1875 in paleontology


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 1875.

Dinosaurs

Taxon Novelty Status Author(s) Age Unit Location Notes Images
Arctosaurus Gen. et sp. nov. Nomen dubium Adams Carnian Heiberg Formation Nunavut Dubious archosauriform
Cionodon stenopsis[2] Sp. nov. Nomen dubium Cope Campanian Belly River Group Alberta A species of Cionodon
Bothriospondylus Gen. et sp. nov. Nomen dubium Owen Kimmeridgian Kimmeridge Clay Formation England A sauropod
Marmarospondylus Gen. nov. Nomen dubium Sir Richard Owen Bathonian Forest Marble Formation A new genus for Bothriospondylus robustus named earlier in the same year
Omosaurus armatus Gen. et sp. nov. Preoccupied Owen Kimmeridgian Kimmeridge Clay Formation England Preoccupied by Omosaurus Joseph Leidy, 1856. Later renamed Dacentrurus
Priodontognathus Gen. nov. Nomen dubium Seeley Oxfordian Yorkshire England A new genus for Iguanodon phillipsii

Pterosaurs

New taxa

Name Status Authors Notes

Doratorhynchus

Valid

Seeley

Synapsids

Ophiacodontidae

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Clepsydrops[3]

Gen nov

Valid

Cope

early Late Carboniferous

USA
Illinois

An ophiacodontid synapsid

Paleontologists

References

  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. ^ Cope, E.D. (1875). "On the transition beds of the Saskatchewan district". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 27: 2–3.
  3. ^ E. D. Cope. 1875. On fossil remains of Reptilia and fishes from Illinois. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.
  4. ^ Farlow, James O.; M. K. Brett-Surmann (1999). The Complete Dinosaur. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. p. 17. ISBN 0-253-21313-4.