2016 in paleomammalogy

• A near-complete skull, a snout and two maxillae assigned to the species Didelphodon vorax are described from the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation (Montana and North Dakota, United States) by Wilson et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Gregory P. Wilson |author2=Eric G. Ekdale |author3=John W. Hoganson |author4=Jonathan J. Calede |author5=Abby Vander Linden |year=2016 |title=A large carnivorous mammal from the Late Cretaceous and the North American origin of marsupials |journal=Nature Communications |volume=7 |pages=Article number 13734 |doi=10.1038/ncomms13734 |pmid=27929063|pmc=5155139 |bibcode=2016NatCo...713734W }}
• Description of a new specimen of Malleodectes mirabilis and a study of phylogenetic relationships of this species is published by Archer et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=M. Archer |author2=S. J. Hand |author3=K. H. Black |author4=R. M. D. Beck |author5=D. A. Arena |author6=L. A. B. Wilson |author7=S. Kealy |author8=T.-t. Hung |display-authors=3 |year=2016 |title=A new family of bizarre durophagous carnivorous marsupials from Miocene deposits in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwestern Queensland |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=6 |pages=Article number 26911 |doi=10.1038/srep26911 |pmc=4882580 |pmid=27229325|bibcode=2016NatSR...626911A }}
• A study on the shape of the elbow joint of Thylacoleo carnifex and its implications for the predatory behavior of the species is published by Figueirido, Martín-Serra & Janis (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Borja Figueirido |author2=Alberto Martín-Serra |author3=Christine M. Janis |year=2016 |title=Ecomorphological determinations in the absence of living analogues: the predatory behavior of the marsupial lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) as revealed by elbow joint morphology |journal=Paleobiology |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=508–531 |doi=10.1017/pab.2015.55 |bibcode=2016Pbio...42..508F |hdl=1983/1f3ac566-0b08-48fb-b27c-63fe4256c138 |s2cid=87168573 |url=https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/ecomorphological-determinations-in-the-absence-of-living-analogs(1f3ac566-0b08-48fb-b27c-63fe4256c138).html |hdl-access=free }}
• Claw marks are described from the Tight Entrance Cave (southwestern Australia) by Arman & Prideaux (2016), who interpret the marks as left by the marsupial lions.{{cite journal |author1=Samuel D. Arman |author2=Gavin J. Prideaux |year=2016 |title=Behaviour of the Pleistocene marsupial lion deduced from claw marks in a southwestern Australian cave |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=6 |pages=Article number 21372 |doi=10.1038/srep21372 |pmid=26876952 |pmc=4753435|bibcode=2016NatSR...621372A }}
• A study evaluating whether the climate changes were the primary driver of Pleistocene megafauna extinctions in Australia is published by Saltré et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Frédérik Saltré |author2=Marta Rodríguez-Rey |author3=Barry W. Brook |author4=Christopher N. Johnson |author5=Chris S. M. Turney |author6=John Alroy |author7=Alan Cooper |author8=Nicholas Beeton |author9=Michael I. Bird |author10=Damien A. Fordham |author11=Richard Gillespie |author12=Salvador Herrando-Pérez |author13=Zenobia Jacobs |author14=Gifford H. Miller |author15=David Nogués-Bravo |author16=Gavin J. Prideaux |author17=Richard G. Roberts |author18=Corey J. A. Bradshaw |year=2016 |title=Climate change not to blame for late Quaternary megafauna extinctions in Australia |journal=Nature Communications |volume=7 |pages=Article number 10511 |doi=10.1038/ncomms10511 |pmc=4740174 |pmid=26821754 |bibcode=2016NatCo...710511S }}

• A study on the date of the origin of the Placentalia and an analysis of the effect of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event on placental evolution is published by Halliday, Upchurch & Goswami (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Thomas John Dixon Halliday |author2=Paul Upchurch |author3=Anjali Goswami |year=2016 |title=Eutherians experienced elevated evolutionary rates in the immediate aftermath of the Cretaceous–Palaeogene mass extinction |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=283 |issue=1833 |pages=20153026 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2015.3026 |pmid=27358361 |pmc=4936024}}
• A study on the influence of the methods used to establish divergence dates on the studies reconstructing body-size evolution of the Cretaceous and Paleogene eutherian mammals is published by Halliday & Goswami (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Thomas John Dixon Halliday |author2=Anjali Goswami |year=2016 |title=The impact of phylogenetic dating method on interpreting trait evolution: a case study of Cretaceous–Palaeogene eutherian body-size evolution |journal=Biology Letters |volume=12 |issue=8 |pages=20160051 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2016.0051 |pmid=27484642 |pmc=5014015}}
• A study on the relationship between the primary productivity of plant communities and the diversity of terrestrial large mammals in North America and Europe through the Neogene is published by Fritz et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Susanne A. Fritz |author2=Jussi T. Eronen |author3=Jan Schnitzler |author4=Christian Hof |author5=Christine M. Janis |author6=Andreas Mulch |author7=Katrin Böhning-Gaese |author8=Catherine H. Graham |year=2016 |title=Twenty-million-year relationship between mammalian diversity and primary productivity |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |volume=113 |issue=39 |pages=10908–10913 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1602145113 |pmid=27621451 |pmc=5047207|bibcode=2016PNAS..11310908F |doi-access=free }}
• Studies of the phylogenetic relationships of the glyptodonts within Xenarthra, indicating that the glyptodonts were nested within the armadillo crown group, are published by Delsuc et al. (2016){{cite journal |author1=Frédéric Delsuc |author2=Gillian C. Gibb |author3=Melanie Kuch |author4=Guillaume Billet |author5=Lionel Hautier |author6=John Southon |author7=Jean-Marie Rouillard |author8=Juan Carlos Fernicola |author9=Sergio F. Vizcaíno |author10=Ross D.E. MacPhee |author11=Hendrik N. Poinar |display-authors=3 |year=2016 |title=The phylogenetic affinities of the extinct glyptodonts |journal=Current Biology |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=R155–R156 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2016.01.039 |pmid=26906483|s2cid=9874777 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2016CBio...26.R155D |hdl=11336/49579 |hdl-access=free }} and Mitchell et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Kieren J. Mitchell |author2=Agustin Scanferla |author3=Esteban Soibelzon |author4=Ricardo Bonini |author5=Javier Ochoa |author6=Alan Cooper |year=2016 |title=Ancient DNA from the extinct South American giant glyptodont Doedicurus sp. (Xenarthra: Glyptodontidae) reveals that glyptodonts evolved from Eocene armadillos |journal=Molecular Ecology |volume=25 |issue=14 |pages=3499–3508 |doi=10.1111/mec.13695 |pmid=27158910|bibcode=2016MolEc..25.3499M |s2cid=3720645 |url=http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/101557 |hdl=11336/48521 |hdl-access=free }}
