# 2020 in paleoichthyology

* Paleontology portal
* History of science portal
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 |
| Clavulaspis | Nom. nov | Valid | Elliott, Lassiter & Geyer | Devonian (Givetian) | Yahatinda Formation | Canada ( Alberta) | 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 | United States ( Idaho) | 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 | China | 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 | China | 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 | China | 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 | Poland | 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 | China | 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 | United States ( Idaho) | A member of the family Pteraspididae. Genus includes new species S. wilsoni. |

### Placoderms

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Actinolepis zaikai | Sp. nov | Valid | Plax & Newman | Devonian (Emsian) | Lepel Beds | Belarus | |
| Bulongosteus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Liu, Zong & Gong | Late Devonian | Zhulumute Formation | China | A member of the family Selenosteidae. Genus includes new species B. liui. |
| Johannaspis | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Vaškaninová | Early Devonian | Prague Basin | Czech Republic | A homostiid arthrodire. Genus includes "Asterolepis" bohemicus Barrande (1872). |
| Minjinia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Brazeau et al. | Devonian (Pragian) | | Mongolia | 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 | Belarus | 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 | United Kingdom | A cheiracanthid acanthodian. Genus includes new species F. davidsoni. | |

### Cartilaginous fishes

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Amamriabatis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene | | Tunisia Egypt? | A ray belonging to the family Mobulidae. The type species is A. heni. |
| Asteracanthus dunaii | Sp. nov | Valid | Szabó & Főzy | Jurassic | | Hungary | |
| Atlantitrygon | Gen. et comb. et sp. nov | Valid | Sambou et al. | Paleocene (Thanetian) and Eocene (Lutetian) | Matam | Niger  Senegal  Togo | 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 | Canada ( British Columbia) | A member of the family Chimaeridae. Genus includes new species C. suntoki. |
| Carcharhinus kasserinensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene (Bartonian) | | Tunisia Jamaica? | A species of Carcharhinus. |
| Coupatezia cristata | Sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene | | Egypt Tunisia | A ray belonging to the superfamily Dasyatoidea. |
| Cretasquatina | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Maisey, Ehret & Denton | Late Cretaceous (Campanian) | Mooreville Chalk Navesink Formation? | United States ( Alabama New Jersey?) | A member of the family Squatinidae. The type species is C. americana. |
| Eoplatyrhina | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Marramà et al. | Eocene | Monte Bolca | Italy | A member of the family Platyrhinidae. Genus includes "Platyrhina" bolcensis Heckel (1851). |
| Eorhinobatos | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Marramà et al. | Eocene | Monte Bolca | Italy | A guitarfish; a new genus for "Rhinobatos" primaevus. |
| Ferromirum | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Frey et al. | Devonian (Famennian) | Ibâouane | Morocco | A member of Symmoriiformes. The type species is F. oukherbouchi. |
| Himantura souarfortuna | Sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene (Bartonian) | | Tunisia | A whiptail stingray, a species of Himantura. |
| Lamarodus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ivanov in Ivanov et al. | Permian (Guadalupian) | Bell Canyon Formation | United States ( Texas) | 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 | | Tunisia Egypt? Jordan? | A relative of the barbeled houndshark. |
| Mecotrygon | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene | | Egypt Tunisia | 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 | United States ( Alabama) | A sand shark |
| Mennerotodus parmleyi | Sp. nov | Valid | Cicimurri, Ebersole & Martin | Eocene (Bartonian) | Clinchfield | United States ( Georgia (U.S. state)) | A sand shark |
| Microtriftis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Sambou et al. | Eocene (Ypresian to Lutetian) | Matam | Senegal | A dasyatoid of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Genus includes new species M. matami. |
| Nanocetorhinus zeitlingeri | Sp. nov | Valid | Feichtinger, Pollerspöck & Harzhauser | Oligocene (Chattian) | Eferding | Austria | A member of Neoselachii of uncertain phylogenetic placement. |
