View source for Paleontology in Yonderre

[[File:Allosaurus_fragilis_AMNH_01.jpg|thumb|''[[Joanusaurus]]'', [[List of national symbols#Other national symbols|National Dinosaur of Yonderre]] since 1932]]
'''Paleontology in Yonderre''' refers to the academic discipline of studying pre-{{wpl|Holocene}} lifeforms in [[Yonderre]] and its associated influences on [[Yonderian culture]] and society. Paleontology developed as a scientific field at the height of the [[Yonderian Golden Age]], a period of substantial scientific advancement and moreover a period of unprecedented printing and readership in all levels of society owing to skyrocketing literacy. Although initially confined to the world of academia, paleontology became a subject of public interest after high profile finds like ''[[Vollardisaurus]]'' and ''[[Joanusaurus]]'' were made in Yonderre. Such finds became headlines in Yonderian newspapers and thousands at a time would gather to attend open air lectures on paleontology by leading scientists of the time, and indeed the word "dinosaur" itself was coined by Yonderian paleontologist [[Killian Lange]]. Some sociologists like [[Nicolas Boucault]] argue that the "dinosaur craze" was in many ways a Yonderian equivalent to the exploration and colonizing carried out by the [[Bergendii]] in the years after the [[Great Confessional War]], stating that "where [[Brother Auggie]] travelled out into the world, Brother Joanus dug into it".

Since [[Killian Lange]] in the early 1840s discovered and described ''[[Vollardisaurus]]'', the first described theropod dinosaur in the world,<ref>Unless otherwise noted, all mentions of dinosaurs refer to extinct species that lived prior to the {{wpl|Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event}}.</ref><ref>While ''Scrotum humanum'', part of a theropod tibia, had already been described in 1677, it was not recognized as a dinosaur fossil until the late nineteenth century.</ref> paleontology, particularly of extinct {{wpl|Archosaur|Archosaurs}} like {{wpl|Dinosauromorpha}} and {{wpl|Pterosauria}}, became an intensely studied subject in [[Yonderre]]. Further work by Lange's prodigy [[Thibault d'Avignon]] in the latter half of the nineteenth century established a strong academic tradition of paleontology centred initially around the [[University of Collinebourg]], and his discovery and description of ''[[Joanusaurus]]'' in the mid-1870s sparked renewed public interest in the subject. With [[Phillipe d'Everard (paleontologist)|Phillipe d'Everard's]] discovery and description of ''[[Caphirosaurus]]'' in the early 1900s, paleontology was cemented as a topic of general public interest and fascination in [[Yonderre]]; some writers of fiction had already begun incorporating extinct creatures like pterosaurs and icthyosaurs into their work in the early eighteenth century, adding dinosaurs to their work soon after the discovery of ''[[Vollardisaurus]]'' in the 1840s. [[Primo Kino]]'s second ever movie, ''[[World of Ancient Reptiles]]'', premiered in 1906, whose 1993 reboot ''[[Dinosaur Island (Franchise)|Dinosaur Island]]'' became an internationally acclaimed media franchise. 

While the fossil record in [[Yonderre]] stretches in places from the {{wpl|Precambrian}} period up until the present period offering substantial fossil beds, Yonderian paleontologists have also done considerable work abroad and earned a reputation as among the world's best in the field. Paleontology has on occasion been a driver of Yonderian diplomacy, a notable example being the 1887 [[Treaty of Winsome]] signed between [[Yonderre]] and [[Anglei]], allowing Yonderian paleontologists into Anglei for the purpose of uncovering fossils, the first ever official treaty between Yonderre and any Ænglish state. 
==History==
===Paleontology as a science===
[[File:Gideonmantell.jpg|thumb|[[Killian Lange]]]]
{{main|History of paleontology}}
[[Urcea|Urcean]] polymath and historian of science John Piermes (1769-1836) coined the term "paleontology" in 1815, classifying it as a historical science on par with archaeology, geology, astronomy, cosmology, philology and history itself. Prior to Piermes, the study of pre-{{wpl|Holocene}} life had been little more than a hobby for eccentrics, some arguing that the fossil record was too random by nature and would remain too incomplete to be taken seriously. Paleontology takes its name from the Istroyan παλαιός (''palaios'', "old, ancient"), ὄν (''on'', (gen. 'ontos'), "being, creature"), and λόγος (''logos'', "speech, thought, study"). Yonderian paleontologist [[Killian Lange]] coined the term "dinosaur" in 1842, meaning "terrible lizard" in Istroyan.<ref>Lange, Killian: ''Of Vollardisaurus and dinosauria, their traits and their life'', [[University of Collinebourg]]. 1842.</ref>