• A description of new fossil material of Abdounodus hamdii and a study of its phylogenetic relationships is published by Gheerbrant, Filippo & Schmitt (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Emmanuel Gheerbrant |author2=Andrea Filippo |author3=Arnaud Schmitt |year=2016 |title=Convergence of Afrotherian and Laurasiatherian Ungulate-Like Mammals: First Morphological Evidence from the Paleocene of Morocco |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=7 |pages=e0157556 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0157556 |pmid=27384169 |pmc=4934866|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1157556G |doi-access=free }}
• A description of new fossil material of Palaeoamasia kansui and a study of phylogenetic relationships of embrithopods is published by Erdal, Antoine & Sen (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Ozan Erdal |author2=Pierre-Olivier Antoine |author3=Sevket Sen |year=2016 |title=New material of Palaeoamasia kansui (Embrithopoda, Mammalia) from the Eocene of Turkey and a phylogenetic analysis of Embrithopoda at the species level |journal=Palaeontology |volume=59 |issue=5 |pages=631–655 |doi=10.1111/pala.12247 |bibcode=2016Palgy..59..631E |s2cid=89418652 |url=https://hal.sorbonne-universite.fr/hal-01346066/file/Erdal_2016_New_material_of.pdf }}
• A study on the patterns of mastication in Neogene and Quaternary proboscideans as indicated by the anatomy of their teeth is published by von Koenigswald (2016).{{Cite journal|author=Wighart von Koenigswald |year=2016 |title=The diversity of mastication patterns in Neogene and Quaternary proboscideans |journal=Palaeontographica Abteilung A |volume=307 |issue=1–6 |pages=1–41 |doi=10.1127/pala/307/2016/1 |bibcode=2016PalAA.307....1V |url= https://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/pala/detail/307/87173/|url-access=subscription }}
• Part of a humerus of a large proboscidean, probably a member of the genus Deinotherium, is described from the Miocene of Finland by Salonen et al., representing the northernmost record of a Miocene proboscidean fossil in the world so far.{{cite journal |author1=J. Sakari Salonen |author2=Juha Saarinen |author3=Arto Miettinen |author4=Heikki Hirvas |author5=Marina Usoltseva |author6=Mikael Fortelius |author7=Marja Sorsa |year=2016 |title=The northernmost discovery of a Miocene proboscidean bone in Europe |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=454 |pages=202–211 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.04.034 |bibcode=2016PPP...454..202S |hdl=10138/237339 }}
• Presence of lower incisors is reported in immature individuals of Cuvieronius hyodon by Mothé, Ferretti & Avilla (2018).{{cite journal |author1=Dimila Mothé |author2=Marco P. Ferretti |author3=Leonardo S. Avilla |year=2016 |title=The dance of tusks: rediscovery of lower incisors in the pan-American proboscidean Cuvieronius hyodon revises incisor evolution in Elephantimorpha |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=e0147009 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0147009 |pmid=26756209 |pmc=4710528 |bibcode=2016PLoSO..1147009M |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the diet of Platybelodon grangeri, as indicated by data from molar microwear analysis of tooth enamel, is published by Semprebon et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Gina M. Semprebon |author2=Deng Tao |author3=Jelena Hasjanova |author4=Nikos Solounias |year=2016 |title=An examination of the dietary habits of Platybelodon grangeri from the Linxia Basin of China: Evidence from dental microwear of molar teeth and tusks |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=457 |pages=109–116 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.06.012 |bibcode=2016PPP...457..109S |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships and mitogenomic diversity of North American mammoths, as well as its implications for mammoth population structure and dynamics during the late Pleistocene, is published by Enk et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Jacob Enk |author2=Alison Devault |author3=Christopher Widga |author4=Jeffrey Saunders |author5=Paul Szpak |author6=John Southon |author7=Jean-Marie Rouillard |author8=Beth Shapiro |author9=G. Brian Golding |author10=Grant Zazula |author11=Duane Froese |author12=Daniel C. Fisher |author13=Ross D. E. MacPhee |author14=Hendrik Poinar |year=2016 |title=Mammuthus Population Dynamics in Late Pleistocene North America: Divergence, Phylogeography, and Introgression |journal=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |volume=4 |pages=Article 42 |doi=10.3389/fevo.2016.00042 |s2cid=6779472 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the timing, causes, and consequences of the Holocene extinction of the relict woolly mammoth population from Saint Paul Island (Alaska) is published by Graham et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Russell W. Graham |author2=Soumaya Belmecheri |author3=Kyungcheol Choy |author4=Brendan J. Culleton |author5=Lauren J. Davies |author6=Duane Froese |author7=Peter D. Heintzman |author8=Carrie Hritz |author9=Joshua D. Kapp |author10=Lee A. Newsom |author11=Ruth Rawcliffe |author12=Émilie Saulnier-Talbot |author13=Beth Shapiro |author14=Yue Wang |author15=John W. Williams |author16=Matthew J. Wooller |year=2016 |title=Timing and causes of mid-Holocene mammoth extinction on St. Paul Island, Alaska |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |volume=113 |issue=33 |pages=9310–9314 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1604903113 |pmid=27482085 |pmc=4995940|bibcode=2016PNAS..113.9310G |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of the unallocated fossil species of the Old World leaf-nosed bats, particularly Miocene species from Riversleigh (Australia) is published by Wilson et al. (2016).{{cite journal|author1=Laura A. B. Wilson|author2=Suzanne J. Hand|author3=Camilo López-Aguirre|author4=Michael Archer|author5=Karen H. Black|author6=Robin M. D. Beck|author7=Kyle N. Armstrong|author8=Stephen Wroe|year=2016|title=Cranial shape variation and phylogenetic relationships of extinct and extant Old World leaf-nosed bats|url=http://usir.salford.ac.uk/39674/|journal=Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology|volume=40|issue=4|pages=509–524|doi=10.1080/03115518.2016.1196434|bibcode=2016Alch...40..509W |s2cid=59432964|hdl=1959.4/unsworks_41113|hdl-access=free}}
