Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") 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 faeces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has 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 in the year 1978.

Expeditions, field work, and fossil discoveries

Cnidarians

Maurits Lindström, described the earliest known octocoral in Sweden shifting the first known appearance from the Cretaceous to the Ordovician.

Arthropods

Newly named crustaceans

Fish

Newly named Ray-finned fish

Dinosaurs

Newly named dinosaurs

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

General research

Birds

Pterosaurs

Popular culture