Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils.^[1] 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 1869.

Arthropods

Insects

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Elephantomyia brevipalpa[2]	comb. nov	Valid	(Loew) Osten-Sacken	Middle Eocene	Baltic amber	Germany  Poland  Russia	A Limoniid cranefly,
Elephantomyia longirostris[2]	comb. nov	Valid	(Loew) Osten-Sacken	Middle Eocene	Baltic amber	Poland  Russia	A Limoniid cranefly,
Elephantomyia pulchella[2]	comb. nov	Valid	(Loew) Osten-Sacken	Middle Eocene	Baltic amber	Poland  Russia	A Limoniid cranefly,

Dinosaurs

Name Status Authors Location Notes Images Cryptosaurus Valid Harry Govier Seeley  England Gigantosaurus Nomen dubium Harry Govier Seeley  England Hypselosaurus Valid Matheron  France Hypsibema Valid Edward Drinker Cope  USA ( Missouri and  North Carolina) Hypsilophodon Valid Thomas Henry Huxley  UK A small and agile ornithopod. Ornithotarsus Nomen dubium Edward Drinker Cope Rhabdodon Valid Matheron  France  Spain  Romania A dwarf relative of Iguanodon.

Plesiosaurs

New taxa

Name Status Authors Location Notes Images Crymocetus Valid Cope Polycotylus Valid Cope  France ( Alabama,  Kansas and  Wyoming) An advanced Short-Necked plesiosaur. Stereosaurus Valid Seeley

Pterosaurs

New taxa

Name Status Authors Location Notes Images Ornithocheirus Valid Seeley  DRC  France  Germany  Portugal  Russia  UK A Pterosaur with a pair of round crests on its beak, which probably served to keep its food from escaping. Ptenodactylus Jr. synonym. Jr. synonym of Pterodactylus.

Paleontologists

• Death of German Paleontologist Christian Hermann Erich von Meyer.^[3]