2024 in archosaur paleontology

New pseudosuchian taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Ahdeskatanka[1]	Gen. et sp. nov		Cossette & Tarailo	Wasatchian	Golden Valley Formation	United States ( North Dakota)	A member of the family Alligatoridae belonging to the subfamily Alligatorinae. The type species is A. russlanddeutsche.
Aphaurosuchus kaiju[2]	Sp. nov	In press	Martins et al.	Late Cretaceous	Adamantina Formation	Brazil	A baurusuchid. Announced in 2023; the final article version was published in 2024.
Araripesuchus manzanensis[3]	Sp. nov	Valid	Fernández Dumont et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)	Candeleros Formation	Argentina
Asiatosuchus oenotriensis[4]	Sp. nov		Narváez et al.	Eocene (Lutetian)		Spain	A basal member of Crocodyloidea.
Benggwigwishingasuchus[5]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Smith et al.	Middle Triassic (Anisian)	Favret Formation	United States ( Nevada)	A member of Paracrocodylomorpha, probably belonging to the group Poposauroidea. The type species is B. eremicarminis.
Caipirasuchus catanduvensis[6]	Sp. nov		Iori et al.	Late Cretaceous	Adamantina Formation	Brazil
Enalioetes[7]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Sachs et al.	Early Cretaceous (Valanginian)	Stadthagen Formation	Germany	A metriorhynchid. The type species is E. schroederi.
Epoidesuchus[8]	Gen. et sp. nov		Ruiz et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian)	Adamantina Formation	Brazil	A peirosaurid notosuchian. The type species is E. tavaresae.
Garzapelta[9]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Reyes, Martz & Small	Late Triassic (Norian)	Cooper Canyon Formation	United States ( Texas)	An aetosaur. The type species is G. muelleri.
Ophiussasuchus[10]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	López-Rojas et al.	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian)	Lourinhã Formation	Portugal	A goniopholidid crocodylomorph. The type species is O. paimogonectes.
Paranacaiman[11]	Gen. et sp. nov		Bona et al.	Miocene	Ituzaingó Formation	Argentina	A caiman. The type species is P. bravardi. Fossils of this genus were previously referred to Caiman lutescens.
Paranasuchus[11]	Gen. et comb. nov		Bona et al.	Miocene	Ituzaingó Formation	Argentina	A caiman. The type species is "Caiman" gasparinae.
Parvosuchus[12]	Gen. et sp. nov		Müller	Triassic (Ladinian–Carnian)	Pinheiros-Chiniquá Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence	Brazil	A gracilisuchid pseudosuchian. The type species is P. aurelioi.
Schultzsuchus[13]	Gen. et comb. nov		Desojo & Rauhut	Triassic (Ladinian–Carnian)	Pinheiros-Chiniquá Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence	Brazil	A member of Paracrocodylomorpha, probably belonging to the group Poposauroidea. The type species is "Prestosuchus" loricatus von Huene (1938).
Sutekhsuchus[14]	Gen. et comb. nov	Valid	Burke et al.	Miocene	Moghra Formation	Egypt  Libya	A member of the family Gavialidae belonging to the subfamily Gavialinae. The type species is "Tomistoma" dowsoni Fourtau (1920).
Varanosuchus[15]	Gen et sp. nov	In press	Pochat-Cottilloux et al.	Early Cretaceous	Sao Khua Formation	Thailand	An atoposaurid. The type species is V. sakonnakhonensis.

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General pseudosuchian research

• Evidence of the impact of function on the evolution of the lower jaw morphology in crocodile-line archosaurs is presented by Rawson et al. (2024).^[16]
• A review of studies on the thermometabolism of crocodile-line archosaurs from the preceding 20 years is published by Faure-Brac (2024).^[17]
• Sennikov (2024) interprets ornithosuchids as macrophagous predators with specialized jaw apparatus, and notes analogs between them and saber-toothed therapsids (including mammals).^[18]
• A study on the locomotion of Riojasuchus tenuisceps is published by von Baczko et al. (2024), who reconstruct R. tenuisceps as having an erect posture and parasagittal gait, but do not conclusively resolve whether it was bipedal or quadrupedal.^[19]
• A study on the anatomy of the skull and on the neurology of Tarjadia ruthae is published by Desojo et al. (2024).^[20]
• A study on the humeral bone histology of Benggwigwishingasuchus eremacarminis is published by Klein (2024), who finds no evidence of secondary aquatic adaptations, but reports evidence indicative a slower growth rate than in Effigia and Sillosuchus.^[21]
• Redescription of the skeletal anatomy of Shuvosaurus inexpectatus is published by Nesbitt & Chatterjee (2024).^[22]
• 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.^[23]
• A study on growth patterns of Prestosuchus chiniquensis, as indicated by microstructure of bone tissues of three specimens, is published by Farias et al. (2024).^[24]
• Ponce, Cerda & Desojo (2024) describe partial fibula of Aetosauroides scagliai from the Ischigualasto Formation and partial tibia of Tarjadia ruthae from the Chañares Formation diagnosed as affected by periostitis, representing the first records of periostitis in non-crocodylomorph pseudosuchians reported to date.^[25]

Aetosaur research

• Parker et al. (2024) study the anatomy and bone histology of a specimen of Coahomasuchus kahleorum from the Triassic Dockum Group (Texas, United States), providing evidence that the studied specimen is not a juvenile form of another known aetosaur, and providing new information on the anatomy of C. kahleorum.^[26]

