1859 in paleontology
# 1859 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 1859.

## Dinosaurs

### Newly named dinosaurs

| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Astrodon | Valid | Johnston | Early Cretaceous (Aptian/Albian boundary) | Arundel Formation | United States ( Maryland) | An indeterminate titanosauriform. | Astrodon. |
| Compsognathus | Valid | Wagner | Late Jurassic (Tithonian) | Solnhofen Limestone | Germany  France | A compsognathid. | Compsognathus. |
| Hadrosaurus | Valid | Joseph Leidy | Late Cretaceous (early Campanian) | Woodbury Formation | United States New Jersey | A hadrosaurid. |
| Scelidosaurus | Valid | Sir Richard Owen | Early Jurassic (Hettangian-Sinemurian) | Blue Lias | UK | A basal thyreophoran. | Scelidosaurus. |

## Pterosaurs

### New taxa

| Name | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Dimorphodon | 195 Millions years ago | Mexico UK Antarctica | A dimorphodontid; new generic name for Pterodactylus macronyx. A shellfish-eating Pterosaur. | Dimorphodon |

## Synapsids

### Non-mammalian

| Genus | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Galesaurus | 252 Millions of years ago | South Africa | | |
