1966 in paleontology

List of years in paleontology
... 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 ... 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 ... 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 ...
In science 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
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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. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (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 or were published in the year 1966.

Arthropods

Newly named Insecta

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Sphecomyrminae	Subfam. Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Wilson & Carpenter	Turonian	New Jersey Amber	USA	Basal most ant subfamily. One genus Sphecomyrma

Anapsids

Newly named mesosaurs

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Brazilosaurus	Gen. et sp.	Valid	Shikama & Ozaki	Artinskian	Irati Formation	Brazil	A mesosaur.

Dinosaurs

Newly named dinosaurs

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Probactrosaurus	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Rozhdestvensky	early Cretaceous	Dashuigou Formation	China		Probactrosaurus

Newly named birds

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Arikarornis macdonaldi	Gen et sp nov.	valid	Howard	Early Miocene	Middle Sharps Formation	USA	An Accipitrid, type species A. macdonaldi
Miortyx aldeni	Sp. nov.	valid	Howard	Early Miocene	Middle Sharps Formation	USA	An Odontophoridae.
Diomedea milleri	Sp. nov.	valid	Howard	Middle Miocene	Temblor Formation	USA	A Diomedeid.
Dissourodes milleri	Gen et sp. nov.	jr synonym	Short	Early Pliocene	Valentine Formation	USA	A Ciconiidae, jr synonym of Mycteria milleri
Pelecanus tirarensis	Sp. nov.	valid	Miller	Miocene	Etadunna Formation	Australia	A Pelecanidae.
Praemancalla	Gen et sp. nov.	valid	Howard	Late Miocene	Laguna Hills Formation	USA	An Alcidae, Mancallinae, type species P. lagunensis
Speotyto megalopeza	Sp. nov.	Jr synonym	Ford	Late Pliocene	Rexroad Formation	USA	jr synonym of Athene megalopeza
Wasonaka	Gen et sp. nov.	valid	Howard	Middle Pliocene	Arroyo de las Barrancas Blancas	Mexico	An Anatidae, Type species W. yepormerae