# 1889 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 1889.

## Dinosaurs

| Taxon | Novelty | Status | Author(s) | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Anchisaurus major | Sp. nov. | Jr. synonym | Marsh | Hettangian | Portland Formation | Connecticut | A species of Anchisaurus now a synonym of Anchisaurus polyzelus |
| Calamospondylus foxi | Gen. et sp. nov. | Preoccupied | Lydekker | Barremian | Wessex Formation | England | Preoccupied by Fox vide [Anonymous] 1866. Renamed Calamosaurus |
| Ceratops horridus | Sp. nov. | Valid | Marsh | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Wyoming | A species of Ceratops now named Triceratops horridus |
| Ceratops alticornis | Comb. nov. | Nomen dubium | Marsh | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Colorado | A reassignment of Bison alticornis to Ceratops following reidentification of the age |
| Coelophysis | Gen. nov. | Valid | Cope | Rhaetian | Chinle Formation | New Mexico | A new genus for Coelurus bauri |
| Cryptodraco | Gen. nov. | Jr. synonym | Lydekker | Oxfordian | Oxford Clay Formation | England | Unnecessary replacement name for Cryptosaurus |
| Hadrosaurus breviceps | Sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Marsh | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Montana | A species of Hadrosaurus |
| Hadrosaurus paucidens | Sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Marsh | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Montana | A species of Hadrosaurus |
| Monoclonius fissus | Sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Cope | Campanian | Judith River Formation | Montana | A species of Monoclonius |
| Monoclonius recurvicornis | Sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Cope | Campanian | Judith River Formation | Montana | A species of Monoclonius |
| Monoclonius sphenocerus | Sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Cope | Campanian | Judith River Formation | Montana | A species of Monoclonius |
| Morosaurus agilis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Marsh | Kimmeridgian | Morrison Formation | Colorado | A species of Morosaurus, now Smitanosaurus agilis |
| Morosaurus lentus | Sp. nov. | Valid | Marsh | Kimmeridgian | Morrison Formation | Wyoming | A species of Morosaurus, now Camarasaurus lentus |
| Nodosaurus textilis | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Marsh | Cenomanian | Frontier Formation | Wyoming | A club-less ankylosaur |
| Orinosaurus | Gen. nov. | Jr. synonym | Lydekker | Norian | Elliot Formation | South Africa | Unnecessary replacement name for Orosaurus |
| Pteropelyx grallipes | Gen. et sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Cope | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Montana | A hadrosaurid |
| Triceratops | Gen. nov. | Valid | Marsh | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Wyoming | A new genus for Ceratops horridus |
| Triceratops flabellatus | Sp. nov. | Jr. synonym | Marsh | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Wyoming | A species of Triceratops now a synonym of Triceratops horridus |
| Triceratops galeus | Sp. nov. | Jr. synonym | Marsh | Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | Colorado | A species of Triceratops now a synonym of Triceratops horridus |

## Plesiosaurs
### New taxa

| Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Notes |
| Peloneustes | Valid | Lydekker | | |