| Odontorhytis priemi | Sp. nov | Valid | Sambou et al. | Paleocene (Thanetian) and Eocene (Ypresian) | Matam | Mali  Morocco  Senegal  Tunisia | A member of Neoselachii of uncertain phylogenetic placement |
| Ouledia lacuna | Sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene (Bartonian) | | Tunisia | A butterfly ray. |
| Pachygymnura | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene | | Egypt Tunisia | 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 | Italy | A relative of panray. Genus includes "Torpedo" egertoni De Zigno (1876). |
| Pristiophorus austriacus | Sp. nov | Valid | Reinecke et al. | Miocene (Aquitanian) | Ebelsberg | Austria | A species of Pristiophorus. |
| Pristiophorus borealis | Sp. nov | Valid | Reinecke et al. | Oligocene (Chattian) | Sülstorf | Germany | A species of Pristiophorus. |
| Pristiophorus tortonicus | Sp. nov | Valid | Reinecke et al. | Miocene (Tortonian) | Mica Clay | Germany | A species of Pristiophorus. |
| Pristiophorus ungeri | Sp. nov | Valid | Reinecke et al. | Miocene (Burdigalian) | Neuhofen | Germany | A species of Pristiophorus. |
| Pseudorhinobatos | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Marramà et al. | Eocene | Monte Bolca | Italy | A guitarfish; a new genus for "Rhinobatos" dezignii. |
| Sculptospina | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Lebedev in Lebedev, Ivanov & Linkevich | Devonian (Famennian) | | Russia ( Lipetsk Oblast) | A member of Ctenacanthiformes of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is S. makhlaevi. |
| Sphyrna guinoti | Sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene | | Tunisia Egypt? | A species of Sphyrna. |
| Stegostoma tethysiensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Adnet et al. | Eocene | | Tunisia Egypt? | A relative of the zebra shark. |
| Taklamakanolepis | Gen. et sp. nov | | Andreev et al. | Early Silurian | Ymogantau | China | A member of Mongolepidida. The type species is T. asiaticus. |
| Tielikewatielepis | Gen. et sp. nov | | Andreev et al. | Early Silurian | Tataertag Ymogantau | China | A member of Mongolepidida. The type species is T. sinensis. |
| Xiaohaizilepis | Gen. et sp. nov | | Andreev et al. | Early Silurian | Tataertag Ymogantau | China | A member of Mongolepidida. The type species is X. liui. |
| Yuanolepis | Gen. et sp. nov | | Andreev et al. | Early Silurian | Ymogantau | China | A cartilaginous fish of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Y. bachunensis. |

### Ray-finned fishes

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes | Images |
| Agassizilia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cooper & Martill | Cenomanian | Kem Kem | Morocco | Possibly a member of the family Pycnodontidae. The type species is A. erfoudina. | |
| Altmuehlfuro | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ebert | Late Jurassic | Solnhofen | Germany | A member of Halecomorphi belonging to the group Ophiopsiformes. Genus includes new species A. boomerang. | |
| Amakusaichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Yabumoto, Hirose & Brito | Late Cretaceous (Santonian) | Hinoshima | Japan | A member of Ichthyodectiformes. Genus includes new species A. goshouraensis. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |
| Ampheristus americanus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) and Paleocene (Danian) | Clayton Kemp Clay | United States ( Arkansas Texas) | A cusk-eel. | |
| Anguilla? chickasawae | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) and Paleocene (Danian) | Clayton Ripley | United States ( Arkansas Mississippi) | A member or a relative of the family Anguillidae | |
| Anomoeodus wolfi | Sp. nov | Valid | Capasso | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Del Rio | United States ( Texas) | A member of the family Pycnodontidae. | |
| Anorevus | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Bannikov & Zorzin | Eocene (Ypresian) | Monte Bolca | Italy | A member of Percomorpha of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is A. lorenzonii. | |
| Apateodus crenellatus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Owl Creek Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | | |
| Ariopsis castilloensi | Sp. nov | In press | Aguilera & Rodriguez in Aguilera et al. | Late Oligocene to early Miocene | Castillo | Venezuela | A species of Ariopsis. | |
| Armigatus carrenoae | Sp. nov | Valid | Alvarado-Ortega, Than-Marchese & Melgarejo-Damián | Early Cretaceous (Albian) | Tlayúa | Mexico | A member of Clupeomorpha belonging to the group Ellimmichthyiformes and to the family Armigatidae. | |
| Bagre ornatus | Sp. nov | In press | Aguilera & Rodriguez in Aguilera et al. | Late Oligocene to early Miocene | Castillo | Venezuela | A species of Bagre. | |
