1920 in paleontology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 1920.
Arthropods
Newly named insects
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sp nov |
valid |
Late Eocene |
A dolichoderine ant |
 | ||||
|
Sp nov |
jr synonym |
Late Eocene |
A dolichoderine ant |
 ("E. emeryi" holotype) | ||||
|
Sp nov |
jr synonym |
Late Eocene |
A dolichoderine ant |
 | ||||
Archosauromorphs
Crocodilians
New taxa
| Taxon | Novelty | Status | Author(s) | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Fourtau |
Moghra Formation |
A member of the Gavialoidea. It was later placed in a distinct genus, Sutekhsuchus, by Burke et al. in 2024. |
|
Dinosaurs
New taxa
| Taxon | Novelty | Status | Author(s) | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aristosaurus[4] | Gen. et sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | van Hoepen | Pliensbachian | Clarens Formation |  South Africa |
A prosauropod sometimes synonymized with Massospondylus |  |
| Dromicosaurus[5] | Gen. et sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | van Hoepen | Late Triassic-Early Jurassic | Elliot Formation | South Africa |
A prosauropod sometimes synonymized with Massospondylus |  |
| Elaphrosaurus[6] | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Janensch | Kimmeridgian | Tendaguru Formation |  Tanzania |
A slender theropod |  |
| Eucnemesaurus[5] | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | van Hoepen | Norian | Elliot Formation | South Africa |
A prosauropod | |
| Kritosaurus incurvimanus[7] | Sp. nov. | Valid | Parks | Campanian | Dinosaur Park Formation |  Canada Alberta |
A species of Kritosaurus |  |
| Procheneosaurus[8] | Gen. nov.? | Jr. synonym | Matthew | Campanian | Dinosaur Park Formation | Canada Alberta |
A genus lacking a species name, sometimes considered a nomen nudum. A synonym of Lambeosaurus |  |
Synapsids
Non-mammalian
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Valid |
Broom | 257 Millions of years ago. | ||||
|
Valid |
Joleaud | |||||
|
Valid |
Broom | 250 Millions of years ago. |  | |||
|
Valid |
Watson | 245 Millions of years ago. | ||||
