Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, coprolites, palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has 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 in the year 1840.
Dinosaurs[]
Newly named dinosaurs[]
Therosaurus is a junior objective synonym of Iguanodon.
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list[1] and Dr. Jeremy Montague's dinosaur genus database.[2]
| Name | Status | Authors | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Hylosaurus[3] |
Valid |
Fitzinger |
Junior objective synonym of Hylaeosaurus. | |
|
Preoccupied |
Fitzinger |
Preoccupied by a non-dinosaurian archosaur named by Geoffroy Saint-Hilare in 1833. Renamed Sphenosaurus. Also turned out to be a misidentified procolophonid. | ||
|
Misidentification. |
Riley |
Stutchbury |
Misidentified non-dinosaurian archosaur. The name is also dubious. | |
|
Misidentification. |
Grateloup |
Misidentified cetacean. | ||
|
Therosaurus[3] |
Valid |
Fitzinger |
Junior objective synonym of Iguanodon. | |
References[]
- ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". http://www.polychora.com/dinolist.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-07.
- ^ Montague, Jeremy. "Dr. Montague's Database". http://www.barry.edu/bio300/pdf/montague%20dino%20web%20data%2012-3-2005.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-10-29.
- ^ a b Fitzinger, L.J. 1840. Über Palaeosaurus sternbergii, eine neue Gattung vorweltlicher Reptilien und die Stellung dieser Thiere im Systeme überhaupt. Wiener Mus. Annalen II: pp. 175-187 + plate XI.