Crocodylomorph research

• Review of adaptations of crocodylomorphs to lifestyles other than semiaquatic (i.e. terrestrial or fully aquatic) throughout their evolutionary history is published by Pochat-Cottilloux (2024).^[27]
• Pochat-Cottilloux et al. (2024) report evidence indicating that shape variation of endosseous labyrinths of extant crocodylians is affected by allometry to a greater degree than by phylogenetic relationships of the studied crocodylians, and interpret these results as indicative of problems with inclusion of fossil forms in the studies of the impact of ecology on the evolution of crocodylomorph endosseous labyrinths.^[28]
• Description of the anatomy and bone histology of the postcranial skeleton of Terrestrisuchus gracilis is published by Spiekman, Butler & Maidment.^[29]
• A study on the bone histology and growth patterns of Orthosuchus stormbergi is published by Weiss et al. (2024).^[30]
• 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.^[31]
• 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).^[32]
• A study on the anatomy and evolution of the pectoral girdles of thalattosuchians and dyrosaurids, an on the implications of the postcranial anatomy of crocodylomorphs for the studies of their phylogenetic relationships, is published by Scavezzoni et al. (2024).^[33]
• 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.^[34]
• A study on the morphology of osteoderms of Indosinosuchus and an unnamed member of Mesoeucrocodylia from the Late Jurassic Phu Noi excavation site (Thailand) is published by Bhuttarach et al. (2024).^[35]
• A study on the bone microstructure of Macrospondylus bollensis is published by Johnson et al. (2024), who report evidence of growth at a regular rate until the animal reached adult size, of bone compactness values within within the range of those of modern crocodilians, and of an amphibious lifestyle of M. bollensis, while retaining the ability to move on land.^[36]
• 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.^[37]
• 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.^[38]
• Cubo et al. (2024) interpret Pelagosaurus typus as an amphibious thalattosuchian likely able to wander over land, with high resting metabolic rate compared to extant ectotherms but unlikely to be an endotherm, and interpret its hunting behavior as likely involving slow sustained swimming and rapid sideways movements of the head to capture prey.^[39]
• A study on the endocranial anatomy of Thalattosuchus superciliosus, providing evidence of anatomical differences between geosaurine and non-geosaurine metriorhynchids, is published by Higgins et al. (2024), who argue that geosaurines and metriorhynchines likely underwent parallel shifts to a pursuit predator ecomorphology throughout their evolutionary histories.^[40]
• The first fossil material of a member or a relative of the genus Plesiosuchus from France reported to date is described from the Kimmeridgian strata of the Argiles d'Ecqueville formation in Normandy by Hua (2024).^[41]
• 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.^[42]
• Young et al. (2024) study the evolution of the paratympanic and paranasal sinuses in Crocodylomorpha (with a focus on thalattosuchians), and argue that the expansive snout sinus system of metriorhynchids likely prevented them from deep diving.^[43]
• Leardi et al. (2024) review the phylogenetic nomenclature of Notosuchia, define notosuchian clades according to the PhyloCode standards and name a new clade Peirosauria.^[44]
• 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).^[45]
• Fernández-Dumont (2024) describes juvenile specimens of Araripesuchus from the La Buitrera Paleontological Area (Argentina) and provides a list of characters indicating ontogenetic status of specimens of Araripesuchus.^[46]
• 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).^[47]
• 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.^[48]
• A study on tooth replacement patterns in members of the genus Caipirasuchus is published by Borsoni & Carvalho (2024).^[49]
• Redescription of the skull anatomy and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of Barreirosuchus franciscoi is published by Fachini et al. (2024).^[50]
• 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).^[51]
• 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.^[52]
• Fossil material of an early-diverging, long-snouted dyrosaurid is described from the Campanian Quseir Formation (Egypt) by Saber et al. (2024).^[53]
• Jouve & Rodríguez-Jiménez (2024) describe a dyrosaurid vertebra from the Thanetian Cuervos Formation (Colombia), providing evidence of survival of dyrosaurids in South America until the end of the Paleocene.^[54]
• Kuzmin et al. (2024) present the reconstruction of the Kansajsuchus extensus and note the presence of significant differences in the braincase structure of pholidosaurids and dyrosaurids, questioning the close affinity of the two groups.^[55]
• Redescription of the anatomy of the skull of Acynodon adriaticus is published by Muscioni et al. (2024).^[56]
• 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.^[57]
• Yates & Stein (2024) interpret Ultrastenos willisi and "Baru" huberi as synonymous, but maintain Ultrastenos as a distinct mekosuchine genus, resulting in a new combination Ultrastenos huberi.^[58]
• Purported sebecosuchian teeth from the Pliocene Otibanda Formation (Papua New Guinea) are reinterpreted as more likely to be mekosuchine teeth by Ristevski, Molnar & Yates (2024).^[59]
• Review of the fossil record and osmoregulation of members of Alligatoroidea is published by Stout (2024), who argues that fossil members of the group might have been salt-tolerant and more ocean-going than extant alligatoroids.^[60]
• 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.^[61]
• Paiva et al. (2024) recostruct ancestral body sizes across the evolutionary history of caimanines, and interpret evolution of large body sizes in the lineages including Mourasuchus and Purussaurus as related to warmer climatic conditions with less seasonal temperature variation in the western Amazonian region of South America during the Miocene.^[62]
• A study on the skull anatomy of Eosuchus lerichei is published by Burke et al. (2024), who report possible evidence of the presence of salt glands, and interpret Eosuchus as a gavialoid that wasn't closely related to "thoracosaurs".^[63]
• 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 synonym of C. 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.^[64]

