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 1891.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
+...

Arthropods edit

Newly named insects edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Aeromyrma antiqua[2]

Comb nov

jr synonym

(Mayr, 1868)

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

  Europe

Fossil myrmicine ant,
moved to Erebomyrma antiqua in 1915
Synonym of Carebara antiqua

 
Carebara antiqua

Cataulacus planiceps[2]

Sp nov

valid

Emery

Late Eocene? - Middle Miocene?

Sicilian amber

  Italy:
  Sicily

A myrmicine ant.

 
Cataulacus planiceps

Cataulacus silvestrii[2]

Sp nov

valid

Emery

Late Eocene? - Middle Miocene?

Sicilian amber

  Italy:
  Sicily

A myrmicine ant.

 
Cataulacus silvestrii

Ectatomma gracile[2]

Sp nov

valid

Emery

Late Eocene? - Middle Miocene?

Sicilian amber

  Italy:
  Sicily

An ectatommine ant.

 
Ectatomma gracile

Hypopomyrmex[2]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Emery

Late Eocene? - Middle Miocene?

Sicilian amber

  Italy:
  Sicily

A myrmicine ant.
Type species H. bombiccii

 
Hypopomyrmex bombiccii

Plagiolepis labilis[2]

Sp nov

valid

Emery

Late Eocene? - Middle Miocene?

Sicilian amber

  Italy:
  Sicily

A formicine ant.

 
Plagiolepis labilis

Ponera leptocephala[2]

Sp nov

valid

Emery

Late Eocene? - Middle Miocene?

Sicilian amber

  Italy:
  Sicily

A ponerine ant.

 
Ponera leptocephala

Archosauromorphs edit

Newly named dinosaurs edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Agrosaurus

Gen et sp nov

Possible jr. synonym

Seeley

Rhaetian?

  England

Possible junior subjective synonym of Thecodontosaurus.

Ammosaurus

Gen nov

synonym

Marsh

Early Jurassic

  USA (  Connecticut) (  Massachusetts) Jr synonym of Anchisaurus polyzelus

 
Anchisaurus polyzelus

Calamosaurus

Gen et comb nov

Nomen dubium

Lydekker

Barremian

Wessex Formation

  England

a possible basal coelurosaurian

 
Calamosaurus foxi

Sterrholophus

Gen et comb nov

Jr. synonym

Marsh

Maastrichtian

Lance Formation

  USA

Type species S. flabellatus
Junior subjective synonym of Triceratops horridus.

 
Triceratops horridus

Torosaurus

Gen et 2 sp

Valid

Marsh

Maastrichtian

Lance Formation

  USA;
  Texas

 
Torosaurus.

Newly named birds edit

Name Status Authors Notes
Dryornis pampeanus Valid Moreno & Mercerat

Neochen debilis

Valid

Florentino Ameghino

References edit

  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. ^ a b c d e f g Emery, C. (1891). "Le formiche dell'ambra Siciliana nel Museo Mineralogico dell'Università di Bologna" [The ants of Sicilian amber in the Mineralogical Museum of the University of Bologna]. Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna (in Italian). 5: 141–165. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.692.9292. doi:10.1127/0077-7749/2014/0409.