title: 1888 in paleontology
text: # 1888 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 1888.
  
  ## Newly named plants
  
  | Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Aachenosaurus | Nomen dubium | Smets | | Misidentified piece of petrified wood. |
  
  ## Dinosaurs
  
  ### Publications
  
  * Richard Lydekker published a catalogue of reptiles in the British Museum of Natural History, their collection information, and their classification.
  
  ### Newly named taxa
  
  | Name | Status | Authors | Location | Notes | Images |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Ceratops | Nomen dubium | Othniel Charles Marsh | USA ( Montana | Preoccupied by Rafinesque, 1815. Later unnecessarily renamed Proceratops. | |
  | Cumnoria | Valid | Harry Govier Seeley | UK | A member of Ankylopollexia. | Cumnoria |
  | Pleurocoelus | Valid | Othniel Charles Marsh | USA ( Maryland) | A contested synonym for Astrodon. | |
  | Priconodon | Nomen dubium | Othniel Charles Marsh | USA ( Maryland) | | |
  
  ## Birds
  
  ### New taxa
  
  | Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Neochen pugil | Valid | Oluf Winge | | |
  
  ## Plesiosaurs
  
  ### Newly named plesiosaurs
  
  | Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Location | Images |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Trinacromerum | Valid | Cragin | | Canada ( Manitoba)  USA ( Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Utah) | Trinacromerum. |
  
  ## Synapsids
  
  ### Non-mammalian
  
  | Name | Status | Authors | Age | Location | Images |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Palaeohatteria | Valid | Credner | | | |
  | Phocosaurus | Valid | Seeley | | | |
  