New dinosaur taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Allosaurus anax[65]	Sp. nov	Valid	Danison et al.	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian)	Morrison Formation	United States ( Oklahoma)	An allosauroid theropod; a species of Allosaurus.
Alpkarakush[66]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Rauhut et al.	Middle Jurassic (Callovian)	Balabansai Formation	Kyrgyzstan	A metriacanthosaurid theropod. The type species is A. kyrgyzicus.
Archaeocursor[67]	Gen. et sp. nov	In press	Yao et al.	Early Jurassic (Sinemurian–Pliensbachian)	Ziliujing Formation	China	A basal ornithischian. The type species is A. asiaticus. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025.
Ardetosaurus[68]	Gen. et sp. nov		van der Linden et al.	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian)	Morrison Formation	United States ( Wyoming)	A diplodocine sauropod. The type species is A. viator.
Asiatyrannus[69]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Zheng et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Nanxiong Formation	China	A tyrannosaurine theropod. The type species is A. xui.
Baiyinosaurus[70]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Ning et al.	Middle Jurassic (Bathonian)	Wangjiashan Formation	China	A basal stegosaurian. The type species is B. baojiensis.
Caletodraco[71]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Buffetaut et. al	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)	Chalk of the Pays de Caux	France	An abelisaurid theropod. The type species is C. cottardi.
Campananeyen[72]	Gen. et sp. nov		Lerzo et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)	Candeleros Formation	Argentina	An rebbachisaurid sauropod. The type species is C. fragilissimus.
Chakisaurus[73]	Gen. et sp. nov		Alvarez Nogueira et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Turonian)	Huincul Formation	Argentina	An elasmarian ornithopod. The type species is C. nekul.
Coahuilasaurus[74]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Longrich et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian)	Cerro del Pueblo Formation	Mexico	A saurolophine hadrosaurid belonging to the tribe Kritosaurini. The type species is C. lipani.
Comptonatus[75]	Gen. et sp. nov		Lockwood et al.	Early Cretaceous (Barremian)	Wessex Formation	United Kingdom	An iguanodontid ornithopod. The type species is C. chasei.
Datai[76]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Xing et al.	Late Cretaceous (Turonian–Early Coniacian)	Zhoutian Formation	China	An ankylosaurid. The type species is D. yingliangis.
Diuqin[77]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Porfiri et al.	Late Cretaceous (Santonian)	Bajo de la Carpa Formation	Argentina	A unenlagiine theropod. The type species is D. lechiguanae.
Dornraptor[78]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Baron	Early Jurassic (Hettangian–Sinemurian)	Blue Lias Formation	United Kingdom	An averostran theropod. The type species is D. normani.
Emiliasaura[79]	Gen. et sp. nov		Coria et al.	Early Cretaceous (Valanginian)	Mulichinco Formation	Argentina	An ornithopod belonging to the group Rhabdodontomorpha. The type species is E. alessandrii. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025.
Eoneophron[80]	Gen. et sp. nov		Atkins-Weltman et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Hell Creek Formation	United States ( South Dakota)	A caenagnathid theropod. The type species is E. infernalis.
Fona[81]	Gen. et sp. nov		Avrahami et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)	Cedar Mountain Formation	United States ( Utah)	A thescelosaurid ornithischian. The type species is F. herzogae.
Gandititan[82]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Han et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Turonian)	Zhoutian Formation	China	A titanosaur sauropod. The type species is G. cavocaudatus.
Harenadraco[83]	Gen. et sp. nov		Lee et al.	Late Cretaceous	Barun Goyot Formation	Mongolia	A troodontid theropod. The type species is H. prima.
Hesperonyx[84]	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.
Huaxiazhoulong[85]	Gen. et sp. nov		Zhu et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian)	Tangbian Formation	China	An ankylosaurid. The type species is H. shouwen.
Hypnovenator[86]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Kubota, Kobayashi & Ikeda	Early Cretaceous (Albian)	Ohyamashimo Formation	Japan	A troodontid theropod. The type species is H. matsubaraetoheorum.
Inawentu[87]	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[88]	Gen. et sp. nov		Ren et al.	Late Jurassic	Dongxing Formation	China	A mamenchisaurid sauropod. The type species is J. dongxingensis. The initially proposed name is preoccupied by Jingia Chen, 1983.[89] The replacement name was published in an addendum.[90]
Kiyacursor[91]	Gen. et sp. nov		Averianov et al.	Early Cretaceous (Aptian)	Ilek Formation	Russia ( Kemerovo Oblast)	A noasaurid theropod. The type species is K. longipes.
Koleken[92]	Gen. et sp. nov		Pol et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian)	La Colonia Formation	Argentina	An abelisaurid theropod. The type species is K. inakayali.
Labocania aguillonae[93]	Sp. nov	Valid	Rivera-Sylva & Longrich	Late Cretaceous (Campanian)	Cerro del Pueblo Formation	Mexico	A teratophonein tyrannosaurine; a species of Labocania.
Lishulong[94]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Zhang et al.	Early Jurassic (Sinemurian–Toarcian)	Lufeng Formation	China	An early member of Sauropodiformes. The type species is L. wangi.
Lokiceratops[95]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Loewen et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian)	Judith River Formation	United States ( Montana)	A centrosaurine ceratopsian. The type species is L. rangiformis.
Minqaria[96]	Gen. et sp. nov		Longrich et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Ouled Abdoun Basin	Morocco	A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid belonging to the tribe Arenysaurini. The type species is M. bata.
Musankwa[97]	Gen. et sp. nov		Barrett et al.	Late Triassic (Norian)	Pebbly Arkose Formation	Zimbabwe	A massopodan sauropodomorph. The type species is M. sanyatiensis.
Qianjiangsaurus[98]	Gen. et sp. nov		Dai et al.	Late Cretaceous	Zhengyang Formation	China	An early-diverging hadrosauromorph. The type species is Q. changshengi. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025.
Qunkasaura[99]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Mocho et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian)	Villalba de la Sierra Formation	Spain	A saltasauroid titanosaur. The type species is Q. pintiquiniestra.
Riojavenatrix[100]	Gen. et sp. nov		Isasmendi et al.	Early Cretaceous (Barremian–Aptian)	Enciso Group	Spain	A spinosaurid theropod. The type species is R. lacustris.
Sasayamagnomus[101]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	Tanaka et al.	Early Cretaceous (Albian)	Ohyamashimo Formation	Japan	A basal member of Neoceratopsia. The type species is S. saegusai.
Sidersaura[102]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Lerzo et al.	Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Turonian)	Huincul Formation	Argentina	A rebbachisaurid sauropod. The type species is S. marae.
Thyreosaurus[103]	Gen. et sp. nov		Zafaty et al.	Middle Jurassic	El Mers Group	Morocco	A stegosaurian. The type species is T. atlasicus.
Tiamat[104]	Gen. et sp. nov		Pereira et al.	Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian)	Açu Formation	Brazil	A basal titanosaur sauropod. The type species is T. valdecii.
Tianzhenosaurus chengi[105]	Sp. nov	Valid	Pang, Li & Guo	Late Cretaceous	Huiquanpu Formation	China	An ankylosaurid; a species of Tianzhenosaurus.
Tietasaura[106]	Gen. et sp. nov		Bandeira et al.	Early Cretaceous (Valanginian–Hauterivian)	Marfim Formation	Brazil	An elasmarian ornithopod. The type species is T. derbyiana.
Titanomachya[107]	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[108]	Sp. nov	Valid	Dalman et al.	Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian)	Hall Lake Formation	United States ( New Mexico)	A tyrannosaurine; a species of Tyrannosaurus.
Udelartitan[109]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Soto et al.	Late Cretaceous	Guichón Formation	Uruguay	A titanosaur sauropod belonging to the group Saltasauroidea. The type species is U. celeste.
Urbacodon norelli[110]	Sp. nov		Wang et al.	Late Cretaceous	Iren Dabasu Formation	China	A troodontid theropod; a species of Urbacodon.
Vectidromeus[111]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Longrich et al.	Early Cretaceous (Barremian)	Wessex Formation	United Kingdom	A hypsilophodontid. The type species is V. insularis. Announced in 2023; the final article version was published in 2024.
Yanbeilong[112]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Jia et al.	Early Cretaceous (Albian)	Zuoyun Formation	China	A stegosaurian. The type species is Y. ultimus.
Yuanyanglong[113]	Gen. et sp. nov		Hao et al.	Early Cretaceous	Miaogou Formation	China	An oviraptorosaur theropod. The type species is Y. bainian. Announced in 2024; the final article version was published in 2025.

