# 1923 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 1923.

## Plants
### Conifers
#### Araucariaceae

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Araucarioxylon texense | Sp nov | | Torrey | Cretaceous Comanchean | Glen Rose Formation | US Texas | An araucarian wood morphospecies | Araucarioxylon texense |

#### †Cheirolepidiaceae

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Brachyoxylon comanchense | Sp nov | | Torrey | Cretaceous Comanchean | Glen Rose Formation | US Texas | A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies | Brachyoxylon comanchense |
| Brachyoxylon raritanense | Sp nov | | Torrey | Cretaceous Turonian | Raritan Formation | US New Jersey | A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies | Brachyoxylon raritanense |
| Brachyoxylon woodworthianum | Sp nov | | Torrey | Cretaceous Turonian | Raritan Formation | US Massachusetts | A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies | Brachyoxylon woodworthianum |
| Telephragmoxylon brachyphylloides | Sp nov | | Torrey | Cretaceous Comanchean | | US Texas | A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies Location given as "Weatherford, Texas" | Telephragmoxylon brachyphylloides |
| Telephragmoxylon comanchense | Sp nov | | Torrey | Cretaceous Comanchean | | US Texas | A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies Location given as "Weatherford, Texas" | Telephragmoxylon comanchense |
| Voltzioxylon | Gen et sp nov | jr synonym | Torrey | Triassic Late Triassic | Dockum group | US Texas | A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphogenus Considered a jr synonym of Protocupressinoxylon (1949) The type species is V. dockumense | Protocupressinoxylon dockumense |

#### Cupressaceae

| Name | Novelty | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Metacupressinoxylon | Gen et comb nov | Torrey | Jurassic | | UK England | A cupressaceous wood morphogenus The type species is Paracupressinoxylon cedroides (1913) | |
| Paracupressinoxylon trinitense | Sp nov | Torrey | Cretaceous Comanchean | Trinity Group | US Texas | A cupressaceous wood morphospecies location given as "near Weatherford, Texas" | Paracupressinoxylon trinitense |
| Sequoioxylon | Gen, sp, et comb nov | Torrey | Cretaceous Maastrichtian | Laramie Formation | US Montana | A redwood wood morphogenus The type species is S. montanense Includes the new species S. dakotense, S. laramense Also includes Sequoia burgessii (1903) | Sequoioxylon montanense |

#### Pinaceae

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Abies longirostris | Sp nov | jr Synonym | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | A possible bristlecone fir species A jr synonym of Abies rigida (1990) | |
| Abies rigida | Sp nov | valid | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | A possible bristlecone fir species | Abies rigida |
| Pinus coloradensis | Sp nov | jr synonym | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | A bristle cone pine species A jr synonym of Pinus crossii (1990) | |
| Pinus crossii | Sp nov | Valid | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | A bristle cone pine species | |
| Pinus similis | Sp nov | jr synonym | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | A bristle cone pine species A jr synonym of Pinus crossii (1990) | |
| Pityoxylon scituatensiforme | Comb nov | | (Bailey) Torrey | Cretaceous Turonian | Raritan Formation | US New Jersey | A pinaceous wood morphospecies Moved from Pinus scituatensiforme (1911) | Pityoxylon scituatensiforme |
| Pseudotsuga annulata | Comb nov | | (Platen) Torrey | Pliocene | | US California | A Douglas fir wood morphospecies Moved from Pityoxylon annulatum (1907) | Pseudotsuga annulata |

#### Podocarpaceae

| Name | Novelty | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Podocarpoxylon dakotense | Sp nov | Torrey | Cretaceous | Laramie group | US North Dakota | A "podocarpaceous" wood morphospecies Podocarpoxylon Noted by Torrey to be very similar to Cupressaceae and problematic in definition. | |
| Podocarpoxylon texense | Sp nov | Torrey | Eocene | | US Texas | A podocarpaceous wood morphospecies Location given as "lignite mine at Rockdale station, Texas" Podocarpoxylon Noted by Torrey to be very similar to Cupressaceae and problematic in definition. | Podocarpoxylon texense |
| Podocarpoxylon washingtonense | Sp nov | Torrey | Miocene | Wilkes Formation | US Washington | A podocarpaceous wood morphospecies Location given as "Salmon Creek" Podocarpoxylon Noted by Torrey to be very similar to Cupressaceae and problematic in definition. | Podocarpoxylon washingtonense |

