This list of fossil fishes described in 2020 is a list of new taxa of jawless vertebrates, placoderms, acanthodians, fossil cartilaginous fishes, bony fishes, and other fishes of every kind that were described during the year 2020, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleoichthyology that occurred in 2020.
New taxa
Jawless vertebrates Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes Images Clavulaspis Nom. nov Valid Elliott, Lassiter & Geyer Devonian (Givetian) Yahatinda Formation () A member of the family Pteraspididae; a replacement name for Helaspis Elliott et al. (2000). Ecphymaspis Gen. et comb. nov Valid Elliott, Lassiter & Geyer Devonian (Eifelian) Spring Mountain beds () A member of the family Pteraspididae; a new genus for "Psephaspis" idahoensis Denison (1968). Parathelodus liaokuoensis Sp. nov Valid Cui et al. Devonian (Lochkovian) Xishancun Xitun A thelodont belonging to the family Coelolepidae. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. Parathelodus wangi Sp. nov Valid Cui et al. Devonian (Lochkovian) Xishancun Xitun A thelodont belonging to the family Coelolepidae. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. Parathelodus xitunensis Sp. nov Valid Cui et al. Devonian (Lochkovian) Xitun A thelodont belonging to the family Coelolepidae. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. Psarkosteus Gen. et sp. nov Valid Dec Devonian (Givetian) Skały A member of the family Psammosteidae. The type species is P. mediocris. Rumporostralis Gen. et comb. et sp. nov Valid Shan et al. Silurian (Telychian) Xikeng Formation A member of Galeaspida belonging to the group Eugaleaspiformes and the family Sinogaleaspidae. The type species is "Sinogaleaspis" xikengensis Pan & Wang (1980); genus also includes new species R. shipanensis. Scutellaspis Gen. et sp. nov Valid Elliott, Lassiter & Geyer Devonian (Eifelian) Spring Mountain beds () A member of the family Pteraspididae. Genus includes new species S. wilsoni.
Placoderms Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes Images Actinolepis zaikai Sp. nov Valid Plax & Newman Devonian (Emsian) Lepel Beds Bulongosteus Gen. et sp. nov Valid Liu, Zong & Gong Late Devonian Zhulumute Formation A member of the family Selenosteidae. Genus includes new species B. liui. Johannaspis Gen. et comb. nov Valid Vaškaninová Early Devonian Prague Basin A homostiid arthrodire. Genus includes "Asterolepis" bohemicus Barrande (1872). Minjinia Gen. et sp. nov Valid Brazeau et al. Devonian (Pragian) A placoderm closely related to the gnathostome crown group. Genus includes new species M. turgenensis. Stipatosteus Gen. et sp. nov Valid Plax & Newman Devonian (Emsian) Lepel Beds A phlyctaeniid arthrodire. Genus includes new species S. svidunovitchi.
Acanthodians Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes Images Fallodentus Gen. et sp. nov In press Newman, Den Blaauwen & Burrow Devonian (Givetian) Mey Flagstone Formation A cheiracanthid acanthodian. Genus includes new species F. davidsoni.