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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).^[114]
• Review of studies on the macroecology of non-avian dinosaurs from the preceding years is published by Chiarenza (2024).^[115]
• A study on diversity of Mesozoic dinosaurs throughout their evolutionary history is published by Mannion (2024).^[116]
• Review of main obstacles in the study of neurology of Mesozoic dinosaurs, and of advances in the study of dinosaur neurology, is published by Balanoff (2024).^[117]
• 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).^[118]
• 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.^[119]
• 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),^[120] 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.^[121]
• Evidence from the study of an ontogenetic series of endocasts of Psittacosaurus lujiatunesis and immature specimens of other non-avian dinosaur taxa, interpreted as indicating that non-avian dinosaurs had a distinct developmental trajectory of the brain compared to extant birds and crocodilians, is presented by King et al. (2024).^[122]
• Atterholt et al. (2024) report evidence of widespread presence of bony ridges in the neural canals in the caudal vertebrae of non-avian dinosaurs, and interpret the studied structures as likely bony spinal cord supports.^[123]
• 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.^[124]
• Upchurch & Chiarenza (2024) review the studies of the biogeography of non-avian dinosaurs.^[125]
• Qvarnström et al. (2024) reconstruct food webs from five tetrapod communities from the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic of Poland on the basis of data from bromalites, and interpret changes in bromalite morphologies and their contents as related to shifts in faunal composition, with increased abundance of dinosaurs coinciding with decline of formerly dominant tetrapod groups; the authors also interpret their findings as indicating that early herbivorous dinosaurs had different feeding habits than dicynodonts and aetosaurs, and interpret the studied fossils as recording stepwise rise of dinosaurs to supremacy across 30 million years of evolution.^[126]
• 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).^[127]
• 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.^[128]
• Troiano et al. (2024) report the discovery of an association of Early Cretaceous dinosaur tracks and petroglyphs from the Serrote do Letreiro Site (Brazil).^[129]
• Review of the fossil record of Late Triassic and Jurassic dinosaurs from India is published by Khosla & Lucas (2024).^[130]
• 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.^[131]
• Tracks of medium to large theropods and small ornithopods are described from the Lower Cretaceous (Valanginian-Aptian) Wonthaggi Formation (Victoria, Australia) by Martin et al. (2024), confirming the presence of large theropods in the polar regions of Australia during the Early Cretaceous.^[132]
• 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.^[106]
• New dinosaur tracksite, preserving ornithopod, sauropod and theropod tracks, is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) Duoni Formation (Tibet, China) by Li et al. (2024).^[133]
• Navarro et al. (2024) report the discovery of a new tracksite preserving theropod, sauropod and ornithischian footprints from the Cenomanian–Turonian Santo Anastácio Formation (Brazil), representing the first dinosaur ichnofauna from the Bauru Group reported to date and providing evidence of presence of ornithischians in the studied area before environmental changes during the Cenomanian–Turonian interval.^[134]
• Kirkland et al. (2024) describe the biodiversity of Cretaceous dinosaurs from Utah (United States).^[135]
• Han et al. (2024) find that rising temperatures and rainfall intensity coincided with decline and eventual disappearance of dinosaurs from the Shanyang Basin (China) during the latest Cretaceous, and argue that the recorded decline of dinosaurs in the studied area was likely caused by increased rainfall that reduced availability of suitable nesting sites for dinosaurs.^[136]
• 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.^[137]

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.^[138]
• New dinosaur tracksites from the Middle Jurassic Dongdaqiao Formation (China), preserving tracks of large-bodied theropods and small-bodied sauropods, are described by Chen et al. (2024).^[139]
• Danison et al. (2024) redescribe fossil material assigned to Saurophaganax maximus from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation (Oklahoma, United States), and interpret it as a chimeric taxon with the holotype specimen representing a dubious saurischian, and other specimens belonging to a novel species of Allosaurus.^[65]
• Yuan et al. (2024) describe new tracks of sauropods and theropods from the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous Houcheng Formation (Hebei, China), and interpret the studied tracks as suggestive of successive evolution of the Yanliao Biota and the Jehol Biota, with no evidence of a complete turnover or extinction of biotas, as well as suggesting that the dinosaur diversity in the North China during the earliest Cretaceous was influenced by volcanic activity.^[140]
• 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.^[141]