[[Bergendii]] doctor and hobby geologist [[Gideon-Raphael Mantelleaux]] (1786-1849) was the first to describe a dinosaur when he published an article in 1833, naming the world's first recognized dinosaur ''{{wpl|Mantellisaurus|Iguanodon}}'' (now reclassified as ''Mantellisaurus''), an early {{wpl|Cretaceous}} herbivore. ''Iguanodon'' was named largely from fossilized teeth discovered on the [[Ile Burgundie]], named for their similarity to iguana teeth. Mantelleaux argued that the animal the teeth came from was obviously reptillian and herbivorous, for which he was ridiculed as there are no extant toothed herbivorous reptiles. Mantelleaux's claims were supported by John Piermes however and were soon accepted by many, though skeptics remained. More ''Iguanodon'' material was soon discovered not far from where the original teeth had been found, although the total remained less than 10% of a complete animal until the discovery of the Carveaux Slab in 1843 containing numerous vertebrae and assorted other bones belonging to another ''Iguanodon''.<ref> Balboa, Maximus: ''A comprehensive history of paleontology'', pg. 2-7. 2004.</ref>
===First finds in Yonderre===
Fossils have long been excavated in [[Yonderre]] due to mining, particularly in places like the [[Black Forest]] and [[Vollardic Mountains]], now recognized as the extreme north of the [[Greater Levantine Formation]]. Prior to academics taking an interest in these fossils, they were variously thought of as petrified bones of various animals, monsters of folklore or even Biblical giants. Many finds from the pre-modern period that survive into present day are now recognized as remains of archosaurs, cephalopods, icthyosaurs, mammals and other pre-Holocene fauna.

Spurred on by Mantelleaux's discoveries in the 1830s, Yonderian polymath [[Killian Lange]] (1799-1870) mounted his own expedition to the mountains of the [[Black Forest]] in 1834. The small team Lange paid for out of his own pocket turned up countless fossiles of flora and fauna from after the {{wpl|Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event}}. Another expedition in the [[Vollardic Mountains]] in 1840 uncovered sparse remains of ''[[Vollardisaurus]]'', which became the first theropod and fourth dinosaur ever named when Lange published his findings in 1842.<ref>Lange, Killian: ''Of Vollardisaurus and dinosauria, their traits and their life'', [[University of Collinebourg]]. 1842.</ref> While on a dig in 1845 in Azikor, [[Kiravia]], Lange discovered the first fossil remains of the early rodent ''[[Rattusfukus]]'', an animal speculated to be the {{wpl|Most recent common ancestor|most recent common ancestor}} of all rodents.<ref>Lange, Killian: ''Rattusfukus, a rat-like mammal from Azikor,'' [[University of Collinebourg]]. 1847.</ref> Lange soon took up a lecturate at the [[University of Collinebourg]] teaching the very first classes of paleontology in [[Yonderre]]. Lange was an early adopter and proponent of [[Carl-Auguste d'Arvinne]]'s theories of evolution, a controversial stance even in the scientific communities of the time whose stance was of the biblical inclination that all creatures were created simultaneously.
===''Joanusaurus'' and international expeditions===
Paleontological digs increased in number and scope during the 1860s but were still hampered by a relatively modest number of working paleontologists. The first ''{{wpl|Mantellisaurus}}'' specimens in [[Yonderre]] were discovered in the [[Vollardic Mountains]] in 1866 by [[Thibault d'Avignon]], a student of [[Killian Lange]]. While not as complete as the Carveaux Slab discovered in the [[Ile Burgundie]] in 1843, the specimen included a complete pelvis and several vertebrae, both very well preserved  for their time. d'Avignon would continue to uncover fossils in the [[Vollardic Mountains]], most notably when the discovery of ''Joanusaurus'' came in 1878, when a friend of d'Avignon bought a petrified bone from a curio shop in [[Koop]], [[Yonderre]]. When examined by d'Avignon, the bone was recognized as the ''radius'' bone of a large theropod, and d'Avignon tentatively assigned it to the genus established genus ''[[Vollardisaurus]]''. d'Avignon would go on to uncover more remains of ''[[Joanusaurus]]'' in the [[Vollardic Mountains]] and eventually describe it as a seperate genus in 1878.<ref> Balboa, Maximus: ''A comprehensive history of paleontology'', pg. 14-19. 2004.</ref>

===Golden age of paleontology===
===Dinosaur renaissance===
===Modern developments===
==In popular culture==
===Dinosaur craze===
===In media===
==Notable specimens==
===Big Yon===
[[File:Big_Al_Allosaurus.jpg|thumb|Big Yon (UJMN 872) on display at the [[Vollardie Paleontological Museum]]]]
Big Yon is a 95% complete ''[[Joanusaurus]]'' with several interesting pathologies presesnt in the skeleton. Paleontologists were able to piece together a hypothetical life story for Big Yon based on these pathologies that was turned into a 45 minute long television documentary by [[Primo Kino]] in 2000 as the ''Life and Death of Big Yon''. 