| Baringochromis | Gen. et 3 sp. nov | Valid | Altner & Reichenbacher | Late Miocene | | Kenya | A cichlid belonging to the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae. The type species is B. senutae; genus also includes B. sonyii and B. tallamae. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021. | |
| Benthophilus aprutinus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy | A tadpole goby. | |
| Benthophilus labronicus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy | A tadpole goby. | |
| Boreolates | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Weems | Eocene | Nanjemoy | United States ( Virginia) | A member of the family Latidae. The type species is B. debernardi. | |
| Brachyplatystoma elbakyani | Sp. nov | In press | Agnolin & Bogan | Late Miocene | | Argentina | A species of Brachyplatystoma | |
| Buenia pisiformis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Tortonian and Messinian) | | Greece | A species of Buenia. | |
| Burguklia minichorum | Sp. nov | Valid | Bakaev & Kogan | Permian (Wordian–Capitanian) | | Russia | An early ray-finned fish. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |
| Caspiosoma lini | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy Romania | A species of Caspiosoma. | |
| Caspiosoma paulisulcata | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy | A species of Caspiosoma. | |
| Caucombrus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Bannikov | Early Oligocene | | Abkhazia Russia | A member of the family Scombridae. Genus includes new species C. histiopterygius. | |
| Chaychanus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cantalice Severiano, Alvarado Ortega & Bellwood | Paleocene | | Mexico | A member of the family Pomacentridae. Genus includes new species C. gonzalezorum. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |
| Cheirolepis aleshkai | Sp. nov | Valid | Plax | Devonian (Eifelian) | | Belarus | An early ray-finned fish. | |
| Choctawichthys | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | A member of Paracanthopterygii of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is "genus Perciformorum" cepoloides Nolf & Dockery (1990). | |
| Chromogobius? primigenius | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska | Miocene | | | Possibly a species of Chromogobius. | |
| Clupea hanishinaensis | Nom. nov | Valid | Yabumoto & Nazarkin | Miocene | Bessho | Japan | A species of Clupea; a replacement name for Clupea macrocephala Yabumoto & Nazarkin (2018). | |
| Congrophichthus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer | Late Cretaceous (late Campanian and Maastrichtian) and Paleocene (Danian) | Clayton Coffee Sand Kemp Clay | United States ( Alabama Arkansas Mississippi Texas) | A member of the family Congridae. The type species is C. transterminus. | |
| Cowetaichthys carnevalei | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | A beardfish | |
| Cyclothone duhoensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Nam & Nazarkin | Miocene | Duho | South Korea | A species of Cyclothone. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021. | |
| Dakotaichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Fox Hills Kemp Clay | United States ( North Dakota Texas) | Possibly a member of the family Gadidae. The type species is D. hogansoni. | |
| Eleotris omuamuaensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Tortonian) | | Italy | A species of Eleotris. | |
| Eleotris tyrrhenicus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Tortonian) | | Italy | A species of Eleotris. | |
| Ellimma longipectoralis | Sp. nov | Valid | Polck et al. | Early Cretaceous (Aptian) | Barra Velha Formation | Brazil | A member of Clupeomorpha belonging to the group Ellimmichthyiformes and to the family Paraclupeidae. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |
| Ellimmichthys spinosus | Sp. nov | In press | De Figueiredo & Gallo | Early Cretaceous | Recôncavo Basin | Brazil | A member of Clupeomorpha belonging to the group Ellimmichthyiformes. | |
| Elongofuro | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ebert | Late Jurassic | | Germany | A member of Halecomorphi belonging to the group Ophiopsiformes. Genus includes new species E. woelflei. | |
| Elopothrissus carsonsloani | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer | Paleocene (Danian) | Clayton | United States ( Arkansas) | A relative of the Japanese gissu. | |
| Engdahlichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Murray et al. | Paleocene | Fort Union | United States ( Montana) | A sturgeon. Genus includes new species E. milviaegis. | |
| Enigmacottus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy | Possibly a member of the family Psychrolutidae. The type species is E. socialis. | |
| Epaelops | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Alves, Alvarado Ortega & Brito | Early Cretaceous (Albian) | Tlayúa | Mexico | A member of Elopiformes. Genus includes new species E. martinezi. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it is scheduled to be published in 2020. | |