Ornithischian research

• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of ornithischians is published by Fonseca et al. (2024), who name the new clades Pyrodontia and Tenontosauridae.^[252]
• 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).^[253]
• 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).^[254]
• Redescription of the skeletal anatomy and a study on the affinities of Oryctodromeus cubicularis is published by Krumenacker et al. (2024).^[255]
• 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).^[256]
• Lee et al., (2024) described the single pedal phalanx of the basal neornithischian (NHCG 10972) from the Lower Cretaceous Tando beds of South Korea, which is most similar to Jeholosauridae.^[257]

New bird taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Agapornis longipes[287]	Sp. nov	In press	Pavia et al.	Plio–Pleistocene transition	Cradle of Humankind	South Africa	A lovebird; a species of Agapornis.
Ardenna buchananbrowni[288]	Sp. nov	Valid	Tennyson et al.	Pliocene (Waipipian)	Tangahoe Formation	New Zealand	A species of Ardenna.
Avisaurus darwini[289]	Sp. nov	Valid	Clark et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Hell Creek Formation	United States ( Montana)	A member of Enantiornithes belonging to the family Avisauridae.
Bambusicola wenzensis[290]	Comb. nov	Valid	(Jánossý)	Pliocene		Poland	A bamboo partridge; moved from Francolinus capeki wenzensis Jánossý (1974).
Buteo chimborazoensis[291]	Sp. nov		Lo Coco, Agnolín & Carrión	Pleistocene		Ecuador	A species of Buteo.
Chauvireria axaina[290]	Sp. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Miocene		Russia ( Rostov Oblast)  Ukraine
Chauvireria egorovkensis[290]	Sp. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Miocene		Ukraine
Chauvireria minor[290]	Comb. nov	Valid	(Jánossý)	Miocene		Mongolia  Poland  Russia ( Buryatia  Voronezh Oblast?)  Ukraine	Moved from Francolinus (Lambrechtia) minor Jánossý (1974).
Chloephaga dabbenei[292]	Sp. nov	Valid	Agnolín, Álvarez Herrera & Tomassini	Pleistocene		Argentina	A species of Chloephaga.
Coturnix augustus[290]	Sp. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Pliocene		Mongolia	A species of Coturnix.
Enkuria[293]	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[294]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Eocypselus.
Eocypselus grandissimus[294]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Eocypselus.
Eocypselus paulomajor[294]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Eocypselus.
Fluvioviridavis michaeldanielsi[295]	Sp. nov		Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Fluvioviridavis.
Fluvioviridavis nazensis[295]	Sp. nov		Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Fluvioviridavis.
Imparavis[296]	Gen. et sp. nov	In press	Wang et al.	Early Cretaceous	Jiufotang Formation	China	An enantiornithine. The type species is I. attenboroughi.
Kustokazanser[297]	Gen. et comb. nov		Zelenkov	Late Eocene	Aksyir Svita	Kazakhstan	An anseriform of uncertain placement; a new genus for "Cygnavus" formosus.
Lumbrerornis[298]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Bertelli et al.	Eocene (Lutetian)	Lumbrera Formation	Argentina	A bird of uncertain affinities, possibly related to the families Palaeotididae and Geranoididae. The type species is L. rougieri.
Magnusavis[289]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Clark et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Hell Creek Formation	United States ( Montana)	A member of Enantiornithes. The type species is M. ekalakaenis.
Marocortyx[290]	Gen. et comb. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Pliocene and Pleistocene		Morocco  Spain	A member of the family Phasianidae belonging to the tribe Coturnicini. The type species is "Plioperdix" africana Mourer-Chauviré & Geraads (2010); genus also includes "Palaeocryptonyx" novaki Sánchez Marco (2009).
?Masillatrogon incertus[299]	Sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A trogon.
Melanitta kirbori[300]	Sp. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Lower Pleistocene	Taurida Cave	Crimea	A scoter; a species of Melanitta.
Miochelidon[301]	Gen. et sp. nov		Volkova	Miocene	Tagay Formation	Russia	A swallow. The type species is M. eschata.
Mionetta turgaiensis[297]	Sp. nov		Zelenkov	Early Oligocene	Chelkarnura Formation	Kazakhstan	A species of Mionetta.
Nasiornis[302]	Gen. et sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A messelornithid. The type species is N. messelornithoides.
