This article records new taxa of fossil archosaurs of every kind described during the year 2020, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleontology of archosaurs that occurred in 2020.
Pseudosuchians
New pseudosuchian taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes ImagesAlligator hailensisSp. novValidStoutEarly Pleistocene()An alligator.AndrianavoayGen. et comb. novValidJohnson, Young & BrusatteMiddle Jurassic (Bathonian)A machimosaurid teleosauroid. The type species is "Steneosaurus" baroni Newton (1893).Bottosaurus fustidensSp. novValidCossettePaleocene (Tiffanian)Black Peaks()A caiman.Brochuchus parvidensSp. novValidCossette et al.MioceneA member of the family Crocodylidae.CharitomenosuchusGen. et comb. novValidJohnson, Young & BrusatteMiddle Jurassic (Middle Callovian)Oxford ClayA machimosaurid teleosauroid. The type species is "Steneosaurus" leedsi Andrews (1909).ClovesuurdameredeorGen. et comb. novValidJohnson, Young & BrusatteMiddle Jurassic (Bathonian)CornbrashA machimosaurid teleosauroid. The type species is "Steneosaurus" stephani Hulke (1877).Cricosaurus puelchorumSp. novValidHerrera, Fernández & VennariEarly Cretaceous (Berriasian)Vaca MuertaA species of Cricosaurus. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021. Deinosuchus schwimmeri Sp. nov Valid Cossette & Brochu Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Coffee SandMooreville ()A species of Deinosuchus.DorbignysuchusGen. et sp. novValidJouve et al.PaleoceneSanta LucíaA dyrosaurid. The type species is D. niatu.Dynamosuchus Gen. et sp. novValidMüller et al.Late Triassic (Carnian)Santa MariaA member of the family Ornithosuchidae. The type species is D. collisensis.Indosinosuchus kalasinensisSp. novDisputedJohnson, Young & BrusatteLate Jurassic (Tithonian?)Phu KrandungA teleosaurid teleosauroid. Argued by Lauprasert et al. (2026) to be a junior synonym of Indosinosuchus potamosiamensis.LuciasuchusGen. et sp. novValidJouve et al.PaleoceneSanta LucíaA dyrosaurid. The type species is L. lurusinqa.Melanosuchus latrubesseiSp. novValidSouza-Filho et al.Late MioceneSolimõesA relative of the black caiman.NeosteneosaurusGen. et comb. novValidJohnson, Young & BrusatteMiddle Jurassic (Middle Callovian)Oxford ClayMarnes de DivesA machimosaurid teleosauroid. The type species is "Steneosaurus" edwardsi Eudes-Deslongchamps (1867).OgresuchusGen. et sp. novValidSellés et al.Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian)TrempA sebecid crocodyliform. The type species is O. furatus. Announced in 2020; the correction including the required evidence of registration in ZooBank was published in 2021.PaludirexGen. et sp. et comb. novValidRistevski et al.Pliocene and PleistoceneA mekosuchine. The type species is P. vincenti; genus also includes "Pallimnarchus" gracilis Willis & Molnar (1997).PlagiophthalmosuchusGen. et comb. novValidJohnson, Young & BrusatteEarly Jurassic (Early Toarcian)DudelangeWhitby MudstoneAlum ShaleA basal teleosauroid. The type species is "Steneosaurus" gracilirostris Westphal (1961).ProexochokefalosGen. et comb. novValidJohnson, Young & BrusatteMiddle Jurassic (Upper Callovian)Marnes de DivesCalcaire de CaenReuchenetteA machimosaurid teleosauroid. The type species is "Steneosaurus" heberti Morel de Glasville, 1876; genus also includes S. cf. bouchardi Sauvage (1872).RodeosuchusGen. et sp. novValidJouve et al.PaleoceneSanta LucíaA dyrosaurid. The type species is R. machukiru.SeldsieneanGen. et comb. novValidJohnson, Young & BrusatteMiddle Jurassic (Bathonian)Calcaire de CaenGreat OoliteCornbrashForest MarbleA machimosaurid teleosauroid. The type species is "Steneosaurus" megistorhynchus Saint-Hilaire (1866).ThalattosuchusGen. et comb. novValidYoung et al.Jurassic (Callovian/Oxfordian)Marnes de DivesOxford ClayA metriorhynchid crocodylomorph; a new genus for "Crocodilus" superciliosus Blainville in Eudes-Deslongchamps (1852).
