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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 1973.

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
Alocodon[4]	Valid taxon	Thulborn			Shantungosaurus Wuerhosaurus
Efraasia[5]	Valid taxon	Peter Galton
Kelmayisaurus[6]	Valid taxon	Dong Zhiming
Lisboasaurus[7]	Misidentification.	Seiffert		Valid (although somewhat dubious) non-dinosaurian archosaur.
Phaedrolosaurus[6]	Valid taxon	Dong Zhiming
Phyllodon[8]	Valid taxon	Thulborn
Shantungosaurus[9]	Valid taxon	Hu C.
Trimucrodon[10]	Valid taxon	Thulborn
Tugulusaurus[6]	Valid taxon	Dong Zhiming
Wuerhosaurus[6]	Valid taxon	Dong Zhiming
Wyleyia[11]	Misidentification.	Harrison	C. A. Walker	Valid non-dinosaurian taxon. Actually a bird.

Pterosaurs

New taxa

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. ^ Thulborn, R.A. 1973. Teeth of ornithischian dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal. Serv. Geol. Portugal Mem. 22: pp. 89-134.
5. ^ Galton, P. M. 1973. On the anatomy and relationships of Efraasia diagnostica (V. Huene) n. gen., a prosauropod dinosaur (Reptilia: Saurischia) from the Upper Triassic of Germany. Palaeontol. Z. 47: pp. 229-255.
6. ^ ^{a b c d} Dong, Z.M. 1973. Dinosaurs from Wuerho. Reports of Paleontological Expedition to Sinkiang (II), Pterosaurian Fauna from Wuerho, Sinkiang. Memories of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropolgy, Academy of Science 11: pp. 45-52.
7. ^ Seiffert, J. 1973. Upper Jurassic Lizards from Central Portugal. Contibuicao para o conhecimento da Fauna do Kimeridgiano da Mina de Lignito Guimarota (Leiria, Portugal). Servicox Geologicos de Portugal, Memoria 22 (new series): pp. 7-88.
8. ^ Thulborn, R.A. 1973. Teeth of ornithischian dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal, with a description of a hypsolophodontid (Phyllodon henkeli gen. et sp. nov.) from the Guimarote Lignite. Memória dos Serviços Geológicos de Portugal, 22: pp. 89-134.
9. ^ Hu, C. 1973. A new hadrosaur from the Cretaceous of Chucheng. Shantung. Acta Geol. Sinica 2: pp. 179-202.
10. ^ Thulborn, R.A. 1973. Teeth of ornithischian dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal, with a description of a hypsolophodontid (Phyllodon henkeli gen. et sp. nov.) from the Guimarote Lignite. Memória dos Serviços Geológicos de Portugal, 22: pp. 89-134.
11. ^ Harrison, C.J.O., and C.A. Walker. 1973. Wyleyja: a new bird humerus from the Lower Cretaceous of England. Palaeontology 16: pp. 721-728.