title: 1920 in paleontology
text: # 1920 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 1920.
  
  ## Arthropods
  
  ### Newly named insects
  
  | Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Dolichoderus vectensis | Sp nov | valid | Donisthorpe | Late Eocene | Bembridge Marls | England | A dolichoderine ant | Dolichoderus vectensis |
  | Emplastus emeryi | 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 | Sp nov | jr synonym | Donisthorpe | Late Eocene | Bembridge Marls | England | A dolichoderine ant jr synonym of Emplastus gurnetensis | E. gurnetensis queen |
  
  ## Archosauromorphs
  
  ### Newly named dinosaurs
  
  Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.
  
  | Name | Status | Authors | Location | Notes | Images |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | "Aristosaurus" | Junior synonym. | van Hoepen | | Junior synonym of Massospondylus. |
  | "Dromicosaurus" | Junior synonym. | van Hoepen | | Junior synonym of Massospondylus. | |
  | Elaphrosaurus | Valid taxon | Werner Janensch | Tanzania | | Elaphrosaurus |
  | Eucnemesaurus | Valid taxon | van Hoepen | South Africa | | |
  | "Procheneosaurus" | Junior synonym. | Matthew | | Junior synonym of Lambeosaurus. | |
  
  ## Synapsids
  
  ### Non-mammalian
  
  | Name | Status | Authors | Age | Location | Images |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Alopecopsis | Valid | Broom | 257 Millions of years ago. | South Africa | |
  | Broomisaurus | Valid | Joleaud | | | |
  | Moschorhinus | Valid | Broom | 250 Millions of years ago. | South Africa | Moschorhinus |
  | Protacmon | Valid | Watson | 245 Millions of years ago. | South Africa | |
  