1868 in paleontology

	… 1858; 1859; 1860; 1861; 1862; 1863; 1864; ; 1865; 1866; 1867; 1868; 1869; 1870; 1871; ; 1872; 1873; 1874; 1875; 1876; 1877; 1878 …;
	In science 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871
	Art; Archaeology; Architecture; Literature; Music; Philosophy; Science; +...

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.

Arthropoda

Newly named insects

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti^[2]	Sp nov	valid	Mayr	Lutetian	Baltic amber	Europe	Fossil myrmicin ant.	Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti
Myrmica duisburgi^[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Mayr	Lutetian	Baltic amber	Europe	Fossil Agroecomyrmecin ant, moved to Agroecomyrmex in 1910	Myrmica duisburgi
Hypoclinea constricta^[2]	Sp nov	Jr synonym	Mayr	Lutetian	Baltic amber	Europe	Fossil Dolichoderin ant, jr synonym of Anonychomyrma constricta	Anonychomyrma constricta
Hypoclinea geinitzi^[2]	Sp nov	Jr synonym	Mayr	Lutetian	Baltic amber	Europe	Fossil Dolichoderin ant, jr synonym of Anonychomyrma geinitzi	Anonychomyrma geinitzi

Dinosaurs

Newly named dinosaurs

Name	Status	Authors		Notes
Aublysodon	Nomen dubium	Joseph Leidy		Possible subjective synonym of Albertosaurus or Deinodon.
Diplotomodon	Nomen dubium	Joseph Leidy		Possible subjective synonym of Dryptosaurus.

Plesiosaurs

New taxa

Name	Status	Authors		Notes
Elasmosaurus	Valid	Cope

Synapsids

Non-mammalian

Name	Status	Authors	Discovery year	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Pristerodon	Valid	Huxley

References

^ 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.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Wheeler, W. M. (1915). "The ants of the Baltic amber". Schriften der Physikalisch-Okonomischen Gesellschaft zu Konigsberg. 55 (4): 56–59.

[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.

[Wheeler1915-2] Wheeler, W. M. (1915). "The ants of the Baltic amber". Schriften der Physikalisch-Okonomischen Gesellschaft zu Konigsberg. 55 (4): 56–59.

[1]

[2]