Big Yon was discovered on accident in 1980 by miners in Marsbury in the northern Ionian Mountains, [[Urcea]]. A joint team of Yonderian and Urcean paleontologists painstakingly uncovered the specimen, named UJMN 872 and quickly nicknamed Big Yon. The specimen measured about 9 meters (about 29 ft) in length and showed remarkable signs of healed or partially healed {{wpl|Paleopathology|injuries}}. Nineteen of its bones were broken or showed signs of infection, which may have contributed to Big Yon's death. Pathologic bones included five ribs, five vertebrae, and four bones of the feet; several damaged bones showed osteomyelitis, a bone infection. A particular problem for the living animal was infection and trauma to the right foot that probably affected movement and may have also predisposed the other foot to injury because of a change in gait. Big Yon had an infection on the first phalanx on the third toe that was afflicted by an involucrum.<ref>Horner et al.: ''The Curious Case of Big Yon the Joanusaurus'', [[University of Collinebourg]]. 1989.</ref>
==People==
*[[Killian Lange]] (1799-1870)
*[[Thibault d'Avignon]] (1831-1905)
*[[Phillipe d'Everard (paleontologist)|Phillipe d'Everard]] (1865-1938)
*[[Jour & Leon|Falco Jour]] (1888-1979)
*[[Jour & Leon|Joanus Leon]] (1891-1980)
==Fossil beds ==
[[File:Greater Levantine Formation.png|thumb|The [[Greater Levantine Formation]] (tan) in central [[Levantia]] (gray)]]
Notable fossil beds in Yonderre include:
*[[Black Forest]]
** [[Pas-en-Fair Quarry]]
**[[Spelph River Valley]]
*[[Gebirre Mountains]] 
**[[Adriopol]]
*[[Greater Levantine Formation]]
**[[Vollardic Mountains]]
***[[Dansberg]]
***[[Pirkberg]]
***[[Solndorf]]
***[[Vording]]
==Species==
[[File:Acrocanthosaurus skeleton (1).jpg|thumb|Mounted [[Vollardisaurus]] skeleton cast, [[Vollardie Paleontological Museum]]]]
Notable pre-Holocene species relevant to paleontology in Yonderre include:
{{div col |colwidth = 30em }}
* ''[[Ardrivilletadens]]'' - dromaeosaurid
* ''[[Avonceratops]]'' - ceratopsian
* ''[[Caphirosaurus]]'' - caphirosaurid
* ''[[Conchobarsaurus]]'' - testudosaur
* ''[[Coopgnathus]]'' - compsognathid
* ''[[Everardceratops]]'' - ceratopsian
* ''[[Everardtadens]]'' - [[Joanusaurid|joanusaurid]]
* ''[[Ionitops]]'' - ceratopsian
* ''[[Larianasuchops]]'' - crocodylomorph
* ''[[Joanusaurus]]'' - [[Joanusaurid|joanusaurid]]
* ''[[Kubantadens]]'' - [[Joanusaurid|joanusaurid]]
* ''[[Ligmaceratops]]'' - ceratopsian
* ''[[Makrylaimis]]'' - sauropod
* ''{{wpl|Mantellisaurus}}'' - iguanodontian
* ''[[Orcleniapelta]]'' - testudosaur
* ''[[Rattusfukus]]'' - rodent
* ''[[Testudosaurus]]'' - testudosaur
* ''[[Vollardisaurus]]'' - [[Joanusaurid|joanusaurid]]
{{div col end}}

==See also==
*[[History of paleontology]]
* ''[[Dinosaur Island (Franchise)|Dinosaur Island]]'' - media franchise based on the 1993 reboot of the 1906 film ''[[World of Ancient Reptiles]]''
*''[[Woman out of time]]'' - 1976 [[Primo Kino]] screwball comedy romance film starring [[Jean-Yves Forvert]] as a paleontologist
==Notes==
[[Category:Yonderre]]
[[Category:Paleontology]]
[[Category:Greater Levantine Formation]]
[[Category:University of Collinebourg]]
[[Category:Canonical Article]]
[[Category:2023 Award winning pages]]
[[Category:IXWB]]
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