| Eutawichthys choctawae | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Kemp Clay Ripley | United States ( Mississippi Texas) | Probably a member of Beryciformes | |
| Feroxichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Xu | Middle Triassic (Anisian) | Guanling | China | A member of the family Colobodontidae. The type species is F. yunnanensis. | |
| Globanomoeodus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Capasso | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Del Rio | United States ( Texas) | A member of the family Pycnodontidae. The type species is G. dentespassim. | |
| Gobius peloponnesus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Pliocene (Zanclean) | | Greece | A species of Gobius. | |
| Gobius supraspectabilis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska | Miocene | | Slovakia | A species of Gobius. | |
| Gregoriopycnodus | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Taverne, Capasso & Del Re | Early Cretaceous (Albian) | | Italy | A member of the family Pycnodontidae. The type species is "Palaeobalistum" bassanii d'Erasmo (1914). | |
| Hadromos | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Murray | Early Cenozoic (possibly Eocene) | Sangkarewang | Indonesia | A member of Cyprinoidea. Genus includes new species H. sandersae. | |
| Hastichthys totonacus | Sp. nov | In press | Alvarado-Ortega & Díaz-Cruz | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | Agua Nueva | Mexico | A member of Aulopiformes belonging to the family Dercetidae. | |
| Heckelichthys preopercularis | Sp. nov | In press | Baños Rodríguez et al. | Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian) | El Doctor | Mexico | A member of Ichthyodectiformes | |
| Hesperichthys gironeae | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Tortonian and Messinian) | | Italy | A goby. | |
| Hesperichthys iugosus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska | Miocene | | Moldova | A goby. Originally described as a species of Hesperichthys, but subsequently transferred to the genus Sarmatigobius. | |
| Hiascoactinus | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Kim et al. | Late Triassic | Amisan | South Korea | A member of Redfieldiiformes. Genus includes new species H. boryeongensis. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it is scheduled to be published in 2020. | |
| Hoeseichthys | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska | Miocene and Pliocene | | Czech Republic  Germany  India  Italy  Morocco | A goby. Genus includes "Otolithus (Gobius)" praeclarus Procházka (1893) and H. laevis (Weiler, 1942), as well as "Gobiida" bicornuta Lin, Girone & Wolf (2015) and "Gobiida" brioche Lin, Girone & Wolf (2015). | |
| Holzmadenfuro | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ebert, Thies & Hauff | Early Jurassic (Toarcian) | Posidonia | Germany | A member of Halecomorphi. Genus includes new species H. rebmanni. | |
| Hoplopteryx langfordi | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | | |
| Hypsocormus posterodorsalis | Sp. nov | Valid | Maxwell et al. | Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) | Nusplingen | Germany | | H. posterodorsalis (bottom) |
| Knipowitschia etrusca | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy | A species of Knipowitschia. | |
| Knipowitschia polonica | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska | Miocene | | Poland  Ukraine | A species of Knipowitschia. | |
| Kokenichthys navis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Owl Creek Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | A member of Osteoglossiformes of uncertain phylogenetic placement | |
| Kradimus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Veysey, Brito & Martill | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | Akrabou Formation | Morocco | A member of Crossognathiformes. Genus includes new species K. asflaensis. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |
| Lavinia stuwilliamsi | Sp. nov | Valid | McClellan & Smith | Late Miocene | Salt Lake Formation | United States ( Utah) | A species of Lavinia. | |
| Lebrunichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Taverne & Capasso | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | | Lebanon | A member of Crossognathiformes belonging to the family Pachyrhizodontidae. The type species is L. nammourensis. | |
| Lesueurigobius stazzanensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Tortonian) | | Italy | A species of Lesueurigobius. | |
| Lindoeichthys | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Murray et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Scollard Formation | Canada ( Alberta) | A member of Percopsiformes. Genus includes new species L. albertensis. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |
| Louwoichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Xu | Middle Triassic (Anisian) | | China | A member of the stem group of Neopterygii. Genus includes new species L. pusillus. | |
| Luganoia fortuna | Sp. nov | Valid | Xu | Middle Triassic (Ladinian) | Falang | China | | |
| Megalops? nolfi | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | Probably member of the family Megalopidae | |
| Monosmilus | Gen. et sp. nov | | Capobianco et al. | Eocene (Lutetian) | Domanda | Pakistan | A stem-engraulid. The type species is M. chureloides. | |
| Muraenanguilla unionensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Owl Creek Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | An eel of uncertain phylogenetic placement | |
| Neilpeartia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Carnevale et al. | Eocene (Ypresian) | Monte Bolca | Italy | A frogfish. Genus includes new species N. ceratoi. |
| Neomesturus | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Cooper & Martill | Turonian | Akrabou | Morocco | A member of Pycnodontiformes. Genus includes new species N. asflaensis. | |
| Neoproscinetes africanus | Sp. nov | Valid | Cooper & Martill | Cenomanian | Kem Kem | Morocco | A member of the family Pycnodontidae | |
| Njoerdichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Cawley et al. | Late Cretaceous (Turonian) | Hesseltal | Germany | A member of the family Pycnodontidae. The type species is N. dyckerhoffi. | |
| Nunaneichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Hernández-Guerrero et al. | Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) | | Mexico | A bonefish belonging to the subfamily Pterothrissinae. Genus includes new species N. mexicanus. | |
| Odondebuenia agiadiae | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska | Miocene | | Poland  Slovakia  Ukraine | A relative of the coralline goby. | |
| Ohmdenfuro | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ebert, Thies & Hauff | Early Jurassic (Toarcian) | Posidonia | Germany | A member of Halecomorphi. Genus includes new species O. bodmani. | |
| Osmeroides mississippiensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Owl Creek Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | | |
| Ossulcus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | Probably a member of Beryciformes. The type species is O. labiatus. | |
| Otolithopsis cumatilis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | An otolith of a fish of uncertain phylogenetic placement. | |
| Palaeogadus weltoni | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Kemp Clay | United States ( Texas) | | |
| Palealbula korchinskyi | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Mironenko | Late Jurassic | | Russia | Possibly a stem-albuliform | |
| Palealbula moscoviensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Mironenko | Late Jurassic | | Russia | Possibly a stem-albuliform. | |
| Paranursallia cavini | Sp. nov | In press | Cooper & Martill | Turonian | Akrabou | Morocco | A member of Pycnodontiformes. | |
| Pauciuncus | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Murray | Early Cenozoic (possibly Eocene) | Sangkarewang | Indonesia | A member of Cyprinoidea. Genus includes "Puntius" bussyi. | |
| Polcynichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | London & Shimada | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Tarrant | United States ( Texas) | A member of the family Pachyrhizodontidae. Genus includes new species P. lloydhilli. | |
| Proterorhinus cretensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Pliocene (Zanclean) | | Greece | A species of Proterorhinus. | |
| Pythonichthys arkansasensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) and Paleocene (Danian) | Clayton Kemp Clay | United States ( Arkansas Texas) | A species of Pythonichthys. | |
| Rachycentron stremphaencus | Sp. nov | Valid | Godfrey & Carnevale | Miocene (Tortonian) | St. Marys | United States ( Maryland) | A relative of the cobia. | |
| Rebekkachromis valyricus | Sp. nov | Valid | Kevrekidis & Reichenbacher in Kevrekidis et al. | Miocene | Ngorora | Kenya | A cichlid belonging to the tribe Oreochromini. | |
| Rebekkachromis vancouveringae | Sp. nov | Valid | Kevrekidis & Reichenbacher in Kevrekidis et al. | Miocene | Ngorora | Kenya | A cichlid belonging to the tribe Oreochromini. | |
| Rhynchoconger brettwoodwardi | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Kemp Clay | United States ( Texas) | A species of Rhynchoconger. | |
| Rupelia | Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Baykina & Kovalchuk in Kovalchuk et al. | Oligocene (Rupelian) | | Russia | A member of family Clupeidae. Genus includes R. rata (Daniltshenko, 1959). |
| Salwaichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Bannikov | Early Oligocene | | Abkhazia Poland Russia ( Adygea) | A member of Perciformes belonging to the new family Salwaichthyidae. Genus includes new species S. paratethyensis. | |
| Sanctusichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | López-Arbarello, Maxwell & Schweigert | Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) | Nusplingen Limestone | Germany | A member of Halecomorphi. Genus includes new species S. rieteri. | |
| Sangkarewangia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Murray | Early Cenozoic (possibly Eocene) | Sangkarewang | Indonesia | A member of Cyprinoidea. Genus includes new species S. sumatranus. | |
| Scleropages sanshuiensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang | Early Eocene | Huachong | China | A species of Scleropages. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |
| Scombroclupea javieri | Sp. nov | In press | Than Marchese et al. | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Cintalapa | Mexico | A member of Clupeomorpha of uncertain phylogenetic placement | |
| Siniperca ikikoku | Sp. nov | Valid | Yabumoto | Miocene | | Japan | A species of Siniperca. | |
| Simocormus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Maxwell et al. | Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian) | | Germany | A member of the family Pachycormidae. The type species is S. macrolepidotus. | |
| Stanhopeichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Taverne & Capasso | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | | Lebanon | A member of Crossognathiformes belonging to the family Pachyrhizodontidae. The type species is S. libanicus. | |
| Stefanichthys | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Bannikov & Zorzin | Eocene (Ypresian) | Monte Bolca | Italy | A member of Percoidei of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is S. mariannae. | |
| Thorogobius petilus | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy | A species of Thorogobius. | |
| Thrax | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | A member of Aulopiformes belonging to the family Ichthyotringidae. The type species is T. acutus. | |
| Tippaha | Gen. et sp. et comb. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans & Stringer in Stringer et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Owl Creek Ripley | United States ( Mississippi) | A member of Holocentriformes of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is T. mythica; genus also includes "genus Ophidiidarum" cavatus Nolf & Stringer (1996). | |
| Vachalia | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Přikryl & Carnevale | Early Oligocene | | Czech Republic | A member of the family Platytroctidae. Genus includes new species V. moraviensis. | |
| Vanderhorstia prochazkai | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska | Miocene | | Ukraine | A species of Vanderhorstia. | |
| Vegrandichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Díaz-Cruz, Alvarado-Ortega & Giles | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Cintalapa | Mexico | A member of Aulopiformes belonging to the family Enchodontidae. The type species is V. coitecus. | |
| Warilochromis | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Altner, Ruthensteiner & Reichenbacher | Late Miocene | Ngorora | Kenya | A cichlid belonging to the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae. The type species is W. unicuspidatus. | |
| Zosterisessor exsul | Sp. nov | Valid | Schwarzhans, Agiadi & Carnevale | Miocene (Messinian) | | Italy Romania | A relative of the grass goby. | |

### Lobe-finned fishes

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Ferganoceratodus annekempae | Sp. nov | Valid | Cavin, Deesri & Chanthasit | Late Jurassic | Phu Kradung | Thailand | A lungfish. |
| Megalichthys mullisoni | Sp. nov | Valid | Downs & Daeschler | Devonian (Famennian) | Catskill | United States ( Pennsylvania) | |
| Metaceratodus baibianorum | Sp. nov | Valid | Panzeri et al. | Late Cretaceous | La Colonia | Argentina | A lungfish. |
| Neoceratodus potkooroki | Sp. nov | Valid | Kemp & Berrell | Cretaceous | | Australia | A lungfish. |
| Ptychoceratodus oldhami | Sp. nov | Valid | Bhat & Ray | Late Triassic (Carnian) | Tiki | India | A lungfish. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. |
| Rossichthys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Johanson et al. | Carboniferous (Tournaisian) | Ballagan Formation | United Kingdom | A member of Rhizodontida. The type species is R. clackae. |

## Research

* A study on the morphology of the osteostracans, evaluating different methods used to determine the morphological variation within this group and its evolution, is published by Ferrón et al. (2020).
