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Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") 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 faeces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has 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 in the year 1972.

Dinosaurs

Newly named dinosaurs

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list^[2] and Dr. Jeremy Montague's dinosaur genus database.^[3]

Name	Status	Authors		Notes	Images
Archaeornithomimus[4]	Valid taxon	Dale A. Russell			Archaeornithomimus Dromiceiomimus Gallimimus Gracilisuchus
Azendohsaurus[5]	Valid taxon	J. M. Dutuit
Dromiceiomimus[4]	Valid taxon	Dale A. Russell
Gallimimus[6]	Valid taxon	Halszka Osmólska Roniewicz	Rinchen Barsbold
"Gracilisuchus"[7]	Misidentification.	Alfred Romer		Valid non-dinosaurian taxon. Actually a primitive ornithodire.
"Lewisuchus"[8]	Misidentification.	Alfred Romer		Valid non-dinosaurian taxon. Actually a crurotarsan.
"Thotobolosaurus"[9]	Nomen nudum.	Paul Ellenberger
Vulcanodon[10]	Valid taxon	Michael A. Raath

References

Paleontology portal

1. ^ Newman, Garfield, et al (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 0-07-088739-X.  
2. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". http://www.polychora.com/dinolist.html. Retrieved 2008-08-07.  
3. ^ Montague, Jeremy. "Dr. Montague's Database". http://www.barry.edu/bio300/pdf/montague%20dino%20web%20data%2012-3-2005.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-29.  
4. ^ ^{a b} Russell, D.A. 1972. Ostrich dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Western Canada. Can. J. Earth Sci. 9: pp. 375-402.
5. ^ Dutuit, J.M. 1972. Decouverte d'un dinosaure ornthischien dans le Trias supericur de l'Atlas occidental marocain. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris D275: pp. 2841-2844.
6. ^ Osmolska, H., E. Roniewicz, and R. Barsbold. 1972. A new dinosaur Gallimimus bullatus, n. gen. n. sp. (Ornithomimidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. Palaeontol. Polonica 27: pp. 103-143.
7. ^ Romer, A.S. 1972. The Chanares (Argentina) Triassic Reptile Fauna XIII. An early ornithosuchid pseudosuchian, Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum, gen. et sp. Nov. Breviora 389: pp. 1-24.
8. ^ Romer, A.S. 1972. The Chanares (Argentina) Triassic Reptile Fauna. XIV. Lewisuchus admixtus, gen. et sp. nov., a further Thecodont from the Chanares Beds. Breviora 390: pp. 1-13.
9. ^ Ellenberger, P. 1972. Contribution a la classification des pistes de vertebres du Trias: les types du Stormberg d’Afrique du Sud (I). Palaeovertebrata Memories Extraord(1972) : pp. 1-152.
10. ^ Raath, M.A. 1972. Fossil vertebrate studies in Rhodesia: a new dinosaur (Reptilia: Saurischia) from near the Trias-Jurassic Boundary. Arnoldia Rhodesia. 5 (30): 1-37.