event relatively well, and that the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum had a significant impact on the diversification of the seabirds.^[165]
• Zelenkov (2024) describes a fragmentary humerus of a buttonquail from the Lower Pleistocene strata from the Taurida Cave (Crimea), representing the first record of a member of the family Turnicidae from Eurasia from the Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene interval.^[166]
• A study on the internal structure and resistance to bending forces of tarsometatarsi of extant and Eocene penguins is published by Jadwiszczak, Krüger & Mörs (2024).^[167]
• A new specimen of Palaeeudyptes is described by Xia, Pei & Li (2024).^[168]
• A study on the long limb bone microstructure of extant king penguins throughout their ontogeny is published by Canoville, Robin & de Buffrénil (2024), who find evidence of substantial intraspecific variability regardless of the ontogenetic stage, and evidence indicating that limb bones of king penguins reach adult size early in the development while their microstructure continues to change until adulthood; on the basis of their findings the authors do not consider the conclusions of Cerda, Tambussi & Degrange (2014)^[169] and Ksepka et al. (2015)^[170] about the paleobiology of fossil penguins to be properly supported by their data.^[171]
• The evolutionary dynamics of microsatellitesinAdélie penguins based on both modern and ancient genetic samples (up to 46.5 thousand years old) are studied by McComish et al. (2024).^[172]
• Leoni et al. (2024) describe the first fossil material of a turkey vulture from cave deposits in northeastern Brazil, which preserves trace marks likely produced by a felid and indicating that the vulture died in the cave it was discovered in.^[173]
• The colonization of the Mediterranean BasinbyBonelli's eagle is studied by Moleón et al. (2024), drawing on data from environmental favorability, genetic structure, the fossil record, and ecological relationships with golden eagles.^[174]
• Acosta Hospitaleche & Jones (2024) describe fossil material of a large-bodied (with an estimated body mass of around 100 kg) phorusrhacid or phorusrhacid-like bird from the Eocene La Meseta Formation (Seymour Island, Antarctica), interpreted by the authors as likely apex predator of Antarctica during the Eocene.^[175]
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships and on the evolution of body size and cursoriality in phorusrhacids, providing evidence of niche partitioning and competitive exclusion that controlled phorusrhacid diversity, is published by LaBarge, Gardner & Organ (2024).^[176]
• Acosta Hospitaleche & Jones (2024) describe partial tibiotarsus of a psilopterine phorusrhacid from the Eocene (Lutetian) Sarmiento Formation (Argentina), interpreted as belonging to a bird with an estimated body mass of approximately 5 kg.^[177]
• Acarpometacarpus of a Cuban macaw is described from the Pleistocene of El Abrón Cave (Cuba) by Zelenkov (2024).^[178]

Pterosaurs

New pterosaur taxa

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Ceoptera[179]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Martin-Silverstone et al.	Middle Jurassic	Kilmaluag Formation	United Kingdom	Adarwinopteran. The type species is C. evansae.
Haliskia[180]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Pentland et al.	Early Cretaceous (Albian)	Toolebuc Formation	Australia	A member of Anhangueria. The type species is H. peterseni.
Torukjara[181]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Pêgas	Early Cretaceous	Caiuá Group	Brazil	Atapejarid. The type species is T. bandeirae.

Pterosaur research

• A study on the cervical osteology of Anhanguera piscator, Azhdarcho lancicollis and Rhamphorhynchus muensteri, aiming to reconstruct the cervical arthrology of pterosaurs and the position of the pterosaur neck at rest, is published by Buchmann & Rodrigues (2024).^[182]
• A study on the palate structure in Kunpengopterus, Hongshanopterus, Hamipterus and Dsungaripterus, providing new information on the relations between the palatine, ectopterygoid, maxilla and pterygoid in the studied pterosaurs resulting in reinterpretation of the main palatal openings, and identifying an opening bordered anteriorly by the maxilla and posteriorly by the palatine that is unique within Diapsida and might be a synapomorphy of Pterosauria, is published by Chen et al. (2024).^[183]
• A study aiming to determine the aerodynamic impact of large heads and head crests of pterosaurs is published by Henderson (2024).^[184]
• Yun (2024) uses geometric morphometric analyses to investigate the relationships of pterosaur specimens from the Early Cretaceous Jinju and Hasandong formations (South Korea), and suggests that the material likely cannot be assigned to the Boreopteridae, as had previously been assumed.^[185]
• So, Kim & Won (2024) describe a nearly complete skeleton of a probable member of the genus Jeholopterus from the Lower Cretaceous Sinuiju Formation, representing the first pterosaur recond from North Korea reported to date.^[186]
• Partial finger phalanx of a member of Ctenochasmatoidea with an estimated wingspan of at least 3 m, representing one of the first records of Jurassic pterodactyloids from the United Kingdom, is described from the Kimmeridge Clay of Abingdon, Oxfordshire by Etienne et al. (2024).^[187]
• Redescription and a study on the affinities of Haopterus gracilis is published by Xu, Jiang & Wang (2024), who recover H. gracilis as a member of Istiodactyliformes.^[188]
• Ciaffi & Bellardini (2024) describe isolated teeth of indeterminate members of Ornithocheiriformes from the Lohan Cura Formation (Neuquén Province, Argentina), providing evidence of a more abundant and diversified ornithocheiriform fauna in the south of the Neuquén Basin (at least in the Albian) than previously known.^[189]
• Jung & Huh (2024) describe pterosaur tracks from the Turonian Jangdong Formation (South Korea), interpreted as likely produced by small-bodied or immature azhdarchids and as probable evidence of gregariousness of the trackmakers.^[190]

Other archosaurs

Other archosaur research

• Garcia et al. (2024) describe two new lagerpetid specimens from the Carnian strata of the upper Santa Maria Formation (Brazil), interpreted as indicative of a sympatric occurrence of lagerpetids representing different morphotypes.^[191]
• Agnolín et al. (2024) revise the anatomy of the pelvic girdle of Lagerpeton chanarensis, reinterpreting it as likely to have a sprawling gait.^[192]

General research

• A study on the evolution of locomotion in archosauromorph reptiles is published by Shipley et al. (2024), who interpret their findings as indicative of greater range in limb form and locomotor modes of dinosaurs compared to other archosauromorph groups, and argue that the ability to adopt a wider variety of limb forms and modes might have given dinosaurs a competitive advantage over pseudosuchians.^[193]
• A study on the body size evolution of non-avian dinosaurs and Mesozoic birds is published by Wilson et al. (2024), who find no evidence that Bergmann's rule applied to the studied taxa.^[194]
• Knoll, Ishikawa & Kawabe (2024) present a new method which can be used to determine the brain volume of extinct archosaurs on the basis their endocranial cavity volume.^[195]
• Malafaia et al. (2024) revise fossils from Portugal that were historically assigned to Megalosaurus, and find that the majority of this fossil material represents bones of members of different theropod groups, but also that the studied material includes stegosaurian, iguanodontian, sauropod and thalattosuchian bones.^[196]

References