• A complete skull of the macraucheniid Huayqueriana cf. H. cristata is described from the Huayquerian Huayquerías Formation (Argentina) by Forasiepi et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Analía M. Forasiepi |author2=Ross D. E. MacPhee |author3=Santiago Hernández del Pino |author4=Gabriela I. Schmidt |author5=Eli Amson |author6=Camille Grohé |year=2016 |title=Exceptional skull of Huayqueriana (Mammalia, Litopterna, Macraucheniidae) from the late Miocene of Argentina: anatomy, systematics, and paleobiological implications |journal=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |volume=404 |pages=1–76 |doi=10.1206/0003-0090-404.1.1|hdl=2246/6659 |s2cid=89219979 |url=https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/124755/1/2016%20-%20Huayqueriana-1.pdf }}
• A study on the dentaries of several juvenile specimens of Prosantorhinus germanicus from the Miocene fossil lagerstätte Sandelzhausen (Germany) is published by Böhmer, Heissig & Rössner (2016), who reconstruct the tooth replacement pattern, life history and juvenile mortality profile of this taxon.{{cite journal |author1=Christine Böhmer |author2=Kurt Heissig |author3=Gertrud E. Rössner |year=2016 |title=Dental eruption series and replacement pattern in Miocene Prosantorhinus (Rhinocerotidae) as revealed by macroscopy and X-ray: implications for ontogeny and mortality profile |journal=Journal of Mammalian Evolution |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=265–279 |doi=10.1007/s10914-015-9313-x |s2cid=16204698 }}
• An osteological study on the Pleistocene camelid fossils reported from Alaska and Yukon, assigned to the species Camelops hesternus, is published by Zazula et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Grant D. Zazula |author2=Ross D. E. MacPhee |author3=Elizabeth Hall |author4=Susan Hewitson |year=2016 |title=Osteological assessment of Pleistocene Camelops hesternus (Camelidae, Camelinae, Camelini) from Alaska and Yukon |journal=American Museum Novitates |issue=3866 |pages=1–45 |doi=10.1206/3866.1 |hdl=2246/6677 |s2cid=59357054 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/266885 }}
• New fossil material of the Pleistocene wildebeest-like bovid Rusingoryx atopocranion is described from the Rusinga Island (Kenya) by O’Brien et al. (2016), who note the presence of large, hollow, bony nasal crests in this mammal, similar to crests present in hadrosaurid dinosaurs.{{cite journal |author1=Haley D. O’Brien |author2=J. Tyler Faith |author3=Kirsten E. Jenkins |author4=Daniel J. Peppe |author5=Thomas W. Plummer |author6=Zenobia L. Jacobs |author7=Bo Li |author8=Renaud Joannes-Boyau |author9=Gilbert Price |author10=Yue-xing Feng |author11=Christian A. Tryon |year=2016 |title=Unexpected Convergent Evolution of Nasal Domes between Pleistocene Bovids and Cretaceous Hadrosaur Dinosaurs |journal=Current Biology |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=503–508 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2015.12.050 |pmid=26853365|s2cid=47500337 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2016CBio...26..503O }}
• A study on the age and phylogenetic relationships of late Pleistocene bison fossils from North America and their implications for establishing when the Pleistocene ice free corridor along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains was open is published by Heintzman et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Peter D. Heintzman |author2=Duane Froese |author3=John W. Ives |author4=André E. R. Soares |author5=Grant D. Zazula |author6=Brandon Letts |author7=Thomas D. Andrews |author8=Jonathan C. Driver |author9=Elizabeth Hall |author10=P. Gregory Hare |author11=Christopher N. Jass |author12=Glen MacKay |author13=John R. Southon |author14=Mathias Stiller |author15=Robin Woywitka |author16=Marc A. Suchard |author17=Beth Shapiro |year=2016 |title=Bison phylogeography constrains dispersal and viability of the Ice Free Corridor in western Canada |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |volume=113 |issue=29 |pages=8057–8063 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1601077113 |pmid=27274051 |pmc=4961175 |bibcode=2016PNAS..113.8057H |doi-access=free }}
• Studies on the origin and evolutionary history of the European bison based on ancient DNA recovered from bison fossils are published by Soubrier et al. (2016){{cite journal |author1=Julien Soubrier |author2=Graham Gower |author3=Kefei Chen |author4=Stephen M. Richards |author5=Bastien Llamas |author6=Kieren J. Mitchell |author7=Simon Y. W. Ho |author8=Pavel Kosintsev |author9=Michael S. Y. Lee |author10=Gennady Baryshnikov |author11=Ruth Bollongino |author12=Pere Bover |author13=Joachim Burger |author14=David Chivall |author15=Evelyne Crégut-Bonnoure |author16=Jared E. Decker |author17=Vladimir B. Doronichev |author18=Katerina Douka |author19=Damien A. Fordham |author20=Federica Fontana |author21=Carole Fritz |author22=Jan Glimmerveen |author23=Liubov V. Golovanova |author24=Colin Groves |author25=Antonio Guerreschi |author26=Wolfgang Haak |author27=Tom Higham |author28=Emilia Hofman-Kamińska |author29=Alexander Immel |author30=Marie-Anne Julien |author31=Johannes Krause |author32=Oleksandra Krotova |author33=Frauke Langbein |author34=Greger Larson |author35=Adam Rohrlach |author36=Amelie Scheu |author37=Robert D. Schnabel |author38=Jeremy F. Taylor |author39=Małgorzata Tokarska |author40=Gilles Tosello |author41=Johannes van der Plicht |author42=Ayla van Loenen |author43=Jean-Denis Vigne |author44=Oliver Wooley |author45=Ludovic Orlando |author46=Rafał Kowalczyk |author47=Beth Shapiro |author48=Alan Cooper |year=2016 |title=Early cave art and ancient DNA record the origin of European bison |journal=Nature Communications |volume=7 |pages=Article number 13158 |doi=10.1038/ncomms13158 |pmid=27754477 |pmc=5071849 |bibcode=2016NatCo...713158S }} and Massilani et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Diyendo Massilani |author2=Silvia Guimaraes |author3=Jean-Philip Brugal |author4=E. Andrew Bennett |author5=Małgorzata Tokarska |author6=Rose-Marie Arbogast |author7=Gennady Baryshnikov |author8=Gennady Boeskorov |author9=Jean-Christophe Castel |author10=Sergey Davydov |author11=Stéphane Madelaine |author12=Olivier Putelat |author13=Natalia N. Spasskaya |author14=Hans-Peter Uerpmann |author15=Thierry Grange |author16=Eva-Maria Geigl |year=2016 |title=Past climate changes, population dynamics and the origin of Bison in Europe |journal=BMC Biology |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=93 |doi=10.1186/s12915-016-0317-7 |pmid=27769298 |pmc=5075162 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the diet and evolution of ecologically-relevant traits in members of the genus Hoplitomeryx as indicated by tooth wear, hypsodonty and body mass estimations is published by DeMiguel (2016).{{cite journal |author=Daniel DeMiguel |year=2016 |title=Disentangling adaptive evolutionary radiations and the role of diet in promoting diversification on islands |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=6 |pages=Article number 29803 |doi=10.1038/srep29803 |pmid=27405690 |pmc=4942836|bibcode=2016NatSR...629803D }}
