Fossil taxa described in 1996

Irritator is a genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now Brazil during the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous Period, about 113 to 110 million years ago. It is known from a nearly complete skull found in the Romualdo Formation of the Araripe Basin. Fossil dealers had acquired this skull and sold it to the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart. In 1996, the specimen became the holotype of the type species Irritator challengeri. The genus name comes from the word "irritation", reflecting the feelings of paleontologists who found the skull had been heavily damaged and altered

Sinosauropteryx (meaning "Chinese reptilian wing") is an extinct genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs. Described in 1996, it was the first dinosaur taxon outside of Avialae (birds and their immediate relatives) to be found with evidence of feathers. It was covered with a coat of very simple filament-like feathers. Structures that indicate the colour pattern have also been preserved in some of its feathers, which show that Sinosauropteryx had a countershading pattern in its body with a banded tail. The reddish brown colouration previously inferred for Sinosauropteryx is based on the melan

Siamosaurus (meaning "Siam lizard") is a potentially dubious genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now Thailand and possibly China during the Early Cretaceous period (Barremian to Aptian) and is the first reported spinosaurid from Asia. It is confidently known only from tooth fossils; the first were found in the Sao Khua Formation, with more teeth later recovered from the younger Khok Kruat Formation. The only species Siamosaurus suteethorni, whose name honours Thai palaeontologist Varavudh Suteethorn, was formally described in 1986. In 2009, four teeth from China previously attr

Neovenator (nˈiːə͡ʊvˌɛne͡ɪtə; "new hunter") is an extinct genus of carcharodontosaurian theropod dinosaur. It is known primarily from several skeletons found in the Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian–Barremian) Wessex Formation on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, southern England. The first remains of Neovenator were discovered in 1978 alongside those of the ornithopod Brighstoneus, after the collapse of part of Grange Chine. In 1996, Steve Hutt, David Martill and Michael Barker named the genus Neovenator. One species is known: the type species, N. salerii, after the Salero family who owned th

Siamotyrannus (meaning "Siamese tyrant") is a genus of possibly allosauroid theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of Thailand.

Deltadromeus (meaning "river delta or change runner") is an extinct genus of controversial theropod dinosaur that lived in present-day Morocco during the mid-Cretaceous period. It was described by American paleontologist Paul Sereno and colleagues in 1996. The genus contains a single species, D. agilis, named based on an incomplete postcranial skeleton, the holotype specimen. However, some fossils from the Bahariya Formation of Egypt that were formerly referred to the theropod Bahariasaurus have been suggested to belong to Deltadromeus. The holotype specimen of Deltadromeus was unearthed by a

Parvicursor (meaning "small runner") is a genus of very small alvarezsaurid maniraptoran dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period of Mongolia. It had long, slender legs adapted for fast running.

Sigilmassasaurus ( ; "Sijilmassa lizard") is a controversial genus of spinosaurid dinosaur that lived approximately 100 to 94 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period in what is now northern Africa. Named in 1996 by Canadian paleontologist Dale Russell, it contains a single species, Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis. The identity of the genus has been debated by scientists, with some considering its fossils to represent material from the closely related species Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, while others have classified it as a separate taxon, forming the clade Spinosaurini with Spinosaurus as

Patagonykus (meaning "Patagonian claw") is a genus of alvarezsauroid theropod dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina. It was discovered in exposures of the Portezuelo Formation (Turonian-Coniacian) of the Rio Neuquén Subgroup in the Neuquén Basin, Neuquén Province. The holotype consists of an incomplete but well-preserved skeleton, lacking a skull, but including many vertebrae, the coracoids, a partial forelimb, pelvic girdle, and hindlimbs. Patagonykus has been classed with the Alvarezsauridae, a family which includes such taxa as the Mongolian Mononykus and the also Argentinian Alva

Gasparinisaura (meaning "Gasparini's lizard") is a genus of herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous. The first fossils of Gasparinisaura were found in 1992 near Cinco Saltos in Río Negro Province, Argentina. The type species, Gasparinisaura cincosaltensis, was named and described in 1996 by Rodolfo Coria and Leonardo Salgado. The generic name honors Argentine palaeontologist Zulma Brandoni de Gasparini. The specific name refers to Cinco Saltos.

Pawpawsaurus, meaning "Pawpaw Lizard", is a nodosaurid ankylosaur from the Cretaceous (late Albian) of Tarrant County, Texas, discovered in May 1992. The only species yet assigned to this taxon, Pawpawsaurus campbelli, is based on a complete skull (lacking mandibles) from the marine Paw Paw Formation (Washita Group).

Bagaraatan (/'ba-ɣa-raa-tan/ meaning 'small' baɣa + 'carnivorous animal, beast of prey' araatan in Mongolian) is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of what is now the Nemegt Formation of Mongolia. It may have been a small predatory dinosaur measuring around in length.

