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 1873.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1876
+...

Arthropods

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Newly named insects

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Bothriomyrmex constricta[2]

Comb nov

Jr synonym

(Mayr)

Lutetian

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderin ant
jr synonym of Anonychomyrma constricta

 
Anonychomyrma constricta

Bothriomyrmex geinitzi[2]

Comb nov

Jr synonym

Mayr

Lutetian

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil Dolichoderin ant, jr synonym of Anonychomyrma geinitzi

 
Anonychomyrma geinitzi

Sauropterygia

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Newly named plesiosaurs

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Location Notes Images

Liopleurodon

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Sauvage

Callovian

A pliosaurid

Ichthyosaurs

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Newly named ichthyosaurs

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Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Cetarthrosaurus[3]

Valid

Seeley

late Albian/early Cenomanian

Cambridge Greensand Formation

Other

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Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Dawsonia campanulata[4]

Valid

Nicholson

Silurian

Moffat Shales Group

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 Wheeler, W. M. (1915). "The ants of the Baltic amber". Schriften der Physikalisch-Okonomischen Gesellschaft zu Konigsberg. 55 (4): 56–59.
  3. ^ Harry G. Seeley (1873). "On Cetarthrosaurus walkeri (Seeley), an Ichthyosaurian from the Cambridge Upper Greensand". Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society. 29 (1–2): 505–507. doi:10.1144/gsl.jgs.1873.029.01-02.43.
  4. ^ Alex Page; Philip R. Wilby; Claire J. T. Mellish; Mark Williams; Jan A. Zalasiewicz (2008). "Dawsonia Nicholson: linguliform brachiopods, crustacean tail-pieces and a problematicum rather than graptolite ovarian vesicles" (PDF). Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 99 (3–4): 251–266. doi:10.1017/S175569100900704X.