1869 in paleontology

	... 1859; 1860; 1861; 1862; 1863; 1864; 1865 ...; ; 1866; 1867; 1868; 1869; 1870; 1871; 1872; ; ... 1873; 1874; 1875; 1876; 1877; 1878; 1879 ...;
	In science 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872
	Art; Archaeology; Architecture; Literature; Music; Philosophy; Science +...;

Paleontology or palaeontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") 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 1869.

Arthropods[edit]

Insects[edit]

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Elephantomyia brevipalpa^[2]	comb. nov	Valid	(Loew) Osten-Sacken	Middle Eocene	Baltic amber	Germany Poland Russia	A Limoniid cranefly,	Elephantomyia brevipalpa
Elephantomyia longirostris^[2]	comb. nov	Valid	(Loew) Osten-Sacken	Middle Eocene	Baltic amber	Poland Russia	A Limoniid cranefly,	Elephantomyia longirostris
Elephantomyia pulchella^[2]	comb. nov	Valid	(Loew) Osten-Sacken	Middle Eocene	Baltic amber	Poland Russia	A Limoniid cranefly,	Elephantomyia pulchella

Dinosaurs[edit]

Name	Status	Authors	Location	Notes	Images
Cryptosaurus	Valid	Harry Govier Seeley	England
Gigantosaurus	Nomen dubium	Harry Govier Seeley	England Tanzania
Hypselosaurus	Valid	Matheron	France
Hypsibema	Nomen dubium	Edward Drinker Cope	USA ( Missouri and North Carolina)
Hypsilophodon	Valid	Thomas Henry Huxley	UK	A small and Agile Ornithopod.	Hypsilophodon
Ornithotarsus	Nomen dubium	Edward Drinker Cope
Rhabdodon	Valid	Matheron	France Spain Romania Czech Republic	A dwarf relative of Iguanodon.	Rhabdodon

Plesiosaurs[edit]

New taxa[edit]

Name	Status	Authors	Location	Notes	Images
Crymocetus	Valid	Cope
Polycotylus	Valid	Cope	France ( Alabama, Kansas and Wyoming)	An advanced Short-Necked plesiosaur.	Polycotylus
Stereosaurus	Valid	Seeley

Pterosaurs[edit]

New taxa[edit]

Name	Status	Authors		Location	Notes	Images
Ornithocheirus	Valid	Seeley		DRC France Germany Portugal Russia UK	A Pterosaur with a pair of round crests on its beak, which probably served to keep its food from escaping.	Ornithocheirus
Ptenodactylus	Jr. synonym.				Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus.