def plot_pole_basemap(mapname, plon, plat, A95, label='', color='k', edgecolor='k', marker='o', markersize=20, legend='no'):
    """
    This function plots a paleomagnetic pole and A95 error ellipse on whatever
    current map projection has been set using the basemap plotting library.
    Before this function is called, a plot needs to be initialized with code
    that looks something like:
    >from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
    >mapname = Basemap(projection='ortho',lat_0=35,lon_0=200)
    >plt.figure(figsize=(6, 6))
    >mapname.drawcoastlines(linewidth=0.25)
    >mapname.fillcontinents(color='bisque',lake_color='white',zorder=1)
    >mapname.drawmapboundary(fill_color='white')
    >mapname.drawmeridians(np.arange(0,360,30))
    >mapname.drawparallels(np.arange(-90,90,30))
    Required Parameters
    -----------
    mapname : the name of the current map that has been developed using basemap
    plon : the longitude of the paleomagnetic pole being plotted (in degrees E)
    plat : the latitude of the paleomagnetic pole being plotted (in degrees)
    A95 : the A_95 confidence ellipse of the paleomagnetic pole (in degrees)
    Optional Parameters (defaults are used if not specified)
    -----------
    color : the default color is black. Other colors can be chosen (e.g. 'r')
    marker : the default is a circle. Other symbols can be chosen (e.g. 's')
    markersize : the default is 20. Other size can be chosen
    label : the default is no label. Labels can be assigned.
    legend : the default is no legend ('no'). Putting 'yes' will plot a legend.
    """
    centerlon, centerlat = mapname(plon, plat)
    A95_km = A95 * 111.32
    mapname.scatter(centerlon, centerlat, marker=marker,
                    color=color, edgecolors=edgecolor, s=markersize, label=label, zorder=101)
    equi_basemap(mapname, plon, plat, A95_km, color)
    if legend == 'yes':
        plt.legend(loc=2)