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 1851.
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Arthropods
Insects
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
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Sp. nov | jr synonym | A Limoniid cranefly, |  | |||||
Sp. nov | jr synonym | A Limoniid cranefly, | _longirostris_fig_10_body_01.jpg) | |||||
Sp. nov | jr synonym | A Limoniid cranefly, | _pulchella_Fig_12_body_01.jpg) |
Archosauromorphs
Newly named phytosaurs
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov | Lea | Late Triassic (Norian) |
Plesiosaurs
Newly named plesiosaurs
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid | Leidy | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | An elasmosaurid. | ||||
Valid | Leidy | Late Cretaceous | A dubious elasmosaurid. | ||||