Navaornis[303]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Chiappe et al.	Late Cretaceous	Adamantina Formation	Brazil	A member of Enantiornithes. The type species is N. hestiae.
Neobohaiornis[304]	Gen. et sp. nov		Shen et al.	Early Cretaceous	Jiufotang Formation	China	A member of Enantiornithes in the family Bohaiornithidae. The type species is N. lamadongensis.
Paakniwatavis[305]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Musser & Clarke	Eocene	Green River Formation	United States ( Wyoming)	An early member of Anseriformes. The type species is P. grandei.
Pakudyptes[306]	Gen. et sp. nov		Ando et al.	Late Oligocene	Otekaike Limestone	New Zealand	An early penguin. The type species is P. hakataramea.
Palaeocryptonyx capeki[290]	Comb. nov	Valid	(Lambrecht)	Pleistocene		Poland  Romania  Russia ( Krasnodar Krai)	A member of the family Phasianidae belonging to the tribe Coturnicini; moved from Francolinus capeki Lambrecht (1933).
Palaeoperdix hungarica[290]	Comb. nov	Valid	(Jánossý)	Miocene		Hungary	A member of the family Phasianidae belonging to the tribe Coturnicini; moved from Palaeocryptonyx hungaricus Jánossý (1991).
Palaeoperdix miocenica[290]	Comb. nov	Valid	(Villalta)	Miocene		Spain	A member of the family Phasianidae belonging to the tribe Coturnicini; moved from Coturnix(?) miocenica Villalta (1963).
Paralyra[307]	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.[307]
?Paraortygoides argillae[308]	Sp. nov		Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene (Ypresian)	London Clay	United Kingdom	A member of Galliformes, possibly belonging to the family Gallinuloididae.
?Parvirallus incertus[302]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A messelornithid; a possible species of Parvirallus.
Phalacrocorax bakonyiensis[309]	Sp. nov	Valid	Horváth, Futó, & Kessler	Miocene		Hungary	A cormorant; a species of Phalacrocorax.
Plioperdix boevi[290]	Sp. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Miocene		Russia ( Rostov Oblast  Stavropol Krai)	A member of the family Phasianidae belonging to the tribe Coturnicini.
Pristineanis[310]	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).
Prophaethon waltonensis[311]	Sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A member of the family Prophaethontidae.
Pterodroma zinorum[312]	Sp. nov	Valid	Rando et al.	Quaternary		Portugal ( Azores)	A gadfly petrel.
Septencoracias simillimus[310]	Sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene (Ypresian)	London Clay	United Kingdom	A stem group roller belonging or related to the family Primobucconidae.
Shuilingornis[313]	Gen. et sp. nov		Wang et al.	Early Cretaceous	Jiufotang Formation	China	A euornithe in the family Gansuidae. The type species is S. angelai.
Sulcitarsus[299]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A bird of uncertain affinities, with similarities of hindlimb elements to those of cuckoo-rollers and members of Accipitriformes. The type species is S. aenigmatus.
Tologuica vetusta[290]	Sp. nov	Valid	Zelenkov	Miocene	Tagay Formation	Russia ( Irkutsk Oblast)	A member of the family Phasianidae belonging to the tribe Coturnicini.
Torgos platycephalus[314]	Sp. nov	Valid	Gorbatcheva & Zelenkov	Pleistocene		Azerbaijan	A vulture, a species of Torgos.
Ukugyps[291]	Gen. et sp. nov		Lo Coco, Agnolín & Carrión	Pleistocene		Ecuador	A condor. The type species is U. orcesi.
Uyrekura[297]	Gen. et sp. nov		Zelenkov	Early Oligocene	Chelkarnura Formation	Kazakhstan	An anatid of uncertain placement. The type species is U. chalkarica.
Walbeckornis waltonensis[302]	Sp. nov	In press	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A species of Walbeckornis.
Waltonirrisor[310]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene (Ypresian)	London Clay	United Kingdom	A member of Upupiformes. The type species is W. tendringensis.
Waltonortyx[308]	Gen. et sp. nov		Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene (Ypresian)	London Clay	United Kingdom	A member of Galliformes, the type genus of the new family Waltonortygidae. The type species is W. bumbanipodiides.
Wunketru[315]	Gen. et comb. nov	Valid	De Mendoza, Degrange & Tambussi	Eocene	Las Flores Formation	Argentina	A member of Anseriformes of uncertain affinites; a new genus for "Telmabates" howardae.
Xenavicula[299]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A bird of uncertain affinities, with similarities to members of Telluraves, the type genus of the new family Xenaviculidae. The type species is X. pamelae.
Ypresicolius[316]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Mayr & Kitchener	Eocene	London Clay	United Kingdom	A mousebird. The type species is Y. sandcoleiformis.

