1871 in paleontology

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Last updated February 25, 2025

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 1871.

Fish

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Erismatopterus ^[2]	Gen et Sp et comb nov	valid	Cope	Eocene Ypresian	Green River Formation	US Wyoming	A percopsid fish. The type species is E. rickseckeri Also includes Cyprinodon levatus (1870) E. rickseckeri synonymized into E. levatus (1969)	Erismatopterus levatus

Archosauromorphs

New taxa

Taxon	Novelty	Status	Author(s)	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Crocodilus carcharidens ^[3]	Sp. nov.	Valid	Bunzel	Campanian	Grünbach Formation	Austria	Later given the genus name Doratodon
Zatomus		Nomen dubium	Cope				Dubious genus of non-dinosaurian archosaur

Dinosaurs

Taxon	Novelty	Status	Author(s)	Age	Unit	Location	Notes
Danubiosaurus ^[3]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Nomen dubium	Bunzel	Campanian	Grünbach Formation	Austria	Believed to be a lacertilian, a possible synonym of Struthiosaurus
Hadrosaurus cavatus ^[4]	Sp. nov.	Nomen dubium	Cope	Maastrichtian	Navesink Formation?	New Jersey	A species of Hadrosaurus
Iguanodon suessii ^[3]	Sp. nov.	Valid	Bunzel	Campanian	Grünbach Formation	Austria	Later given the genus name Mochlodon
"Megalosaurus schnaitheimii"^[3]		Nomen nudum	Bunzel	Late Jurassic	Schnaitheim	Germany	An invalid species of Megalosaurus mentioned in passing
Struthiosaurus ^[3]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	Bunzel	Campanian	Grünbach Formation	Austria	A nodosaurid

Pterosaurs

Name	Status	Authors		Notes
Diopecephalus	Jr. synonym.	Seeley		Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus.
Ornithostoma	Valid	Seeley

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.
↑ Grande, L. (1984). "Paleontology of the Green River Formation, with a review of the fish fauna". Bulletin of the Wyoming State Geological Survey. 63 2nd ed. Laramie, Wyoming.
1 2 3 4 5 Bunzel, E. (1871). "Die Reptilfauna der Gosauformation in der Neuen Welt bei Weiner-Neustadt". Abhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Geologischen Reichsanstalt. 5: 1–18.
↑ Cope, E.D. (1871). "Supplement to the "Synopsis of the Extinct Batrachia and Reptilia of North America"". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 12: 41–52.

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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.

[Grande84-2] Grande, L. (1984). "Paleontology of the Green River Formation, with a review of the fish fauna". Bulletin of the Wyoming State Geological Survey. 63 2nd ed. Laramie, Wyoming.

[bunzel1871-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Bunzel, E. (1871). "Die Reptilfauna der Gosauformation in der Neuen Welt bei Weiner-Neustadt". Abhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Geologischen Reichsanstalt. 5: 1–18.

[cope1871b-4] Cope, E.D. (1871). "Supplement to the "Synopsis of the Extinct Batrachia and Reptilia of North America"". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 12: 41–52.

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