### Angiosperms
#### Basal eudicots

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Odostemon hakeaefolia | Comb nov | Jr synonym | (Lesquereux) Knowlton | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | US Colorado | A Mahonia species Moved from Lomatia hakeaefolia (1883) Moved to Mahonia hakeaefolia (1936) Specimens from Creede combined into Mahonia aceroides (1990) | |
| Odostemon(?) marginata | Comb nov | Jr synonym | (Lesquereux) Knowlton | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | US Colorado | A Mahonia species Moved from Hedera marginata (1883) Moved to Mahonia marginata (1936) Specimens from Creede combined into Mahonia aceroides (1990) | |

#### Superroids
##### Fagales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Alnus? larseni | Sp nov | jr synonym | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | First identified as a possible Alder species Moved to Populus larsenii (1990) | |
| Rubus? inquirendus | Sp nov | | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | A possible bramble species flower | |

##### Malvales

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Sterculia aceroides | Sp nov | Jr synonym | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Creede Formation | US Colorado | First identified as a Sterculia species Moved to Mahonia aceroides (1990) | |

#### Incertae sedis

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
| Phyllites potentilloides | Sp nov | jr synonym | Knowlton | Oligocene Chattian | Huerto Formation | US Colorado | First identified as a leaf of uncertain affiliation Moved to Sorbus potentilloldes (1987) | |

## Arthropoda
### Insects

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Archimyrmex | Gen et sp nov | valid | Cockerell | Eocene Lutetian | Green River Formation | USA | A myrmeciine ant The type species is A. rostratus | Archimyrmex rostratus |

## Archosauromorpha
### Dinosaurs
#### New taxa

| Taxon | Novelty | Status | Author(s) | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Altispinax | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Huene | Valanginian | Wadhurst Clay Formation | England | A possible carcharodontosaurid |
| Corythosaurus excavatus | Sp. nov. | Jr. synonym | Gilmore | Campanian | Dinosaur Park Formation | Alberta | Junior synonym of Corythosaurus intermedius |
| Corythosaurus intermedius | Sp. nov. | Valid | Parks | Campanian | Dinosaur Park Formation | Alberta | A species of Corythosaurus |
| Lambeosaurus | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Parks | Campanian | Dinosaur Park Formation | Alberta | A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid |
| Lametasaurus | Gen. et sp. nov | Nomen dubium | Matley | Maastrichtian | Lameta Formation | India | A composite of abelisaurid and titanosaur remains |
| Pentaceratops | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Osborn | Campanian | Kirtland Formation | New Mexico | A chasmosaurine ceratopsid |
| Protiguanodon | Gen. et sp. nov. | Junior synonym | Osborn | Barremian | Öösh Formation | Mongolia | A junior synonym of Psittacosaurus. |
| Protoceratops | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Granger & Gregory | Campanian | Djadochta Formation | Mongolia | A protoceratopsid ceratopsian |
| "Protrachodon" | | Nomen nudum | Nopcsa | Maastrichtian | Haţeg Basin | Romania | Mentioned in passing during discussion of Orthomerus |
| Psittacosaurus | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Osborn | Barremian | Öösh Formation | Mongolia | A psittacosaurid ceratopsian. |
| Thecocoelurus | Gen. nov. | Nomen dubium | Huene | Barremian | Wessex Formation | England | New genus for "Thecospondylus" daviesi Seeley, 1888 |

### Pterosaurs
#### New taxa

| Name | Status | Authors | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Anurognathus | Valid | Döderlein | | Tithonian | Solnhofen Limestone | Germany | An anurognathid. a Pterosaur with a Bat-like lifestyle. | Anurognathus |

## Synapsids
### Non-mammalian

| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
| Burnetia | Valid | Robert Broom | 255 million years ago | South Africa | A biarmosuchian, a member of Burnetiidae. with weird-looking knobs on its head. | Burnetia |
| Dinophoneus | Junior synonym | Robert Broom | | South Africa | A titanosuchid. Junior synonym of Jonkeria. | |