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 1959.

DinosaursEdit

Newly named dinosaursEdit

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list^[1] and Dr. Jeremy Montague's dinosaur genus database.^[2]

Name	Status	Authors		Notes	Images
Chialingosaurus[3]	Valid taxon.	Yang Zhongjian (as Young C. C.)
"Clarencea"[4]	Misidentification.	Brink		Junior synonym of non-dinosaurian Sphenosuchus.
"Pachysauriscus"[5]	Junior synonym	Kuhn		Junior synonym of Plateosaurus.
Palaeosauriscus[5]	Junior synonym	Kuhn		Actually a juvenile Sellosaurus.

PlesiosaursEdit

New taxaEdit