# 1868 in paleontology

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 1868.

## Arthropoda
### Newly named crustaceans

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Astacus politus | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Schlüter | Early Cretaceous | Bückeberg Formation | Germany | Moved to the genus Protastacus in 1983. |
| Enoploclytia paucispina | Sp nov | Valid | Schlüter | | | Germany | An erymid. |
| Eurycarpus | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Schlüter | | | Germany | A decapod, type species is E. nanodactylus. |
| Hoploparia macrodactyla | Sp nov | Valid | Schlüter | | | Germany | A lobster |
| Necrocarcinus senonensis | Sp nov | Valid | Schlüter | | | Germany | A necrocarcinid. |
| Palaeocorystes laevis | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Schlüter | Late Cretaceous (Upper Santonian) | | Germany | Moved to Bournelyreidus in 2012. |
| Squilla cretacea | Sp nov | Valid | Schlüter | Cretaceous | | Germany | A mantis shrimp |

### Newly named insects

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Aphaenogaster berendti | Sp nov | jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | A myrmicine ant. Moved to Stenamma berendti in 1915 | Stenamma berendti |
| Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti | Sp nov | valid | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | A myrmicine ant. | Aphaenogaster sommerfeldti |
| Camponotus constrictus | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil formicine ant., moved to Formica constrictus in 1915 Synonym of Cataglyphoides constrictus | Cataglyphoides constrictus |
| Camponotus mengei | Sp nov | valid | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil formicine ant. | Camponotus mengei |
| Enneamerus | Gen et 2 sp nov | valid | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | A myrmecine ant. 2 species | Enneamerus reticulatus |
| Formica flori | Sp nov | valid | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil formicine ant | Formica flori |
| Hypoclinea balticus | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus balticus in 1893 | Dolichoderus balticus |
| Hypoclinea constricta | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, jr synonym of Yantaromyrmex constricta | Yantaromyrmex constricta |
| Hypoclinea cornuta | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus cornutus in 1893 | Dolichoderus cornutus |
| Hypoclinea geinitzi | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, jr synonym of Yantaromyrmex geinitzi | Yantaromyrmex geinitzi |
| Hypoclinea goepperti | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Bothriomyrmex goepperti in 1893, jr synonym of Ctenobethylus goepperti | Ctenobethylus goepperti |
| Hypoclinea longipennis | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus longipennis in 1893 | Dolichoderus longipennis |
| Hypoclinea sculpturata | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus sculpturata in 1893 | Dolichoderus sculpturatus |
| Hypoclinea tertiaria | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Dolichoderine ant, moved to Dolichoderus tertiaria in 1893 | Dolichoderus tertiarius |
| Myrmica duisburgi | sp nov | jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil Agroecomyrmecine ant, moved to Agroecomyrmex duisburgi in 1910 | Myrmica duisburgi |
| Pheidologeton antiquus | sp nov | jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil myrmicine ant, moved to Aeromyrma antiqua in 1891 Synonym of Carebara antiqua | Carebara antiqua |
| Ponera succinea | Sp nov | jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | Baltic Amber | Europe | A ponerine ant, moved to Pachycondyla succinea in 1995 | Pachycondyla succinea |
| Prenolepis pygmaea | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Mayr | Middle Eocene | European amber | Europe | Fossil formicine ant, jr synonym of Nylanderia pygmaea | Nylanderia pygmaea |
| Stigmomyrmex | Gen et sp nov | valid | Mayr | Middle Eocene | European amber | Europe | A myrmicin ant. Type species S. venustus | Stigmomyrmex venustus |

## Archosauromorphs
### Dinosaurs

* Leidy collaborated with artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins to mount Hadrosaurus foulkii for the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. This became both the first mounted dinosaur skeleton ever mounted for public display and also one of the most popular exhibits in the history of the academy. Estimates have the Hadrosaurus exhibit as increasing the number of visitors by up to 50%.

#### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Aublysodon | Gen et sp nov | Nomen dubium | Leidy | Late Cretaceous | Judith River Formation | USA ( Montana) | Possible subjective synonym of Albertosaurus or Deinodon. | Aublysodon may be a synonym of Albertosaurus. |
| Diplotomodon | Gen nov | Nomen dubium | Leidy | Late Cretaceous | Navesink Formation or Hornerstown Formation | USA ( New Jersey) | Possible subjective synonym of Dryptosaurus. | |

## Plesiosaurs
### New taxa

| Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Notes |
| Elasmosaurus | Valid | Cope | | |

## Synapsids
### Non-mammalian

| Name | Status | Authors | Discovery year | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Pristerodon | Valid | Huxley | | | | | | |