• Basu, Falkingham & Hutchinson (2016) present a reconstruction of the skeleton of Sivatherium giganteum and estimate adult body mass of members of the species.{{cite journal |author1=Christopher Basu |author2=Peter L. Falkingham |author3=John R. Hutchinson |year=2016 |title=The extinct, giant giraffid Sivatherium giganteum: skeletal reconstruction and body mass estimation |journal=Biology Letters |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=20150940 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2015.0940 |pmid=26763212 |pmc=4785933 }}
• A study estimating the ability of the cetacean Ambulocetus and the desmostylians Paleoparadoxia, Neoparadoxia and Desmostylus to support themselves on land as indicated by the strengths of their rib cages against vertical compression is published by Ando & Fujiwara (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Konami Ando |author2=Shin-ichi Fujiwara |year=2016 |title=Farewell to life on land – thoracic strength as a new indicator to determine paleoecology in secondary aquatic mammals |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=229 |issue=6 |pages=768–777 |doi=10.1111/joa.12518 |pmid=27396988 |pmc=5108153}}
• A study on the cochlear anatomy of a xenorophid specimen from the Oligocene Belgrade Formation in North Carolina (subsequently assigned to the genus Echovenator{{cite journal |author1=Robert W. Boessenecker |author2=Erum Ahmed |author3=Jonathan H. Geisler |year=2017 |title=New records of the dolphin Albertocetus meffordorum (Odontoceti: Xenorophidae) from the lower Oligocene of South Carolina: Encephalization, sensory anatomy, postcranial morphology, and ontogeny of early odontocetes |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=12 |issue=11 |pages=e0186476 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0186476 |pmid=29117197 |pmc=5695589 |bibcode=2017PLoSO..1286476B |doi-access=free }}) and its implications for the evolution of high-frequency hearing and echolocation in early toothed whales is published by Park, Fitzgerald & Evans (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Travis Park |author2=Erich M. G. Fitzgerald |author3=Alistair R. Evans |year=2016 |title=Ultrasonic hearing and echolocation in the earliest toothed whales |journal=Biology Letters |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=20160060 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2016.0060 |pmid=27072406 |pmc=4881348}}
• Description of an early Miocene dolphin from Kaikōura (New Zealand), closely related to Papahu taitapu, and a study of the phylogenetic relationships of Papahu is published by Tanaka & Fordyce (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Y. Tanaka |author2=R.E. Fordyce |year=2016 |title=Papahu-like fossil dolphin from Kaikōura, New Zealand, helps to fill the Early Miocene gap in the history of Odontoceti |journal=New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics |volume=59 |issue=4 |pages=551–567 |doi=10.1080/00288306.2016.1211540 |bibcode=2016NZJGG..59..551T |s2cid=88953395 }}
• Description of a new skull of the Pliocene porpoise Numataphocoena yamashitai recovered from the Horokaoshirarika Formation (Hokkaido, Japan) and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the species is published by Tanaka & Ichishima (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Yoshihiro Tanaka |author2=Hiroto Ichishima |year=2016 |title=A new skull of the fossil porpoise Numataphocoena yamashitai (Cetacea: Phocoenidae) from the upper part of the Horokaoshirarika Formation (lower Pliocene), Numata Town, Hokkaido, Japan, and its phylogenetic position |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=Article number 19.3.49A |url=http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2016/1663-a-new-skull-of-numataphocoena |doi=10.26879/663 |doi-access=free |hdl=2115/63928 |hdl-access=free }}
• A new aetiocetid specimen is described from the late Oligocene Pysht Formation (Washington, United States) by Marx et al. (2016), who interpret its tooth wear as inconsistent with the presence of baleen, and instead indicative of suction feeding.{{cite journal |author1=Felix G. Marx |author2=David P. Hocking |author3=Travis Park |author4=Tim Ziegler |author5=Alistair R. Evans |author6=Erich M.G. Fitzgerald |year=2016 |title=Suction feeding preceded filtering in baleen whale evolution |journal=Memoirs of Museum Victoria |volume=75 |pages=71–82 |doi=10.24199/j.mmv.2016.75.04 |url=https://museumvictoria.com.au/pages/383548/071-082_MMV75_Marx_3_WEB.pdf |access-date=2017-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209175411/https://museumvictoria.com.au/pages/383548/071-082_MMV75_Marx_3_WEB.pdf |archive-date=2017-02-09 |url-status=dead }}
• A study on the evolution of large body size in early baleen whale evolution is published by Tsai & Kohno (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Cheng-Hsiu Tsai |author2=Naoki Kohno |year=2016 |title=Multiple origins of gigantism in stem baleen whales |journal=The Science of Nature |volume=103 |issue=11–12 |pages=89 |doi=10.1007/s00114-016-1417-5 |pmid=27717969 |bibcode=2016SciNa.103...89T |s2cid=6000300 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the ear region of Miocaperea pulchra and its implications for the proposed origin of the pygmy right whale from the cetotheriids is published by Marx & Fordyce (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Felix G. Marx |author2=R. Ewan Fordyce |year=2016 |title=A Link No Longer Missing: New Evidence for the Cetotheriid Affinities of Caperea |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=10 |pages=e0164059 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0164059 |pmid=27711216 |pmc=5053404|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1164059M |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the baleen microstructures found in association with the skeleton of a late Miocene balaenopteroid whale recovered from the Pisco Formation (Peru) is published by Gioncada et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Anna Gioncada |author2=Alberto Collareta |author3=Karen