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 1888.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
+...

Newly named plants

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Name Status Authors Notes

Aachenosaurus

Nomen dubium

Smets

Misidentified piece of petrified wood.[2]

Dinosaurs

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Publications

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Newly named taxa

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Name Status Authors Location Notes Images
Ceratops Nomen dubium Othniel Charles Marsh Preoccupied by Rafinesque, 1815. Later unnecessarily renamed Proceratops.
Cumnoria Valid Harry Govier Seeley A member of Ankylopollexia.
 
Cumnoria
Pleurocoelus Valid Othniel Charles Marsh A contested synonym for Astrodon.[4]
Priconodon Nomen dubium Othniel Charles Marsh

Birds

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New taxa

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Name Status Authors Notes
Neochen pugil Valid Oluf Winge

Plesiosaurs

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Newly named plesiosaurs

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Name Status Authors Location Images
Trinacromerum Valid Cragin
 
Trinacromerum.

Pterosaurs

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New taxa

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Synapsids

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Non-mammalian

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Name Status Authors Age Location Images
Palaeohatteria Valid Credner
Phocosaurus Valid Seeley

See also

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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. ^ John Wright (2014). The Naming of the Shrew: A Curious History of Latin Names. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 47–49. ISBN 978-1-4088-2035-3.
  3. ^ Lydekker, R. (1888). Catalogue of Fossil Reptilia and Amphibia in the British Museum (Natural History). Part I. Containing the Orders Ornithosauria, Crocodilia, Dinosauria, Squamata, Rhynchocephalia and Pterosauria. Taylor and Francis. pp. 247–248.
  4. ^ Rose, Peter J. (2007). "A new titanosauriform sauropod (Dinosauria: Saurischia) from the Early Cretaceous of central Texas and its phylogenetic relationships". Palaeontologia Electronica. 10 (2).