Phosphatherium escuilliei, named by Gheerbrant, Sudre and Cappetta in 1996, is a basal proboscidean that lived in Africa during the Early Eocene, about 56-55 Ma. It is one of the earliest known proboscideans, together with Eritherium azzouzorum from the Selandian (about 60 Ma). It was found in phosphorites beds from the base of the Ypresian stage of the Ouled Abdoun Basin, which is best known for its exceptionally rich marine vertebrate fauna.

Rayososaurus is an extinct genus of sauropod dinosaur in the family Rebbachisauridae. Rayososaurus was named by Argentinian paleontologist José Bonaparte in 1996. Its type and only accepted species is Rayososaurus agrioensis. The species Limaysaurus tessonei was at one point included in Rayososaurus as Rayososaurus tessonei.

Thalassiodracon (tha-LAS-ee-o-DRAY-kon) is an extinct genus of plesiosauroid from the Pliosauridae that was alive during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic (Rhaetian-Hettangian) and is known exclusively from the Lower Lias of England. The type and only species, is Thalassiodracon (Plesiosaurus) hawkinsii (Owen, 1838).

thumb|left|Size compared to a human; anatomical details are speculative Ligabueino (meaning "Ligabue's little one") is a genus of abelisauroid theropod dinosaur named after its discoverer, Italian doctor Giancarlo Ligabue. It is known only from an extremely fragmentary specimen, measuring 79 cm (2.6 ft) long, found in the La Amarga Formation. In spite of initial reports that it was an adult, the unfused vertebrae indicate that the specimen was a juvenile. It was a theropod and lived during the Early Cretaceous Period (Barremian to early Aptian), in what is now Patagonia. Contrary to

Plesiopleurodon (/ˌpliːsiəˈplʊərədɒn/; , meaning "near to", pleuro, meaning "side", and don, meaning "tooth") is an extinct genus of Mesozoic marine reptiles, belonging to the Sauropterygia, known from the Late Cretaceous of North America. It was named by Kenneth Carpenter based on a complete skull with a mandible, cervical vertebra, and a coracoid. In naming the specimen, Carpenter noted "Of all known pliosauroids, Plesiopleurodon wellesi most closely resembles Liopleurodon ferox from the Oxfordian of Europe, hence the generic reference." It was initially described as a pliosauroid due to it

Qinlingosaurus is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Asia.

Eucyon (Greek: : good, true; : dog) is an extinct genus of medium-sized omnivorous coyote-like canid that first appeared in the Western United States during the late Middle Miocene 10 million years ago. It was the size of a jackal and weighed around 15 kg. It was one of the few North American mammals which invaded Eurasia about 6 million years ago, followed by the genus going extinct 3 million years ago. This genus is proposed to have given rise to genus Canis 6 million years ago.

Pellegrinisaurus (meaning Lizard from Pelligrini) is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous period. The holotype was found in the Allen Formation, Argentina.

Kepodactylus is an extinct genus of ctenochasmatid pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian-age Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Colorado, United States.

Pachycostasaurus (meaning 'thick-ribbed lizard') is an extinct Pliosauroid from the Oxford Clay formation of Peterborough, England.

Ankarapithecus (from Ankara and Ancient Greek πίθηκος (píthēkos), meaning "ape, monkey") is a genus of extinct ape. It was probably frugivorous, and would have weighed about . Its remains were found close to Ankara in central Turkey beginning in the 1950s. It lived during the Late Miocene and was similar to Sivapithecus. The genus has one species, Ankarapithecus meteai, known as the Ankara monkey.

Ulemica is an extinct genus of venyukovioid therapsids, a type of anomodont related to dicynodonts. It lived during the Middle Permian period in what is now Russia, and is known from the Isheevo assemblage of the Amanakskaya Formation. The type species, U. invisa, was originally placed in the genus Venyukovia by Russian palaeontologist Ivan Efremov in 1940. It was later given its own genus Ulemica in 1996 by Mikhaïl Ivakhnenko, who also named a second species U. efremovi. Efremov had originally intended to name the fossils of U. invisa as 'Myctosuchus invisus', however, he later recognised the

Copepteryx is an extinct genus of flightless bird of the family Plotopteridae, endemic to Japan during the Oligocene living from 28.4 to 23 mya, meaning it existed for approximately .

Ecteninion is an extinct genus of meat-eating cynodonts that lived during the Late Triassic (Carnian) in South America. The type species Ecteninion lunensis was named by R.N. Martinez, C.L. May, and C.A. Forster in 1996. The holotype of E. lunensis is PVSJ 422, it's known from a nearly complete skull of about in length. It was found in the Cancha de Bochas Member of the Ischigualasto Formation in the Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin in northwestern Argentina. It has been interpreted as a basal eucynodont. The holotype is in the collection of the Universidad Nacional de San Juan.