Gariboldi |author4=Olivier Lambert |author5=Claudio Di Celma |author6=Elena Bonaccorsi |author7=Mario Urbina |author8=Giovanni Bianucci |year=2016 |title=Inside baleen: Exceptional microstructure preservation in a late Miocene whale skeleton from Peru |journal=Geology |volume=44 |issue=10 |pages=839–842 |doi=10.1130/G38216.1 |bibcode=2016Geo....44..839G |hdl=11568/809640 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on the anatomy and paleobiology of the Eocene pangolin Patriomanis americana is published by Gaudin, Emry & Morris (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Timothy J. Gaudin |author2=Robert J. Emry |author3=Jeremy Morris |year=2016 |title=Skeletal Anatomy of the North American Pangolin Patriomanis americana (Mammalia, Pholidota) from the Latest Eocene of Wyoming (USA) |journal=Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology |volume=98 |issue=98 |pages=1–102 |doi=10.5479/si.1943-6688.98 |url=https://figshare.com/articles/book/Skeletal_Anatomy_of_the_North_American_Pangolin_Patriomanis_americana_Mammalia_Pholidota_from_the_Latest_Eocene_of_Wyoming_USA_/9761852 |doi-access=free }}
• A revision of the systematics of the North American members of Nimravidae is published by Barrett (2016).{{cite journal |author=Paul Z. Barrett |year=2016 |title=Taxonomic and systematic revisions to the North American Nimravidae (Mammalia, Carnivora) |journal=PeerJ |volume=4 |pages=e1658 |doi=10.7717/peerj.1658 |pmid=26893959 |pmc=4756750 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the bone thickness of dentary bones of the specimens of Smilodon fatalis recovered from the La Brea Tar Pits and its implications for the changes in the diet of the saber-toothed cats through the time-periods that are captured at this site, is published by Binder, Cervantes & Meachen (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Wendy J. Binder |author2=Kassaundra S. Cervantes |author3=Julie A. Meachen |year=2016 |title=Measures of Relative Dentary Strength in Rancho La Brea Smilodon fatalis over Time |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=9 |pages=e0162270 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0162270 |pmid=27598462 |pmc=5012699|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1162270B |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of the cave lion, based on the first mitochondrial genome sequences for this taxon, is published by Barnett et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Ross Barnett |author2=Marie Lisandra Zepeda Mendoza |author3=André Elias Rodrigues Soares |author4= Simon Y. W. Ho |author5=Grant Zazula |author6=Nobuyuki Yamaguchi |author7=Beth Shapiro |author8=Irina V. Kirillova |author9=Greger Larson |author10=M. Thomas P Gilbert |year=2016 |title=Mitogenomics of the extinct cave lion, Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810), resolve its position within the Panthera cats |journal=Open Quaternary |volume=2 |pages=4 |doi=10.5334/oq.24 |doi-access=free |hdl=10576/22920 |hdl-access=free }}
• A description of new bear dog fossils from the early Miocene of Uganda and Namibia and a systematic revision of the Miocene bear dogs known from Africa is published by Morales, Pickford & Valenciano (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Jorge Morales |author2=Martin Pickford |author3=Alberto Valenciano |year=2016 |title=Systematics of African Amphicyonidae, with descriptions of new material from Napak (Uganda) and Grillental (Namibia) |journal=Journal of Iberian Geology |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=131–150 |doi=10.5209/rev_JIGE.2016.v42.n2.51960 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |hdl=10261/137042}}
• A description of new fossil material of Megalictis ferox and a study of phylogenetic relationships of the oligobunine mustelids is published by Valenciano et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Alberto Valenciano |author2=Jon A. Baskin |author3=Juan Abella |author4=Alejandro Pérez-Ramos |author5=M. Ángeles Álvarez-Sierra |author6=Jorge Morales |author7=Adam Hartstone-Rose |year=2016 |title=Megalictis, the Bone-Crushing Giant Mustelid (Carnivora, Mustelidae, Oligobuninae) from the Early Miocene of North America |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=e0152430 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0152430 |pmid=27054570 |pmc=4824437|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1152430V |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the feeding strategy of the arctoid Kolponomos is published by Tseng, Grohe & Flynn (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Z. Jack Tseng |author2=Camille Grohé |author3=John J. Flynn |year=2016 |title=A unique feeding strategy of the extinct marine mammal Kolponomos: convergence on sabretooths and sea otters |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=283 |issue=1826 |pages=20160044 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2016.0044 |pmid=26936242 |pmc=4810869}}
• A study of phylogenetic relationships of bears belonging to the genus Arctotherium, indicating that they were more closely related to the spectacled bear than to short-faced bears, is published by Mitchell et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Kieren J. Mitchell |author2=Sarah C. Bray |author3=Pere Bover |author4=Leopoldo Soibelzon |author5=Blaine W. Schubert |author6=Francisco Prevosti |author7=Alfredo Prieto |author8=Fabiana Martin |author9=Jeremy J. Austin |author10=Alan Cooper |year=2016 |title=Ancient mitochondrial DNA reveals convergent evolution of giant short-faced bears (Tremarctinae) in North and South America |journal=Biology Letters |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=20160062 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2016.0062 |pmid=27095265 |pmc=4881349}}
• A study on the anatomy of the auditory region of the Pleistocene bear Arctotherium tarijense is published by Arnaudo et al. (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Maria Eugenia Arnaudo |author2=Paula Bona |author3=Leopoldo Hector Soibelzon |author4=Blaine W. Schubert |year=2016 |title=Anatomical study of the auditory region of Arctotherium tarijense (Ursidae, Tremarctinae), an extinct short-faced bear from the Pleistocene of South America |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=229 |issue=6 |pages=825–837 |doi=10.1111/joa.12525 |pmid=27460048|pmc=5108154 }}
• A description of the most recent cave bear remains reported so far, recovered from the Stajnia Cave (Poland), and a study on the cave bear’s extinction time is published by Baca et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Mateusz Baca |author2=Danijela Popović |author3=Krzysztof Stefaniak |author4=Adrian Marciszak |author5=Mikołaj Urbanowski |author6=Adam Nadachowski |author7=Paweł Mackiewicz |year=2016 |title=Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |journal=The Science of Nature |volume=103 |issue=11–12 |pages=92 |doi=10.1007/s00114-016-1414-8 |pmid=27730265 |pmc=5059403 |bibcode=2016SciNa.103...92B }}