Pseudosuchian research A study on the skeletal anatomy and bone histology of Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum, based on data from two new specimens, is published by Lecuona, Desojo & Cerda (2020). Redescription of the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton of Riojasuchus tenuisceps, and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of ornithosuchids, is published by von Baczko, Desojo & Ponce (2020). Description of a new erpetosuchid specimen from the Upper Triassic Lossiemouth Sandstone (Scotland, United Kingdom) and a review of the anatomy, taxonomy and systematics of other erpetosuchid specimens from the Lossiemouth Sandstone (all previously referred to Erpetosuchus) is published by Foffa et al. (2020). Description of new fossil material of Acaenasuchus geoffreyi and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of this species is published by Marsh et al. (2020). A three-dimensional reconstruction of the armour plates around the tail of Stagonolepis robertsoni is presented by Keeble & Benton (2020). Taxonomic revision, anatomical description, and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the type and referred materials of Prestosuchus from the original collections of Friedrich von Huene is published by Desojo, von Baczko & Rauhut (2020), who transfer the species Stagonosuchus nyassicus to the genus Prestosuchus. A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Heptasuchus clarki is published by Nesbitt, Zawiskie & Dawley (2020). A review of the crocodylomorph Triassic record in South America is published by Leardi, Yáñez & Pol (2020), who report the occurrence of a large-bodied crocodylomorph in the Ischigualasto Formation and a putative new non-crocodyliform crocodylomorph taxon from Los Colorados Formation (Argentina). A study on the anatomy of the braincase of Almadasuchus figarii, and on early evolution of cranial pneumaticity in Crocodylomorpha, is published by Leardi, Pol & Clark (2020). A study on the impact of the habitat on the evolution of body size in Crocodyliformes, based on data from extant and fossil taxa, is published by Gearty & Payne (2020). New fossil material of crocodylomorphs from the Birket Qarun Formation in the Fayum Depression (Egypt), including the first record of a sebecosuchian from the late Eocene of Africa, is described by Stefanic et al. (2020). A study on the anatomy of the skull and on the phylogenetic relationships of Araripesuchus buitreraensis, based on data from new as well as previously reported specimens, is published by Fernandez Dumont et al. (2020). A study on changes in the inner ear vestibular system, involved in sensing balance and equilibrium, throughout the evolutionary history of thalattosuchians is published by Schwab et al. (2020). A revision of the genus Steneosaurus is published by Johnson, Young & Brusatte (2020), who designate S. rostromajor as the type species of this genus, consider S. rostromajor to be a nomen dubium and propose that the genus Steneosaurus is undiagnostic. Description of new fossil material of Teleidosaurus calvadosii from the middle Bathonian of Ecouché (Normandy, France) and a redescription of the anatomy of this species is published by Hua (2020). A study on the thermophysiology of metriorhynchids, as indicated by the oxygen isotope composition of the tooth enamel phosphate, is published by Séon et al. (2020). Fossil material of two large-bodied metriorhynchids is reported from lower Kimmeridgian sediments in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg (Germany) by Abel, Sachs & Young (2020), who interpret these fossils as evidence of a new lineage of large-bodied geosaurines from the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian of Europe. Redescription of the holotype specimen of Enaliosuchus macrospondylus, a revision of the fossil material assigned to this species, and a review of the current knowledge of metriorhynchid diversity during the Cretaceous is published by Sachs, Young & Hornung (2020). A study aiming to determine whether notosuchians were warm-blooded, based on data from bone histology, is published by Cubo et al. (2020), who interpret their findings as indicating that notosuchians were likely to be ectotherms. A study on the diversity of notosuchians, aiming to determine which factors are potentially distorting the interpretations of the diversity of this group, is published by de Celis et al. (2020). A study on the anatomy and biomechanics of baurusuchid skulls, evaluating their implications for the knowledge of likely predatory behaviors of baurusuchids, is published by Montefeltro et al. (2020). New information on the anatomy of the endocranial cavities of Campinasuchus dinizi is presented by Fonseca et al. (2020). A study on the anatomy of the brain and inner ear of Baurusuchus, based on data from reconstructed endocasts, is published by Dumont et al. (2020). Pholidosaurid fossil material, representing the most recent record of this group reported so far, is described from the Paleocene (Danian) of Ouled Abdoun Basin (Morocco) by Jouve & Jalil (2020), who also reinterpret Dakotasuchus kingi, Woodbinesuchus byersmauricei and Sabinosuchus coahuilensis as pholidosaurids, and study the diversity of tethysuchians from the Late Jurassic to the early Paleogene. New specimen of Susisuchus anatoceps, displaying a non-eusuchian type palate (i.e. choana not entirely bounded by the pterygoids), is described by Montefeltro et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of the anatomy of this taxon and the phylogenetic position of susisuchids. A study on skull anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Bernissartia fagesii is published by Martin et al. (2020). Reconstruction of the internal cavities of the skull of Agaresuchus fontisensis, including the cavities that contained the brain, nerves and blood vessels, is presented by Serrano-Martínez et al. (2020). A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Eocaiman cavernensis is published by Godoy et al. (2020). A tibia of the mylodontid sloth Pseudoprepotherium bearing 46 predation tooth marks is described from the Miocene Pebas Formation (Peru) by Pujos & Salas-Gismondi (2020), who interpret this finding as evidence of predation of a young or sub-adult Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth. New fossil material of Mourasuchus arendsi is described from the Miocene Urumaco Formation (Venezuela) by Cidade, Rincón & Solórzano (2020), who evaluate the implications of these fossils for the knowledge of the paleobiology of this species. A study on the shape and biomechanical properties of the humeri of mekosuchines and extant Australian crocodiles, and on their implications for the knowledge of the locomotion of mekosuchines, is published by Stein et al. (2020). Redescription of the anatomy and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of Crocodylus checchiai is published by Delfino et al. (2020). Fossil tracks possibly produced by large crocodylomorphs moving bipedally are described from the Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation and Haman Formation (South Korea) by Kim et al. (2020), who name a new ichnotaxon Batrachopus grandis. A study on the impact of recognition of cryptic species of extant crocodylians on interpretations of the crocodyliform fossil record is published by Brochu & Sumrall (2020).
Non-avian dinosaurs
New dinosaur taxa