1846 in paleontology
# 1846 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 1846.

## Archosauromorphs

### New taxa

| Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Smilodon | Preoccupied | Plieninger | | Middle Triassic (Ladinian) | Erfurt Formation | Germany | The name was also preoccupied by the well known species of prehistoric cat. The genus was later renamed Zanclodon. |
| Zanclodon | Valid | Plieninger | | Middle Triassic (Ladinian) | Erfurt Formation | Germany | A non-dinosaurian archosaur; replacement name for Smilodon Plieninger, 1846 (non Lund 1842). |

## Pterosaurs

### New taxa

| Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cimoliornis | Nomen dubium | Owen | | Middle Cretaceous (Turonian) | Unnamed unit in Chalk Group | UK | A dubious pterosaur. | |
| Rhamphorhynchus | Valid | von Meyer | | Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian) | Solnhofen Formation | Germany  Portugal  Tanzania  UK  Spain | A rhamphorhynchid pterosaur. | Rhamphorhynchus |

## Sauropterygians

### Newly named plesiosaurs

| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Plesiosaurus megacephalus | Valid | Stutchbury | Early Jurassic (Hettangian-Sinemurian) | Blue Lias | UK | A rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur; type species of Atychodracon Smith, 2015. | |