• A study on the diet of the cave bears, as indicated by the morphology of their mandibles, is published by van Heteren et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Anneke H. van Heteren |author2=Ann MacLarnon |author3=Christophe Soligo |author4=Todd C. Rae |year=2016 |title=Functional morphology of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) mandible: a 3D geometric morphometric analysis |journal=Organisms Diversity & Evolution |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=299–314 |doi=10.1007/s13127-015-0238-2 |bibcode=2016ODivE..16..299V |s2cid=15609683 }}
• A study on the anatomy of Enaliarctos and its implications for the evolution of tooth spacing, tooth size and pierce-feeding in pinnipeds is published by Churchill & Clementz (2016).{{cite journal |author1=M. Churchill |author2=M. T. Clementz |year=2016 |title=The evolution of aquatic feeding in seals: insights from Enaliarctos (Carnivora: Pinnipedimorpha), the oldest known seal |journal=Journal of Evolutionary Biology |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=319–334 |doi=10.1111/jeb.12783 |pmid=26538168|s2cid=23219345 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the enamel ultrastructure in modern eared seals and extinct Pelagiarctos is published by Loch et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Carolina Loch |author2=Robert W. Boessenecker |author3=Morgan Churchill |author4=Jules Kieser |year=2016 |title=Enamel ultrastructure of fossil and modern pinnipeds: evaluating hypotheses of feeding adaptations in the extinct walrus Pelagiarctos |journal=The Science of Nature |volume=103 |issue=5–6 |pages=44 |doi=10.1007/s00114-016-1366-z |pmid=27142598 |bibcode=2016SciNa.103...44L |s2cid=17388528 }}
• Fossils of an earless seal belonging to the tribe Miroungini (the tribe containing elephant seals) are described from the late Pliocene Petane Formation (New Zealand) by Boessenecker & Churchill (2016), representing the oldest record of Miroungini reported so far.{{cite journal |author1=R.W. Boessenecker |author2=M. Churchill |year=2016 |title=The origin of elephant seals: implications of a fragmentary late Pliocene seal (Phocidae: Miroungini) from New Zealand |journal=New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics |volume=59 |issue=4 |pages=544–550 |doi=10.1080/00288306.2016.1199437 |bibcode=2016NZJGG..59..544B |s2cid=133343398 }}
• Virtual cranial endocasts of the Eocene rodents Paramys copei and Paramys delicatus are described by Bertrand, Amador-Mughal and Silcox (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Ornella C. Bertrand |author2=Farrah Amador-Mughal |author3=Mary T. Silcox |year=2016 |title=Virtual endocasts of Eocene Paramys (Paramyinae): oldest endocranial record for Rodentia and early brain evolution in Euarchontoglires |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=283 |issue=1823 |pages=20152316 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2015.2316 |pmid=26817776 |pmc=4795019}}
• The taxonomic revision of the fossil New World porcupines known from North America is published by Sussman et al. (2016), who transfer the species Erethizon kleini Frazier (1981) and Erethizon poyeri Hulbert (1997), as well as specimens previously identified as North American porcupines from Irvingtonian faunas in Florida and Aguascalientes, Mexico, to the genus Coendou.{{cite journal |author1=David R. Sussman |author2=Fred W. Croxen III |author3=H. Gregory McDonald |author4=Christopher A. Shaw |year=2016 |title=Fossil Porcupine (Mammalia, Rodentia, Erethizontidae) from El Golfo de Santa Clara, Sonora, Mexico, with a Review of the Taxonomy of the North American Erethizontids |journal=Contributions in Science |volume=524 |pages=1–29 |doi=10.5962/p.241300 |s2cid=135445116 |url=http://stage.nhm.org/site/sites/default/files/pdf/contrib_science/CiS_524-1-29.Sussman_et_al.pdf |access-date=2019-08-29 |archive-date=2019-08-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829151701/https://stage.nhm.org/site/sites/default/files/pdf/contrib_science/CiS_524-1-29.Sussman_et_al.pdf |url-status=dead }}
• Virtual cranial endocasts of the notharctines Notharctus tenebrosus and Smilodectes gracilis, as well as the adapid adapiform Adapis parisiensis are reconstructed by Harrington et al. (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Arianna R. Harrington |author2=Mary T. Silcox |author3=Gabriel S. Yapuncich |author4=Doug M. Boyer |author5=Jonathan I. Bloch |year=2016 |title=First virtual endocasts of adapiform primates |journal=Journal of Human Evolution |volume=99 |pages=52–78 |doi=10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.06.005 |pmid=27650580|doi-access=free |bibcode=2016JHumE..99...52H }}
• Eocene (Ypresian) adapoid and omomyid limb bones are described from the Vastan lignite mine (Gujarat, India) by Dunn et al. (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Rachel H. Dunn |author2=Kenneth D. Rose |author3=Rajendra S. Rana |author4=Kishor Kumar |author5=Ashok Sahni |author6=Thierry Smith |year=2016 |title=New euprimate postcrania from the early Eocene of Gujarat, India, and the strepsirrhine–haplorhine divergence |journal=Journal of Human Evolution |volume=99 |pages=25–51 |doi=10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.06.006 |pmid=27650579|bibcode=2016JHumE..99...25D }}
• Isolated teeth of a member of the genus Cebus and a member of the genus Cebuella are described from the Miocene (Mayoan) Pebas Formation (Peru) by Marivaux et al. (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Laurent Marivaux |author2=Sylvain Adnet |author3=Ali J. Altamirano-Sierra |author4=François Pujos |author5=Anusha Ramdarshan |author6=Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi |author7=Julia V. Tejada-Lara |author8=Pierre-Olivier Antoine |year=2016 |title=Dental remains of cebid platyrrhines from the earliest late Miocene of Western Amazonia, Peru: Macroevolutionary implications on the extant capuchin and marmoset lineages |journal=American Journal of Physical Anthropology |volume=161 |issue=3 |pages=478–493 |doi=10.1002/ajpa.23052 |pmid=27430626|url=https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20220810-751601000 |hdl=11336/182737 |hdl-access=free }}