Eoalulavis (from the Ancient Greek: Éōs, "dawn"; alula, "bastard wing"; avis, "bird") is a monotypic genus of enantiornithean bird that lived during the Barremian, in the Lower Cretaceous around 125 million years ago. The only known species is Eoalulavis hoyasi.

Liaoningornis (meaning "bird of Liaoning" in Greek) is a genus of bird from Lower Cretaceous China. It was collected from the dinosaur-bearing beds of the Sihetun locality, of the Yixian Formation, Shangyuan, near the city of Beipiao in Liaoning province. The only known species is Liaoningornis longidigitris. It was described by Linhai Hou in 1996 and 1997. Longidigitris had been a lapsus calami; Hou emended the name in 1997 to Lioaningornis longidigitus.

Sinophoneus is an extinct genus of carnivorous dinocephalian therapsid belonging to the family Anteosauridae. It lived 272 to 270 million years ago at the beginning of the Middle Permian (Lower Roadian) in what is now the Gansu Province in northern China. It is known by a skull of an adult individual (the holotype GMV1601), as well as by many skulls of juvenile specimens. The latter were first considered as belonging to a different animal, named Stenocybus, before being reinterpreted as immature Sinophoneus. Sinophoneus shows a combination of characters present in other anteosaurs. Its bulbous

Shanyangosaurus (meaning "Shanyang lizard") is a genus of theropod dinosaur found in Shaanxi, China, and known only from a partial sacrum, partial scapula, humeri, femur, tibia, metatarsals, and phalanges found in the Maastrichtian aged Shanyang Formation. The bones are reportedly hollow; this, along with other features of the femur and known foot bones, suggest it is a member of the coelurosauria, but a specific family cannot be determined without more material. Holtz et al. assigned Shanyangosaurus to Avetheropoda.

Microurania is an extinct genus of therapsids from the Middle Permian first named and described by Mikhaïl Ivakhnenko. It is known from a single partial skull found in the region of Orenburg, Russia. According to Kammerer, 2011, it likely represents the remains of a juvenile dinocephalian.

Gabanellia is an extinct genus of marine ray-finned fish from the Late Triassic of Italy. It contains a single species, G. agilis, from the Norian-aged Calcare di Zorzino formation.

Oligochlora is an extinct genus of sweat bee in the Halictidae subfamily Halictinae. The genus currently contains six species, all of which are known from the early Miocene Burdigalian stage Dominican amber deposits on the island of Hispaniola.

Ancalecetus (from Greek ankale, "bent arm", and ketos, "whale") is an extinct genus of early whale known from the Late Eocene (Priabonian, ) Birket Qarun Formation (, paleocoordinates ) in Wadi Al-Hitan, Egypt. The species is named after anthropologist and primate researcher Elwyn L. Simons who discovered the type specimen in 1985.

species of bird

Haidomyrmex is an extinct genus of ants in the formicid subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, and is one of nine genera placed in the subfamily Haidomyrmecinae. The genus contains three described species Haidomyrmex cerberus, Haidomyrmex scimitarus, and Haidomyrmex zigrasi. All three are known from single Late Cretaceous fossils which have been found in Asia. H. cerberus is the type species and Haidomyrmex the type genus for the subfamily Haidomyrmecinae.

Mesodermochelys is an extinct genus of sea turtle known from the Campanian to the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) of what today is Japan and from the Maastrichtian of Chile. One species is known, the type species M. undulatus; it was given its binomial name by Ren Hirayama and Tsutomu Chitoku in 1996. Studies of its skull indicate that it was a primitive member of the Dermochelyidae (leatherback turtle family) that was closely related to the Protostegidae. It has been described as the best representative of Mesozoic dermochelyids.

Reigomys primigenus is an extinct oryzomyine rodent known from Pleistocene deposits in Tarija Department, southeastern Bolivia. It is known from a number of isolated jaws and molars which show that its molars were almost identical to those of the living Lundomys. On the other hand, the animal possesses a number of derived traits of the palate which document a closer relationship to living Holochilus, the genus of South American marsh rats, and for this reason it was placed in the genus Holochilus when it was first described in 1996. The subsequent discoveries of Noronhomys and Carletonomys, wh

Lenesornis is a genus of enantiornithine birds which lived during the Late Cretaceous about 90 Ma and is known from fossils found in the Bissekty Formation in the Kyzyl Kum, Uzbekistan.

Burmomyrma is an extinct genus of aculeate hymenopteran, suggested to be an ant. The genus contains a single described species, Burmomyrma rossi. Burmomyrma is known from a single Middle Cretaceous fossil which was found in Asia.