1931 in paleontology

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 1931.

Vertebrates

Conodonts

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Idiognathodus[2]	Gen et sp nov	valid	Gunnell	Gzhelian	Fort Scott Limestone	USA Missouri		The type species is I. simulator

Jawless fish

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Cardipeltis[3]	Gen est sp nov	Valid	Branson & Mehl	Devonian	Jefferson Formation	USA Utah		A heterostracan agnathan The type species is C. wallacii.	Cardipeltis wallacii

Crocodylomorphs

Taxon	Novelty	Status	Author(s)	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Brasileosaurus[4]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	Huene	Turonian	Adamantina Formation	Brazil		Named as a coelurosaurbut reclassified as a notosuchid[5]

Dinosaurs

Taxon	Novelty	Status	Author(s)	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Carcharodontosaurus[6]	Gen. et comb. nov.	Valid	Stromer	Cenomanian	Bahariya Formation	Egypt	A new genus for Megalosaurus saharicus
Cionodon kysylkumense[7]	Sp. nov.	Nomen dubium	Riabinin	Cenomanian	Dzharakuduk Formation	Uzbekistan	A species of Cionodon
Embasaurus minax[8]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Nomen dubium	Riabinin	Berriasian	Neocomian sands	Kazakhstan	A theropod of uncertain placement
Orthogoniosaurus matleyi[9]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Nomen dubium	Das-Gupta	Maastrichtian	Lameta Formation	India	An indeterminate theropod tooth-taxon
Parasaurolophus tubicen[10]	Sp. nov.	Valid	Wiman	Campanian	Kirtland Formation	USA	A species of Parasaurolophus
Tetragonosaurus praeceps[11]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Jr. synonym	Parks	Campanian	Dinosaur Park Formation	Canada	A juvenile of Lambeosaurus
Tetragonosaurus erectofrons[11]	Sp. nov.	Jr. synonym	Parks	Campanian	Dinosaur Park Formation	Canada	A juvenile of Corythosaurus

Synapsids

New taxa

Name	Status	Authors	Age	Location	Notes	Images
Cerataelurus	Junior synonym of Pristerodon.
Ericiolacerta	Valid	Watson	250 Millions of years ago.	Antarctica South Africa	Despite the meaning of his name, it was not related to lizards.	Ericiolacerta
Euchambersia	Valid	Broom
Ictidostoma	Valid	Broom	261 Millions of years ago.	South Africa
Ictidosuchoides	Valid	Broom	257 Millions of years ago.	South Africa		Ictidosuchoides
Keratocephalus	Valid	Huene	261 Millions of years ago.	South Africa	A protomammal with strange bumps on its head.	Keratocephalus
Lycideops	Valid	Broom	257 Millions of years ago.	South Africa
Megacyclops	Junior synonym of Neomegacyclops. [dubious – discuss]
Neomegacyclops	Valid	Boonstra

Arthropods

Insects

Blattoidea

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Stylotermes washingtonensis[12]	sp. nov	Jr synonym	Snyder	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A Stylotermitid termite. Moved to Parastylotermes washingtonensis (1949)[13]

Coleoptera

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Pterostichus fernquisti[14]	sp. nov		Wickham	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A carabid ground beetle
Dytiscus latahensis[14]	sp. nov		Wickham	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A predaceous diving beetle

Diptera

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Elephantomyia baltica[15]	Sp. nov	valid	Alexander	Middle Eocene	Baltic amber	Russia	A Limoniid cranefly

Hymenoptera

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Bombus proavus[16]	Sp. nov		Cockerell	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A bumble bee

Hemiptera

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Latahcoris[16]	Gen et sp. nov		Cockerell	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A tessaratomid giant stink bug The type species is L. spectatus
Miocordulia[17]	Gen et sp. nov		Kennedy	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A corduliid dragonfly The type species is M. latipennis
Miopsyche[18]	Gen et 2 sp. nov		Carpenter	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A northern caddisfly genus The type species is M. alexanderi Also includes M. martynovi
Phryganea spokanensis[18]	Sp. nov		Carpenter	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Spokane Florule	USA Washington	A giant caddisfly species

Plants

Angiosperms

Monocots

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Lysichiton washingtonense[19]	Sp nov	Valid?	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule	USA Washington		First described as a skunk cabbage fruit species Treated as placement incertae sedis by Chaney & Axelrod (1959)[20]	Lysichiton washingtonense

Superasterids

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Nyssa hesperia[19]	Sp nov	valid	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule	USA Washington		A tuplo seed species.[21]

Superrosids

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Vitis bonseri[19]	Sp nov	valid	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule	USA Washington		A grape seed species.
Hicoria washingtoniana[19]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule	USA Washington		First described as a hickory species. Synonymized into Magnolia dayana	Magnolia dayana
Quercus mccanni[19]	Sp nov	valid	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule	USA Washington		An oak species.	Quercus mccanni
Ptelea miocenica[19]	Sp nov	valid	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule	USA Washington		An hoptree species.	Ptelea miocenica

Incertae sedis

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Phyllites couleeannus[19]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule	USA Washington		First described as a leaf morphospecies of uncertain affinity. Moved to Amelanchier couleeana (1946)[22]	Amelanchier couleeana