• Fossils of the probable relative of the gorillas, Chororapithecus abyssinicus, are dated to ~8.0 Myr by Katoh et al. (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Shigehiro Katoh |author2=Yonas Beyene |author3=Tetsumaru Itaya |author4=Hironobu Hyodo |author5=Masayuki Hyodo |author6=Koshi Yagi |author7=Chitaro Gouzu |author8=Giday WoldeGabriel |author9=William K. Hart |author10=Stanley H. Ambrose |author11=Hideo Nakaya |author12=Raymond L. Bernor |author13=Jean-Renaud Boisserie |author14=Faysal Bibi |author15=Haruo Saegusa |author16=Tomohiko Sasaki |author17=Katsuhiro Sano |author18=Berhane Asfaw |author19=Gen Suwa |year=2016 |title=New geological and palaeontological age constraint for the gorilla–human lineage split |journal=Nature |volume=530 |issue=7589 |pages=215–218 |doi=10.1038/nature16510 |pmid=26863981|bibcode=2016Natur.530..215K |s2cid=205247254 }}
• Fossils of Homo floresiensis and the deposits containing them are dated to between about 100 000 and 60 000 years ago by Sutikna et al. (2016).{{Cite journal |author1=Thomas Sutikna |author2=Matthew W. Tocheri |author3=Michael J. Morwood |author4=E. Wahyu Saptomo |author5=Jatmiko |author6=Rokus Due Awe |author7=Sri Wasisto |author8=Kira E. Westaway |author9=Maxime Aubert |author10=Bo Li |author11=Jian-xin Zhao |author12=Michael Storey |author13=Brent V. Alloway |author14=Mike W. Morley |author15=Hanneke J. M. Meijer |author16=Gerrit D. van den Bergh |author17=Rainer Grün |author18=Anthony Dosseto |author19=Adam Brumm |author20=William L. Jungers |author21=Richard G. Roberts |display-authors=3 |year=2016 |title=Revised stratigraphy and chronology for Homo floresiensis at Liang Bua in Indonesia |journal=Nature |volume=532 |issue=7599 |pages=366–369 |doi=10.1038/nature17179 |pmid=27027286|bibcode=2016Natur.532..366S |s2cid=4469009 |url=https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4801&context=smhpapers }}
• Hominin fossils similar in most dimensions and morphological characteristics to those of Homo floresiensis are described from the early Middle Pleistocene site in Flores, Indonesia by van den Bergh et al. (2016).{{Cite journal |author1=Gerrit D. van den Bergh |author2=Yousuke Kaifu |author3=Iwan Kurniawan |author4=Reiko T. Kono|author5=Adam Brumm |author6=Erick Setiyabudi |author7=Fachroel Aziz |author8=Michael J. Morwood |display-authors=3 |year=2016 |title=Homo floresiensis-like fossils from the early Middle Pleistocene of Flores |journal=Nature |volume=534 |issue=7606 |pages=245–248 |doi=10.1038/nature17999 |pmid=27279221|bibcode=2016Natur.534..245V |s2cid=205249218 }}{{Cite journal|author1-link=Adam Brumm |author1=Adam Brumm |author2=Gerrit D. van den Bergh |author3=Michael Storey |author4=Iwan Kurniawan |author5=Brent V. Alloway |author6=Ruly Setiawan |author7=Erick Setiyabudi |author8=Rainer Grün |author9=Mark W. Moore |author10=Dida Yurnaldi |author11=Mika R. Puspaningrum |author12=Unggul P. Wibowo |author13=Halmi Insani |author14=Indra Sutisna |author15=John A. Westgate |author16=Nick J. G. Pearce |author17=Mathieu Duval |author18=Hanneke J. M. Meijer |author19=Fachroel Aziz |author20=Thomas Sutikna |author21=Sander van der Kaars |author22=Stephanie Flude |author23=Michael J. Morwood |display-authors=3 |year=2016 |title=Age and context of the oldest known hominin fossils from Flores |journal=Nature |volume=534 |issue=7606 |pages=249–253 |doi=10.1038/nature17663 |pmid=27279222|bibcode=2016Natur.534..249B |s2cid=28608179 |url=http://pure.aber.ac.uk/ws/files/9400924/Brumm_et_al_2016_Age_stratigraphic_context_hominin_fossils_Flores_NAture_DRAFT_MS.pdf }}
• A study on the cause of death of the Australopithecus afarensis specimen Lucy is published by Kappelman et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=John Kappelman |author2=Richard A. Ketcham |author3=Stephen Pearce |author4=Lawrence Todd |author5=Wiley Akins |author6=Matthew W. Colbert |author7=Mulugeta Feseha |author8=Jessica A. Maisano |author9=Adrienne Witzel |year=2016 |title=Perimortem fractures in Lucy suggest mortality from fall out of tall tree |journal=Nature |volume=537 |issue=7621 |pages=503–507 |doi=10.1038/nature19332 |pmid=27571283|bibcode=2016Natur.537..503K |s2cid=4402700 }}
• A study on the bone structural properties of the femur and humerus of the Australopithecus afarensis specimen Lucy and its implications for the locomotor behavior and ecology of the species is published by Ruff et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Christopher B. Ruff |author2=M. Loring Burgess |author3=Richard A. Ketcham |author4=John Kappelman |year=2016 |title=Limb Bone Structural Proportions and Locomotor Behavior in A.L. 288-1 ("Lucy") |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=11 |pages=e0166095 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0166095 |pmid=27902687 |pmc=5130205|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1166095R |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the locomotor mechanics and footprint formation of the tracemaker of the Pliocene Laetoli footprints is published by Hatala, Demes & Richmond (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Kevin G. Hatala |author2=Brigitte Demes |author3=Brian G. Richmond |year=2016 |title=Laetoli footprints reveal bipedal gait biomechanics different from those of modern humans and chimpanzees |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=283 |issue=1836 |pages=20160235 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2016.0235 |pmid=27488647 |pmc=5013756}}
• Pliocene hominin tracks discovered in the new site at Laetoli locality are described by Masao et al. (2016), who estimate the height of one of the trackmakers to be about 1.65 metres, thus exceeding previous estimates for Australopithecus afarensis.{{cite journal |author1=Fidelis T. Masao |author2=Elgidius B. Ichumbaki |author3=Marco Cherin |author4=Angelo Barili |author5=Giovanni Boschian |author6=Dawid A. Iurino |author7=Sofia Menconero |author8=Jacopo Moggi-Cecchi |author9=Giorgio Manzi |year=2016 |title=New footprints from Laetoli (Tanzania) provide evidence for marked body size variation in early hominins |journal=eLife |volume=5 |pages=e19568 |doi=10.7554/eLife.19568 |pmid=27964778 |pmc=5156529 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of Homo naledi is published by Dembo et al. (2017).{{cite journal |author1=Mana Dembo |author2=Davorka Radovčić |author3=Heather M. Garvin |author4=Myra F. Laird |author5=Lauren Schroeder |author6=Jill E. Scott |author7=Juliet Brophy |author8=Rebecca R. Ackermann |author9=Chares M. Musiba |author10=Darryl J. de Ruiter |author11=Arne Ø. Mooers |author12=Mark Collard |year=2016 |title=The evolutionary relationships and age of Homo naledi: An assessment using dated Bayesian phylogenetic methods |journal=Journal of Human Evolution |volume=97 |pages=17–26 |doi=10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.04.008 |pmid=27457542|bibcode=2016JHumE..97...17D |hdl=2164/8796 |hdl-access=free }}