* A study on the morphological diversity of osteostracan headshields, aiming to determine the relationship between their morphological diversity and hydrodynamic performance and its implications for the knowledge of the ecological diversity of the osteostracans, is published by Ferrón et al. (2020).
* A study aiming to test the alternative hypotheses of placoderm jaw bone homologies, and evaluating their implications for the knowledge of evolution of jaw bones in early jawed vertebrates, is published by King & Rücklin (2020).
* A study on the fossil dentitions of acanthothoracids is published by Vaškaninová et al. (2020), who report that the teeth of acanthothoracids differed fundamentally from those of arthrodires, and argue that the characteristic traits of acanthothoracid dentition might be ancestral for all jawed vertebrates.
* Redescription of the anatomy of Walterilepis speciosa, based on data from new fossil material, and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of this species is published online by Lukševičs (2020).
* Description of the neurocranial anatomy of Ellopetalichthys scheii is published by Castiello et al. (2020).
* A study aiming to determine whether Titanichthys was a suspension feeder, focusing on mechanical properties of its jaw, is published by Coatham et al. (2020).
* The earliest fossilized vertebrate embryos reported so far, preserved with an adult specimen of Watsonosteus fletti from the Givetian Eday Flagstone Formation (Orcadian Basin; Scotland, United Kingdom), are described by Newman et al. (2020).
* Burrow, Newman & den Blaauwen (2020) describe external spiracular elements in Middle Devonian acanthodians from northern Scotland, differing from spiracles of all known extant and extinct fishes, and report the oldest record of elastic cartilage in the fossil record.
* A study examining the factors influencing the long-term variations of genus-level diversity of elasmobranchs and ray-finned fishes throughout their evolutionary history is published by Guinot & Cavin (2020).
* Carrillo-Briceño et al. (2020) describe a new elasmobranch assemblage from the Oligocene–Miocene boundary in the Dos Bocas Formation (Ecuador), and evaluate the implications of this assemblage for chronostratigraphic inferences and the knowledge of local paleoenvironment.
* Two large vertebrae of sharks belonging to the genus Ptychodus, providing new information on the life history and body size of members of the family Ptychodontidae, are described from the Santonian of Spain by Jambura & Kriwet (2020).
* A study on the evolution of body size in lamniform sharks, including the evolution of gigantism in the lineage of Otodus megalodon, is published by Shimada, Becker & Griffiths (2020).
* Taxonomic revision of the Oligocene and Miocene sand sharks is published by Hovestadt (2020).
* A study aiming to determine the linear body dimensions of Otodus megalodon at different life stages is published by Cooper et al. (2020).
* A study on the class structure of assemblages of specimens of Otodus megalodon in eight previously known formations and in a newly described Miocene locality from northeastern Spain is published by Herraiz et al. (2020), who interpret their findings as indicative of existence of five potential nurseries of these sharks ranging from the Langhian to the Zanclean.
* An isolated tooth of Cosmopolitodus hastalis from the Miocene of South Korea is described by Yun (2020).
* A study on the fossil record of the great white shark from the Pliocene of Peru and Chile is published by Villafaña et al. (2020), who interpret their findings as indicating that great white sharks used the Coquimbo locality in Chile as a nursery and Pisco (Peru) and Caldera (Chile) localities as feeding grounds during the Pliocene.
* A study on the anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of "Urolophus" crassicaudatus is published by Marramà et al. (2020), who transfer this species to the genus Arechia.
* Collareta et al. (2020) describe a fossil stinger a stingray from the Pliocene (Piacenzian) locality La Serra (Italy), twice as long as the longest caudal spines reported from any living stingray species of the Mediterranean Sea, and possibly representing the longest stingray stinger ever reported from both the fossil and the recent records.