Cartilaginous fishes Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes Images Amamriabatis Gen. et sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene ? A ray belonging to the family Mobulidae. The type species is A. heni.Asteracanthus dunaiiSp. novValidSzabó & FőzyJurassic Atlantitrygon Gen. et comb. et sp. nov Valid Sambou et al. Paleocene (Thanetian) and Eocene (Lutetian) Matam A putative marine potamotrygonid. The type species is "Dasyatis" sudrei Cappetta (1972); genus also includes new species A. senegalensis. Canadodus Gen. et sp. nov Valid Popov, Johns & Suntok Late Oligocene Sooke () A member of the family Chimaeridae. Genus includes new species C. suntoki. Carcharhinus kasserinensis Sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene (Bartonian) ? A species of Carcharhinus. Coupatezia cristata Sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene A ray belonging to the superfamily Dasyatoidea. Cretasquatina Gen. et sp. nov Valid Maisey, Ehret & Denton Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Mooreville ChalkNavesink Formation? (?) A member of the family Squatinidae. The type species is C. americana. Eoplatyrhina Gen. et comb. nov Valid Marramà et al. Eocene Monte Bolca A member of the family Platyrhinidae. Genus includes "Platyrhina" bolcensis Heckel (1851). Eorhinobatos Gen. et comb. nov Valid Marramà et al. Eocene Monte Bolca A guitarfish; a new genus for "Rhinobatos" primaevus. Ferromirum Gen. et sp. nov Valid Frey et al. Devonian (Famennian) Ibâouane A member of Symmoriiformes. The type species is F. oukherbouchi. Himantura souarfortuna Sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene (Bartonian) A whiptail stingray, a species of Himantura. Lamarodus Gen. et sp. nov Valid Ivanov in Ivanov et al. Permian (Guadalupian) Bell Canyon Formation () A member of Hybodontiformes belonging to the superfamily Hybodontoidea. Genus includes new species L. triangulus. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. Leptocharias tunisiensis Sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene ?? A relative of the barbeled houndshark. Mecotrygon Gen. et sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene A whiptail stingray belonging to the subfamily Neotrygoninae. The type species is M. asperodentulus. Mennerotodus mackayi Sp. nov Valid Cicimurri, Ebersole & Martin Paleocene (Danian) Clayton () A sand shark Mennerotodus parmleyi Sp. nov Valid Cicimurri, Ebersole & Martin Eocene (Bartonian) Clinchfield () A sand shark Microtriftis Gen. et sp. nov Valid Sambou et al. Eocene (Ypresian to Lutetian) Matam A dasyatoid of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Genus includes new species M. matami. Nanocetorhinus zeitlingeri Sp. nov Valid Feichtinger, Pollerspöck & Harzhauser Oligocene (Chattian) Eferding A member of Neoselachii of uncertain phylogenetic placement.Odontorhytis priemi Sp. nov Valid Sambou et al. Paleocene (Thanetian) and Eocene (Ypresian) Matam A member of Neoselachii of uncertain phylogenetic placement Ouledia lacuna Sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene (Bartonian) A butterfly ray. Pachygymnura Gen. et comb. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene A butterfly ray. The type species is "Coupatezia" attiai Cook in Murray et al. (2010). Plesiozanobatus Gen. et comb. nov Valid Marramà et al. Eocene Monte Bolca A relative of panray. Genus includes "Torpedo" egertoni De Zigno (1876). Pristiophorus austriacus Sp. nov Valid Reinecke et al. Miocene (Aquitanian) Ebelsberg A species of Pristiophorus. Pristiophorus borealis Sp. nov Valid Reinecke et al. Oligocene (Chattian) Sülstorf A species of Pristiophorus. Pristiophorus tortonicus Sp. nov Valid Reinecke et al. Miocene (Tortonian) Mica Clay A species of Pristiophorus. Pristiophorus ungeri Sp. nov Valid Reinecke et al. Miocene (Burdigalian) Neuhofen A species of Pristiophorus. Pseudorhinobatos Gen. et comb. nov Valid Marramà et al. Eocene Monte Bolca A guitarfish; a new genus for "Rhinobatos" dezignii.SculptospinaGen. et sp. novValidLebedev in Lebedev, Ivanov & LinkevichDevonian (Famennian)()A member of Ctenacanthiformes of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is S. makhlaevi. Sphyrna guinoti Sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene ? A species of Sphyrna. Stegostoma tethysiensis Sp. nov Valid Adnet et al. Eocene ? A relative of the zebra shark. Taklamakanolepis Gen. et sp. nov Andreev et al. Early Silurian Ymogantau A member of Mongolepidida. The type species is T. asiaticus. Tielikewatielepis Gen. et sp. nov Andreev et al. Early Silurian Tataertag Ymogantau A member of Mongolepidida. The type species is T. sinensis. Xiaohaizilepis Gen. et sp. nov Andreev et al. Early Silurian Tataertag Ymogantau A member of Mongolepidida. The type species is X. liui. Yuanolepis Gen. et sp. nov Andreev et al. Early Silurian Ymogantau A cartilaginous fish of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Y. bachunensis.
Ray-finned fishes