Close

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.^[317]
• The Cretaceous fossil record of avialans from China is reviewed by Zhou & Wang (2024).^[318]
• Evidence of gradual and sequential moult of wing flight feathers in two probable members of Confuciusornithiformes from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (China) is presented by Wang et al. (2024).^[319]
• A morphometric 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.^[320]
• 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.^[321]
• 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 synonym of E. nopcsai.^[322]
• 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.^[323]
• New information on the development of the skeletons of members of Enantiornithes throughout their ontogeny, based on the study of two early immature specimens from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation (China), is presented by O'Connor et al. (2024).^[324]
• O'Connor et al. (2024) report the discovery of gymnosperm seeds within the abdominal cavities of two specimens of Longipteryx, providing evidence of frugivory of Longipteryx.^[325]
• 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.^[326]
• A study on the limb bone histology and growth dynamics of Musivavis amabilis is published by Kundrát et al. (2024).^[327]
• The Cretaceous fossil record of avialans from Antarctica is reviewed by Acosta Hospitaleche et al. (2024).^[328]
• Álvarez-Herrera & Agnolín (2024) compare Maastrichtian bird assemblages from Santa Cruz Province, Argentina and from Antarctica, note that the asseblanges differ in composition (only members of Neornithes and kin are present in Antarctica, unlike in Argentina), and interpret those differences as possibly caused by accelerated growth and high metabolism of members of Neornithes compared to more basal birds.^[329]
• 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.^[330]
• A study on patterns of avian molecular evolution is published by Berv et al. (2024), who interpret their findings as indicating that the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event influenced the evolution of bird genomes, physiology and life history traits that in turn influenced the diversification of modern birds.^[331]
• 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.^[332]
• The histochemistry of an ostrich eggshell from the Miocene Liushu Formation (China) is examined by Wu et al. (2024).^[333]
• Pickford, Russell & Day (2024) designate a lectotype for the oospecies Psammornis rothschildi.^[334]
• Schroeter (2024) presents a characterization of diagenetiforms in a moa proteome.^[335]
• Review of moa tracks and other traces is published by Hunt & Lucas (2024), who name new ichnotaxa Turanganuipus worthyi,Moapus tennysoni, Dinornipus oweni, Gisbornepus angustus, Tutaenuipus woodi and Aotearoapus lockleyorum.^[336]
• Pickford (2024) revises fossil eggshells from the Miocene strata from the Karingarab aeolianite succession (Namibia), originally described as Struthio karingarabensis, and transfers this oospecies to the genus Diamantornis.^[337]
• A draft genome of the little bush moa is presented by Edwards et al. (2024).^[338]
• Tomlinson et al. (2024) reconstruct the range and extinction dynamics of six species of moa, and interpret their findings as indicating that the studied species likely had similar spatial patterns of geographic range collapse, and that their final populations persisted in cold, mountainous areas that continue to function as sanctuaries for New Zealand's remaining flightless birds.^[339]
• 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.^[340]
• Crane et al. (2024) reevalute the anatomy of the mandible of Asteriornis maastrichtensis and find that no retroarticular process (a trait originally interpreted as supporting the placement of A. maastrichtensis within Galloanserae) is preserved in the holotype, which does not preserve the caudal extremities of the mandibles; however, the authors do not rule out the possibility that the studied bird originally had robust retroarticular processes comparable to those of extant members of Galloanserae, and their phylogenetic analysis supports the placement of Asteriornis within Galloanserae.^[341]
• Mayr et al. (2024) describe a new skull of a gastornithiform bird from Geiseltal (Germany) and assign it to the species Diatryma geiselensis, interpreted by the authors as distinctly different from Gastornis parisiensis, and advocate reestablishment of Diatryma as a genus distinct from Gastornis.^[342]
• 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.^[343]
• 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.^[344]
• A case for the validity of Miotadorna catrionae is presented by Tennyson et al. (2024),^[345] in response to Worthy et al. (2022)^[346] considering it a junior synonym of Miotadorna 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).^[347]
• 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;^[348] Claramunt et al. (2024) subsequently considered these results to be questionable, arguing that the study has problems with their choices of fossils and calibration strategy,^[349] while Wu et al. (2024) rejected these criticisms.^[350]
• A study on the impression of the skeleton of a small flamingo described from the late Cenozoic Pie de Vaca site (Mexico) is published by Galicia-Coleote, Cruz & Eduardo Corona-M (2024), who interpret the studied imprint as representing an adult flamingo different from known the American extant and extinct species, providing evidence of the presence of a group of small flamingos in the late Cenozoic of North America.^[351]
• Revision of the systematics and nomenclature of the dodo, the Rodrigues solitaire and the family-group nomina based upon them is published by Young et al. (2024), who name the new subtribe Raphina for the two taxa.^[352]
• 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.^[353]
• Goodman & Rasolonjatovo (2024) study the carpal spur of the Malagasy lapwing, find it to be larger than wing spurs of living lapwings, and interpret it as likely used for defence against predators.^[354]
• Abbassi et al. (2024) describe an assemblage of vertebrate footprints from the Oligocene Lower Red Formation (Iran), including footprints of small shorebirds and possible herons and storks.^[355]
• Mayr & Kitchener (2024) describe a tarsometatarsus and an associated pedal phalanx from the Eocene London Clay (United Kingdom), showing similarities to bones of frigatebirds and interpreted as possible fossil material of Marinavis longirostris.^[356]
• Guilherme et al. (2024) report the first discovery of the left tibiotarsus of Macranhinga ranzii from the Miocene Solimões Formation (Brazil), and estimate the body mass of the studied darter as ranging from 14.39 to 19.1 kg.^[357]
• Zelenkov et al. (2024) describe fossil material of a large marine bird from the Eocene Tavda Formation (Tyumen Oblast, Russia), interpreted as evidence of a worldwide distribution of stem albatrosses or similar large procellariiforms as early as the Eocene.^[358]
• 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).^[359]
• A new specimen of Palaeeudyptes is described by Xia, Pei & Li (2024).^[360]
• 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)^[361] and Ksepka et al. (2015)^[362] about the paleobiology of fossil penguins to be properly supported by their data.^[363]
• The evolutionary dynamics of microsatellites in Adélie penguins based on both modern and ancient genetic samples (up to 46.5 thousand years old) are studied by McComish et al. (2024).^[364]
• Torres Etchegorry & Degrange (2024) reconstruct endocast of Argentavis magnificens, and interpret its probable brain morphology as suggesting that Argentavis was a scavenger or even a kleptoparasitic bird, living in open areas without much vegetation.^[365]
• 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.^[366]
• A study on the age of remains of California condors from the Mule Ears Peak Cave (Texas, United States) is published by Emslie (2024), who find evidence of the presence of condors at the studied site beginning at ~15,000 calendar years before present and evidence of definite nesting ~13,000 calendar years before present, reports evidence from stable isotope analysis of bone collagen interpreted as indicating that the studied condors fed on megafauna living in a desert grassland ecosystem, and interprets these findings as indicating that the disappearance of the California condor from the inland west of North America as related to the extinctions of megafauna the end of the Pleistocene.^[367]
• The colonization of the Mediterranean Basin by Bonelli'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.^[368]
• 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.^[369]
• 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).^[370]
• 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.^[371]
• Partial tibiotarsus of an indeterminate phorusrhacid, possibly representing the largest member of the family reported to date, is described from the La Victoria Formation (Colombia) by Degrange et al. (2024).^[372]
• A carpometacarpus of a Cuban macaw is described from the Pleistocene of El Abrón Cave (Cuba) by Zelenkov (2024).^[373]
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of Wieslochia weissi, Crosnoornis nargizia, Jamna szybiaki, Resoviaornis jamrozi and an unnamed passerine from the Oligocene of France described by Riamon, Tourment & Louchart (2020)^[374] is published by Lowi-Merri et al. (2024).^[375]
• De Pietri et al. (2024) report evidence of the presence of 10 and 17 passerine species in the Miocene St Bathans fauna (New Zealand), including a honeyeater larger than extant tui and a cracticid comparable in size to extant Australian magpie.^[376]
• Pöllath & Peters (2024) study the composition of early Holocene bird assemblages from southeast Turkey, northern Syria and northern Iraq, providing evidence of changes of bird species ranges related to climatic changes during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, aridification during the Holocene and human activities.^[377]
• Evidence of disproportionate loss of global bird diversity resulting from extinction caused by human activities since the Late Pleistocene is presented by Matthews et al. (2024).^[378]