* A study on the morphology of the marginal dentition of Lophosteus superbus is published by Chen et al. (2020), who reconstruct the dental ontogeny in this taxon, and evaluate its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of teeth of bony fishes.
* Redescription of the anatomy of Tanyrhinichthys mcallisteri is published by Stack et al. (2020).
* Fragmentary fossil material of Gyrosteus mirabilis is reported from the Toarcian of the Ahrensburg erratics assemblage (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) by Hornung & Sachs (2020), expanding known geographic range of this species, and representing the first record of a chondrosteid species beyond its type area.
* Redescription of the skeletal anatomy of Yanosteus longidorsalis is published by Hilton, Grande & Jin (2020).
* Revision and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of members of the subfamily Pycnodontinae is published by Poyato-Ariza (2020).
* A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Lombardina decorata is published by Taverne (2020).
* A study on the degree of preservation of the skin of an aspidorhynchid specimen from the Barremian Paja Formation (Colombia), representing the first instance of soft tissue preservation in vertebrates from the Early Cretaceous of northern South America, is published by Alfonso-Rojas & Cadena (2020).
* A study on the diversity and distribution of non-marine teleost fishes in the Western Interior of North America during the late Maastrichtian, based on fossils from the Hell Creek Formation, the Lance Formation and the Scollard Formation, is published online by Brinkman et al. (2020).
* Description of new fossil material of Abisaadichthys libanicus and Eusebichthys byblosi, providing new information on the skeletal anatomy of these taxa, is published by Taverne & Capasso (2020).
* Fossil material of Xiphactinus is described from the latest Maastrichtian Salamanca Formation (Chubut Province, Argentina) by De Pasqua, Agnolin & Bogan (2020), representing the first record of this genus from southern part of South America.
* A methodology for assessing locomotion energetics in extinct bony fishes is presented by Ferrón (2020), who interprets his findings as providing evidence of endothermy in Xiphactinus audax.
* Redescription and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of Laeliichthys ancestralis is published by Brito, Figueiredo & Leal (2020).
* A study on the skeletal anatomy of Pirskenius, aiming to resolve whether Pirskeniidae can be sustained as a separate family, is published by Reichenbacher et al. (2020).
* A study aiming to infer the genetic basis of the reduction of pelvic skeleton in a Miocene stickleback fish Gasterosteus doryssus is published by Stuart, Travis & Bell (2020).
* A fish larva sharing anatomical similarities with the so-called tholichthys larval stage of butterflyfishes is described from the Eocene (Bartonian) locality of Gornyi Luch (Krasnodar Krai, Russia) by Carnevale & Bannikov (2020).
* New fossil material of Mawsonia gigas, including one of the anatomically most informative specimens referable to the genus Mawsonia, is described from the Mesozoic Tacuarembó Formation (Uruguay) by Toriño et al. (2020).
* New fossil material of Axelrodichthys megadromos is described from several Campanian and Maastrichtian sites in southern France by Cavin et al. (2020), who present a reconstruction of the skull of this species, and study its phylogenetic relationships and ecology.
* Redescription of the anatomy of the skull of Durialepis edentatus is published by Mondéjar-Fernández, Friedman & Giles (2020).
* Description of new material of tristichopterids from the Devonian (Famennian) locality of Strud (Belgium), and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of tristichopterids, is published by Olive et al. (2020).
* Description of a new, 1.57-metre-long articulated specimen of Elpistostege watsoni from the Upper Devonian of Canada, and a study on the implications of this specimen for the knowledge of the early evolution of the vertebrate hand, is published by Cloutier et al. (2020).
* A study aiming to determine the potential significance of tides for the evolution of bony fish and early tetrapods from the Late Silurian to early Late Devonian is published by Byrne et al. (2020).
* Evidence of enhanced fish production during the extreme global warmth of the early Paleogene is presented by Britten & Sibert (2020).
* A study aiming to determine the impact of changes in the Earth system during the Eocene–Oligocene transition on pelagic fish production and biodiversity is published by Sibert et al. (2020).