Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. 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 1998.

Cryptodidymosphaerites is an extinct monotypic genus of pleosporale fungus of uncertain family placement. When described it contained the single species Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis. The genus is solely known from the Early Eocene, Ypresian aged, Princeton Chert deposit of the Allenby Formation. Cryptodidymosphaerites is one of only three described fossil fungus species found in the Princeton Chert, and is a hyperparasite of Palaeoserenomyces allenbyensis, itself a tar spot-like parasite of the fossil palm Uhlia.