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 1869.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1871
1872
+...

Arthropods

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Insects

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Elephantomyia brevipalpa[2]

comb. nov

Valid

(Loew) Osten-Sacken

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

A Limoniid cranefly,

 
Elephantomyia brevipalpa

Elephantomyia longirostris[2]

comb. nov

Valid

(Loew) Osten-Sacken

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

A Limoniid cranefly,

 
Elephantomyia longirostris

Elephantomyia pulchella[2]

comb. nov

Valid

(Loew) Osten-Sacken

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

A Limoniid cranefly,

 
Elephantomyia pulchella

Dinosaurs

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Name Status Authors Location Notes Images

Cryptosaurus

Valid

Harry Govier Seeley

Gigantosaurus

Nomen dubium

Harry Govier Seeley

Hypselosaurus

Valid

Matheron

Hypsibema

Valid

Edward Drinker Cope

Hypsilophodon

Valid

Thomas Henry Huxley

A small and agile ornithopod.
 
Hypsilophodon

Ornithotarsus

Nomen dubium

Edward Drinker Cope

Rhabdodon

Valid

Matheron

A dwarf relative of Iguanodon.
 
Rhabdodon

Plesiosaurs

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New taxa

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Name Status Authors Location Notes Images

Crymocetus

Valid

Cope

Polycotylus

Valid

Cope

An advanced Short-Necked plesiosaur.
 
Polycotylus

Stereosaurus

Valid

Seeley

Pterosaurs

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New taxa

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Name Status Authors Location Notes Images

Ornithocheirus

Valid

Seeley

A Pterosaur with a pair of round crests on its beak, which probably served to keep its food from escaping.
 
Ornithocheirus

Ptenodactylus

Jr. synonym.

Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus.

Paleontologists

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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 Kania, I (2015). "Subfamily Limoniinae Speiser, 1909 (Diptera, Limoniidae) from Baltic Amber (Eocene): The Genus Elephantomyia Osten Sacken, 1860". PLOS ONE. 10 (2): 1–25. Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1017434K. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117434. PMC 4338262. PMID 25706127.
  3. ^ Farlow, James O.; M. K. Brett-Surmann (1999). The Complete Dinosaur. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. p. 11. ISBN 0-253-21313-4.