1846 in paleontology

List of years in paleontology (table)
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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		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		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.