1881 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 1881.

Molluscs

Bivalves

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Fordilla[2]	gen et sp nov	Valid	Barrande	Early Cambrian		USA	early Cambrian bivalve genus	Fordilla troyensis
Nucula ponderata [3]	sp nov	synonym	Barrande	Ordovician		France Portugal UK	moved to the genus Concavodonta as C. ponderata in 1972

Dinosaurs

Newly named dinosaurs

Name Status Authors Location Notes ''Crataeomus'' Nomen dubium Harry Govier Seeley Possible subjective synonym of Struthiosaurus. ''Diracodon'' Nomen dubium Othniel Charles Marsh Possible subjective synonym of Stegosaurus. Doratodon Misidentification Harry Govier Seeley Misidentified crocodilian. Hallopus Misidentification. Othniel Charles Marsh Misidentified crocodilian. ''Hoplosaurus'' Nomen dubium Harry Govier Seeley synonym of Pelorosaurus. Mochlodon Valid Harry Govier Seeley Austria Hungary Romania A Dwarf Iguanodont. ''Oligosaurus'' Nomen dubium Harry Govier Seeley Possible subjective synonym of Rhabdodon. ''Ornithomerus'' Jr. synonym Harry Govier Seeley Junior subjective synonym of Rhabdodon. ''Pleuropeltus'' Nomen dubium Harry Govier Seeley Possible subjective synonym of Struthiosaurus. Rhadinosaurus Nomen dubium Harry Govier Seeley Austria

Pterosaurs

New taxa

Name Status Authors Location Notes Dermodactylus Valid Marsh Laopteryx Valid Marsh Nyctodactylus Jr. synonym. Marsh Jr. synonym of Nyctosaurus.

Synapsids

Non-mammalian

Name	Status	Authors	Age	Location	Notes	Images
Aelurosaurus	Valid	Owen	257 Million of years ago	South Africa	A Saber-Toothed Gorgonopsian.	Aelurosaurus

Paleontologists

• Death of the Reverend William Fox a significant early collector of dinosaur fossils from the Isle of Wight.^[4]