1920 in paleontology

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
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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

Dolichoderus vectensis[2]

Sp nov

valid

Donisthorpe

Late Eocene

Bembridge Marls

 England

A dolichoderine ant

Dolichoderus vectensis

Emplastus emeryi[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Donisthorpe

Late Eocene

Bembridge Marls

 England

A dolichoderine ant
jr synonym of Emplastus britannicus

Emplastus britannicus
("E. emeryi" holotype)

Dolichoderus gurnetensis[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Donisthorpe

Late Eocene

Bembridge Marls

 England

A dolichoderine ant
jr synonym of Emplastus gurnetensis

E. gurnetensis queen

Archosauromorphs

New pseudosuchian taxa

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes Images

Tomistoma dowsoni[3]

Sp. nov

Valid

Fourtau

Burdigalian

Moghra Formation

 Egypt

A member of the Gavialoidea. It was later placed in a distinct genus, Sutekhsuchus, by Burke et al. in 2024.

Newly named dinosaurs

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[4]

Name Status Authors Location Notes Images

"Aristosaurus"[5]

Junior synonym.

  • van Hoepen

Junior synonym of Massospondylus.

"Dromicosaurus"[5]

Junior synonym.

  • van Hoepen

Junior synonym of Massospondylus.

Elaphrosaurus[6] Valid taxon
Elaphrosaurus
Eucnemesaurus[5] Valid taxon
  • van Hoepen
"Procheneosaurus"[7] Junior synonym.
  • Matthew
 Junior synonym of Lambeosaurus.

Synapsids

Non-mammalian

Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images

Alopecopsis

Valid

Broom 257 Millions of years ago.

Broomisaurus

Valid

Joleaud

Moschorhinus

Valid

Broom 250 Millions of years ago.
Moschorhinus

Protacmon

Valid

Watson 245 Millions of years ago.

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. ^ a b c Antropov AV, Belokobylskij SA, Compton SG, Dlussky GM, Khalaim AI, KolyadaVA, Kozlov MA, PerfilievaKS, Rasnitsyn AP (2014). "The wasps, bees and ants (Insecta: Vespida=Hymenoptera) from the Insect Limestone (Late Eocene) of the Isle of Wight, UK" (PDF). Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 104 (3–4): 335–446. doi:10.1017/S1755691014000103.
  3. ^ Fourtau, R. (1920). "Contribution à l'étude des vertébrés miocènes de l'Egypte". Government Press.
  4. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  5. ^ a b c Hoepen, E.C.N. van. 1920. Contributions to the knowledge of the reptiles of the Karro Formation. 5. A new dinosaur from the Stormberg Beds. 6. Further dinosaurian material in the Transvaal Museum. Ann. Transvaal. Mus. 7: pp. 77-141.
  6. ^ Janensch, W. 1920. Uber Elaphrosaurus bambergi und die Megalosaurier aus den Tendaguru-Schichten Deutsch-Ostafricas. Sitzungsberichte Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde Berlin 8: pp. 225-235.
  7. ^ Matthew, W.D. 1920. Canadian dinosaurs. Nat. Hist. 20: pp. 536-544.