• 1.5-million-year-old footprint assemblages produced by at least 20 different individuals of Homo erectus are described from multiple sites near Ileret, Kenya by Hatala et al. (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Kevin G. Hatala |author2=Neil T. Roach |author3=Kelly R. Ostrofsky |author4=Roshna E. Wunderlich |author5=Heather L. Dingwall |author6=Brian A. Villmoare |author7=David J. Green |author8=John W. K. Harris |author9=David R. Braun |author10=Brian G. Richmond |year=2016 |title=Footprints reveal direct evidence of group behavior and locomotion in Homo erectus |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=6 |pages=Article number 28766 |doi=10.1038/srep28766 |pmid=27403790 |pmc=4941528|bibcode=2016NatSR...628766H }}
• A study on the tracks of Homo erectus from Ileret, indicating repeated use of lakeshore habitats by members of this species, is published by Roach et al. (2016).{{Cite journal|author1=Neil T. Roach |author2=Kevin G. Hatala |author3=Kelly R. Ostrofsky |author4=Brian A. Villmoare |author5=Jonathan S. Reeves |author6=Andrew Du |author7=David R. Braun |author8=John W. K. Harris |author9=Anna K. Behrensmeyer |author10=Brian G. Richmond |year=2016 |title=Pleistocene footprints show intensive use of lake margin habitats by Homo erectus groups |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=6 |pages=Article number 26374 |doi=10.1038/srep26374 |pmid=27199261 |pmc=4873780 |bibcode=2016NatSR...626374R }}
• A study on genomes of a Neanderthal and a Denisovan from the Altai Mountains in Siberia and on sequences of chromosome 21 of two Neanderthals from Spain and Croatia, and on their implications for the knowledge of gene flow events between modern and archaic humans, is published by Kuhlwilm et al. (2019).{{cite journal |author1=Martin Kuhlwilm |author2=Ilan Gronau |author3=Melissa J. Hubisz |author4=Cesare de Filippo |author5=Javier Prado-Martinez |author6=Martin Kircher |author7=Qiaomei Fu |author8=Hernán A. Burbano |author9=Carles Lalueza-Fox |author10=Marco de la Rasilla |author11=Antonio Rosas |author12=Pavao Rudan |author13=Dejana Brajkovic |author14=Željko Kucan |author15=Ivan Gušic |author16=Tomas Marques-Bonet |author17=Aida M. Andrés |author18=Bence Viola |author19=Svante Pääbo |author20=Matthias Meyer |author21=Adam Siepel |author22=Sergi Castellano |year=2016 |title=Ancient gene flow from early modern humans into Eastern Neanderthals |journal=Nature |volume=530 |issue=7591 |pages=429–433 |doi=10.1038/nature16544 |pmid=26886800 |pmc=4933530 |bibcode=2016Natur.530..429K }}

• A study on the differences in cusp arrangement on the surface of molars of Morganucodon and Kuehneotherium and its impact on ability of the teeth to fracture prey is published by Conith et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Andrew J. Conith |author2=Michael J. Imburgia |author3=Alfred J. Crosby |author4=Elizabeth R. Dumont |year=2016 |title=The functional significance of morphological changes in the dentitions of early mammals |journal=Journal of the Royal Society Interface |volume=13 |issue=124 |pages=20160713 |doi=10.1098/rsif.2016.0713 |pmid=28339367 |pmc=5134021 }}
• Description of a new specimen of Kollikodon ritchiei and a study of its phylogenetic relationships is published by Pian et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Rebecca Pian |author2=Michael Archer |author3=Suzanne J. Hand |author4=Robin M.D. Beck |author5=Andrew Cody |year=2016 |title=The upper dentition and relationships of the enigmatic Australian Cretaceous mammal Kollikodon ritchiei |journal=Memoirs of Museum Victoria |volume=74 |pages=97–105 |doi=10.24199/j.mmv.2016.74.10 |url=https://museumsvictoria.com.au/about/books-and-journals/journals/memoirs-of-museum-victoria/2010-2019/2016-vol-74-special-issue-in-honour-of-dr-thomas-h-rich/pian-archer-hand-beck-and-cody/ |doi-access=free }}
• A redescription of Teinolophos trusleri is published by Rich et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Thomas H. Rich |author2=James A. Hopson |author3=Pamela G. Gill |author4=Peter Trusler |author5=Sally Rogers-Davidson |author6=Steve Morton |author7=Richard L. Cifelli |author8=David Pickering |author9=Lesley Kool |author10=Karen Siu |author11=Flame A. Burgmann |author12=Tim Senden |author13=Alistair R. Evans |author14=Barbara E. Wagstaff |author15=Doris Seegets-Villiers |author16=Ian J. Corfe |author17=Timothy F. Flannery |author18=Ken Walker |author19=Anne M. Musser |author20=Michael Archer |author21=Rebecca Pian |author22=Patricia Vickers-Rich |display-authors=3 |year=2016 |title=The mandible and dentition of the Early Cretaceous monotreme Teinolophos trusleri |journal=Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=475–501 |doi=10.1080/03115518.2016.1180034 |bibcode=2016Alch...40..475R |s2cid=89034974 }}
• A study comparing the skull anatomy of the extant platypus and the Miocene Obdurodon dicksoni is published by Asahara et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Masakazu Asahara |author2=Masahiro Koizumi |author3=Thomas E. Macrini |author4=Suzanne J. Hand |author5=Michael Archer |year=2016 |title=Comparative cranial morphology in living and extinct platypuses: Feeding behavior, electroreception, and loss of teeth |journal=Science Advances |volume=2 |issue=10 |pages=e1601329 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.1601329 |pmid=27757425 |pmc=5061491|bibcode=2016SciA....2E1329A }}
• A partial mandible of the amphitheriid Palaeoxonodon ooliticus, previously known only from isolated teeth, is described from the Middle Jurassic (late Bathonian) Kilmaluag Formation (Isle of Skye, Scotland, United Kingdom) by Close et al. (2016).{{cite journal |author1=Roger A. Close |author2=Brian M. Davis |author3=Stig Walsh |author4=Andrzej S. Wolniewicz |author5=Matt Friedman |author6=Roger B. J. Benson |year=2016 |title=A lower jaw of Palaeoxonodon from the Middle Jurassic of the Isle of Skye, Scotland, sheds new light on the diversity of British stem therians |journal=Palaeontology |volume=59 |issue=1 |pages=155–169 |doi=10.1111/pala.12218 |bibcode=2016Palgy..59..155C |s2cid=85925908 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the morphological disparity, dietary trends and generic level taxonomic diversity patterns in early therians is published by Grossnickle & Newham (2016).{{cite journal |author1=David M. Grossnickle |author2=Elis Newham |year=2016 |title=Therian mammals experience an ecomorphological radiation during the Late Cretaceous and selective extinction at the K–Pg boundary |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=283 |issue=1832 |pages=20160256 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2016.0256 |s2cid=23620732 |doi-access=free |pmc=4920311 }}

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Category:2016 in paleontology

Category:2016 in science

Category:Prehistoric mammals