1840 in paleontology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 1840.
Arthropods
Crustaceans
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gen. et. sp. nov. |
Jr synonym |
Münster |
Type species is A. octopus, initially described as an isopod, now a junior synonym of Pseudastacus.[3] |
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|
Norna[2] |
Gen. et. sp. nov. |
Valid |
Münster |
A peracarid initially described as an isopod, type species is N. lithophila.[3] |
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|
Gen. et. sp. nov. |
Valid |
Münster |
A mantis shrimp initially described as an isopod, type species is S. pennata. |
 | ||||
|
Urda[2] |
Gen. et. sp. nov. |
Valid |
Münster |
An isopod, species named include U. rostrata, U. decorata, U. cincta & U. elongata. |
Anapsids
Newly named anapsids
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Preoccupied |
Fitzinger |
Unnamed unit (coal deposits) |
Preoccupied by a non-dinosaurian archosaur named by Geoffroy Saint-Hilare in 1833. Renamed Sphenosaurus. A procolophonid. | ||||
Archosauromorphs
Newly named basal archosauromorphs
Newly named dinosaurs
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[4]
| Name | Status | Authors | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jr. synonym |
Fitzinger |
Junior synonym of Hylaeosaurus. | ||
|
Valid |
Fitzinger |
An iguanodont. New name for "Iguanodon" mantelli von Meyer (1832) (=Iguanodon anglicus Holl (1829)). | ||
Pterosaurs
- Thomas Hawkins published The Book of the Great Sea-Dragons, wherein he suggested that the great reptiles of the Mesozoic were created by the devil.[6] He described pterosaurs as "an engrafted-by-Evil stock" and depicted them as bat-like scavengers that combed the ancient seashore.[7][8]
Plesiosaurs
Newly named plesiosaurs
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Valid |
Owen |
Early Jurassic (Hettangian-Sinemurian) |
|||||
|
Valid |
Owen |
Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) |
A thalassophonean pliosaurid. | ||||
|
Valid |
Owen |
Early Jurassic (Hettangian-Sinemurian) |
A pliosaurid. | ||||
|
Valid |
Owen |
Early Jurassic (Hettangian-Sinemurian) |
A microcleidid. | ||||
|
Valid |
Owen |
Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) |
A cryptoclidid. | ||||
Mammals
Newly named cetaceans
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gen. nov. |
Valid |
Early Miocene (Burdigalian) |
Unnamed unit |
A squalodontid. |
 | ||||