New pterosaur taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Akharhynchus[379]	Gen. et sp. nov		Jacobs, Smith & Zouhri	Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian)	Ifezouane Formation	Morocco	A member of the family Ornithocheiridae. The type species is A. martilli.
Ceoptera[380]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Martin-Silverstone et al.	Middle Jurassic	Kilmaluag Formation	United Kingdom	A darwinopteran. The type species is C. evansae.
Haliskia[381]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Pentland et al.	Early Cretaceous (Albian)	Toolebuc Formation	Australia	A member of Anhangueria. The type species is H. peterseni.
Inabtanin[382]	Gen. et sp. nov		Rosenbach et al.	Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)	Muwaqqar Chalk Marl Formation	Jordan	A member of Azhdarchoidea. The type species is I. alarabia.
Melkamter[383]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Fernandes, Pol & Rauhut	Early Jurassic	Cañadón Asfalto Formation	Argentina	A monofenestratan. The type species is M. pateko.
Nipponopterus[384]	Gen. et sp. nov		Zhou et al.	Late Cretaceous	Mifune Group	Japan	A member of the family Azhdarchidae. The type species is N. mifunensis.
Propterodactylus[385]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Spindler	Late Jurassic	Painten Formation	Germany	A transitional monofenestratan. The type species is P. frankerlae.
Skiphosoura[386]	Gen. et sp. nov		Hone et al.	Late Jurassic	Mörnsheim Formation	Germany	A transitional pterodactyliform. The type species is S. bavarica.
Torukjara[387]	Gen. et sp. nov	Valid	Pêgas	Early Cretaceous	Caiuá Group	Brazil	A tapejarid. The type species is T. bandeirae.

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Pterosaur research

• A study on the morphological diversity of hands and feet of pterosaurs throughout their evolutionary history is published by Smyth et al. (2024), who find evidence of changes of the hand and foot morphologies that were related to the shift from climbing lifestyles of early pterosaurs to primarily terrestrial lifestyles with more ground-based locomotion of later, short-tailed pterosaurs in the Middle Jurassic.^[388]
• 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).^[389]
• 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).^[390]
• A study aiming to determine the aerodynamic impact of large heads and head crests of pterosaurs is published by Henderson (2024).^[391]
• Schade & Ansorge (2024) describe a fragmentary bone from the lower Toarcian strata of the Grimmen Formation (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany), interpret as probable fused tibia and fibula of a pterosaur and the first record of a pterosaur from the studied strata.^[392]
• 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.^[393]
• Cooper, Smith & Martill (2024) study fossilized gut contents of specimens of Dorygnathus banthensis and Campylognathoides zitteli from the Posidonia Shale (Germany), reporting evidence of Dorygnathus feeding on fishes and evidence of Campylognathoides feeding on belemnites.^[394]
• Habib & Hone (2024) study the variation seen in elements and body parts of specimens of Rhamphorhynchus muensteri, providing evidence of high levels of constraint throughout the appendicular and axial elements that were likely important for flight, and evidence of increased variability of tails of larger individuals, possibly related to the signalling function of the tail.^[395]
• Evidence from the study of tail vanes of specimens of Rhamphorhynchus muensteri from the Solnhofen Limestone (Germany), providing evidence of the presence of thicker tube-like structures criss-crossing with thinner fibres, is presented by Jagielska et al. (2024), who interpret the studied structures as likely used to maintain stiffness of the tail vane during flight.^[396]
• 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.^[397]
• An incomplete hollow bone (possibly an ulna) of a possible pterodactyloid pterosaur with an estimated 3.5–4 m wingspan is described from the Bajocian Greetwell Member of the Lincolnshire Limestone Formation (Rutland, United Kingdom) by Withers et al. (2024).^[398]
• Heredia et al. (2024) describe new tracks of pterodactyloid pterosaurs from the Cenomanian Candeleros Formation (Argentina) with a different morphology from previously recorded tracks from this formation, interpreted as more likely produced by individuals of different ages rather than different species.^[399]
• Smyth & Unwin (2024) interpret Pterodactylus antiquus and Diopecephalus kochi as distinct pterodactyloid taxa that were not closely related.^[400]
• 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).^[401]
• Description of the anatomy of the ankle of Pterodaustro guinazui is published by Burlot et al. (2024).^[402]
• 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.^[403]
• Hone et al. (2024) report that the fossil material assigned to Luchibang xingzhe is a composite including remains of two pterosaurs, restrict the holotype to the rostrum and anterior mandible and consider this fossil material to be sufficient to confirm that L. xingzhe was a valid istiodactylid taxon, and interpret the purported postcranial material of L. xingzhe as remains of an indeterminate member of Azhdarchomorpha.^[404]
• 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.^[405]
• A study evaluating the ability of different proposed take-off motions of pterosaurs to produce leverage during the launch phase, as indicated by tests using a musculoskeletal model based on an indeterminate ornithocheiraean pterosaur with a 5 m wingspan, is published by Griffin et al. (2024).^[406]
• Cadena, Atuesta-Ortiz & Wilson Mantilla (2024) describe pterosaur fossil material from the Valanginian Rosablanca Formation and the Barremian Paja Formation (Colombia), including fossil material of an Anhanguera-like specimen extending known fossil record of such pterosaurs into the earliest part of the Cretaceous.^[407]
• Redescription of the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton of Dsungaripterus weii is published by Song, Jiang & Wang (2024).^[408]
• Large pterosaur footprints, likely produced by Dsungaripterus weii, are described from the Lower Cretaceous strata from the Junggar Basin (Xinjiang, China) by Li et al. (2024), who name a new ichnotaxon Pteraichnus junggarensis and study the relationship between pes length and hip height in pterosaurs.^[409]
• 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.^[410]

Other new archosaur taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Country	Notes	Images
Gondwanax[411]	Gen. et sp. nov	In press	Müller	Middle–Late Triassic (Ladinian–early Carnian)	Pinheiros-Chiniquá Sequence of the Santa Maria Supersequence	Brazil	A sulcimentisaurian member of the possibly paraphyletic family Silesauridae. The type species is G. paraisensis.

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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.^[412]
• Agnolín et al. (2024) revise the anatomy of the pelvic girdle of Lagerpeton chanarensis, reinterpreting it as likely to have a sprawling gait.^[413]
• A study on the anatomy of the skeleton and musculature of the hindlimbs of Lagosuchus talampayensis is published by Otero, Bishop & Hutchinson (2024), who find that the fossil material of L. talampayensis is curated with skeletal elements of members of other taxa, and estimate moment-generating capacities of reconstructed musculature.^[414]