Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils.[1] This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1868.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
+...

Arthropoda

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Newly named crustaceans

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Astacus politus[2]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Schlüter

Early Cretaceous

Bückeberg Formation

  Germany

Moved to the genus Protastacus in 1983.

Enoploclytia paucispina[2]

Sp nov

Valid

Schlüter

  Germany

An erymid.

Eurycarpus[2]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Schlüter

  Germany

A decapod, type species is E. nanodactylus.

Hoploparia macrodactyla[2]

Sp nov

Valid

Schlüter

  Germany

A lobster

Necrocarcinus senonensis[2]

Sp nov

Valid

Schlüter

  Germany

A necrocarcinid.

Palaeocorystes laevis[2]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Schlüter

Late Cretaceous (Upper Santonian)

  Germany

Moved to Bournelyreidus in 2012.

Squilla cretacea[2]

Sp nov

Valid

Schlüter

Cretaceous

  Germany

A mantis shrimp

Newly named insects

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Aphaenogaster berendti[3]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

A myrmicine ant.
Moved to Stenamma berendti in 1915

 
Stenamma berendti

Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti[3]

Sp nov

valid

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

A myrmicine ant.

 
Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti

Camponotus constrictus[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil formicine ant.,
moved to Formica constrictus in 1915
Synonym of Cataglyphoides constrictus

 
Cataglyphoides constrictus

Camponotus mengei[3]

Sp nov

valid

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil formicine ant.

 
Camponotus mengei

Enneamerus[3]

Gen et 2 sp nov

valid

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

A myrmecine ant. 2 species

 
Enneamerus reticulatus

Formica flori[3]

Sp nov

valid

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil formicine ant

 
Formica flori

Hypoclinea balticus[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus balticus in 1893

 
Dolichoderus balticus

Hypoclinea constricta[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant, jr synonym of Yantaromyrmex constricta

 
Yantaromyrmex constricta

Hypoclinea cornuta[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus cornutus in 1893

 
Dolichoderus cornutus

Hypoclinea geinitzi[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant,
jr synonym of Yantaromyrmex geinitzi

 
Yantaromyrmex geinitzi

Hypoclinea goepperti[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant,
moved to Bothriomyrmex goepperti in 1893,
jr synonym of Ctenobethylus goepperti

 
Ctenobethylus goepperti

Hypoclinea longipennis[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus longipennis in 1893

 
Dolichoderus longipennis

Hypoclinea sculpturata[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus sculpturata in 1893

 
Dolichoderus sculpturatus

Hypoclinea tertiaria[3]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus tertiaria in 1893

 
Dolichoderus tertiarius

Myrmica duisburgi[3]

sp nov

jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Agroecomyrmecine ant, moved to Agroecomyrmex duisburgi in 1910

 
Myrmica duisburgi

Pheidologeton antiquus[3]

sp nov

jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil myrmicine ant,
moved to Aeromyrma antiqua in 1891
Synonym of Carebara antiqua

 
Carebara antiqua

Ponera succinea[3]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Baltic Amber

  Europe

A ponerine ant, moved to Pachycondyla succinea in 1995

 
Pachycondyla succinea

Prenolepis pygmaea[4]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Middle Eocene

European amber

  Europe

Fossil formicine ant, jr synonym of Nylanderia pygmaea

 
Nylanderia pygmaea

Stigmomyrmex[3]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Mayr

Middle Eocene

European amber

  Europe

A myrmicin ant.
Type species S. venustus

 
Stigmomyrmex venustus

Archosauromorphs

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Newly named dinosaurs

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Aublysodon

Gen et sp nov

Nomen dubium

Leidy

Late Cretaceous

Judith River Formation

(  Montana)

Possible subjective synonym of Albertosaurus or Deinodon.

 
Aublysodon may be a synonym of Albertosaurus.

Diplotomodon

Gen nov

Nomen dubium

Leidy

Late Cretaceous

Navesink Formation or Hornerstown Formation

  USA (  New Jersey)

Possible subjective synonym of Dryptosaurus.

Plesiosaurs

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New taxa

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Name Status Authors Notes

Elasmosaurus

Valid

Cope

Synapsids

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Non-mammalian

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Name Status Authors Discovery year Age Unit Location Notes Images

Pristerodon

Valid

Huxley

References

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  1. ^ Gini-Newman, Garfield; Graham, Elizabeth (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 9780070887398. OCLC 46769716.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g von der Marck, W.; Schlüter, C. (1868). Neue fische und krebse aus der kreide von Westphalen (PDF). Stuttgart: Palaeontographica. pp. 269–305. OCLC 39999779.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Wheeler, W. M. (1915). "The ants of the Baltic amber". Schriften der Physikalisch-Okonomischen Gesellschaft zu Konigsberg. 55 (4): 56–59.
  4. ^ LaPolla, J.S.; Dlussky, G.M. (2010). "Review of fossil Prenolepis genus-group species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 112 (2): 258–273.