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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 1884.

Arthropods

insects

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type locality	Location	Notes	Images
Anomalites	Gen et Sp nov	valid	Frič	Eocene Priabonian	Nogent-le-Rotrou	France	A scarab beetle preserved in quartz

Vertebrates

Expeditions, field work, and fossil discoveries

• Joseph Burr Tyrrell discovered a partial Albertosaurus skull near Kneehills Creek in Alberta Canada. This specimen is now catalogued as CMN 5600.

Pseudosuchians

Newly named pseudosuchians
Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type unit	Location	Notes	Images
Macelognathus	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Marsh	Kimmeridgian-Tithonian	Como Bluff Morrison Formation	USA  Wyoming	A sphenosuchian crocodylomorph. Type species M. vagans

Non-avian dinosaurs

newly named non-avian dinosaurs
Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type unit	Location	Notes	Images
Ceratosaurus	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Marsh	Kimmeridgian-Tithonian	Morrison Formation	USA  Colorado	A ceratosaurid ceratosaur Type species C. nasicornis
Dinodocus	Gen et sp nov	Nomen dubium	Owen	Aptian	Hythe Formation	UK  England	A Sauropod, type species D. mackesoni

Synapsids

Newly named non-mammalian synapsids
Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Type unit	Location	Notes	Images
Tritylodon	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Owen	Hettangian–Sinemurian	Karoo Supergroup	South Africa	A tritylodontid, type species T. longaevus

Plesiosaurs

References

1. Gini-Newman, Garfield; Graham, Elizabeth (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 9780070887398. OCLC 46769716.
2. Frič, A. (1884). "Uiber einen fossilen Maikäfer (Anomalites fugitivus Fr.) aus dem tertiären Süsswasserquarz von Nogent le Rotron in Frankreich". Sitzungsberichte der Königlich-Böhmischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe. 1884 (20): 163–165.
3. D. H. Tanke. 2010. Lost in plain sight: rediscovery of William E. Cutler's missing Eoceratops. In M. J. Ryan, B. J. Chinnery-Allgeier, D. A. Eberth (eds.), New Perspectives on Horned Dinosaurs: The Royal Tyrrell Museum Ceratopsian Symposium. Indiana University Press, Bloomington 541-550.

• 1884 in paleontology