# 1930 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 1930.

## Plants
### Superrosids - Fabids

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Cercis idahoensis | Sp nov | jr synonym | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Whitebird florule | USA Idaho | | First described as a Cercis species Leaves later reidentified as Vitis washingtonensis (1937) Fruits reidentified as Caesalpinia spokanensis (1991) | Caesalpinia spokanensis |

#### Incertae sedis

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Antholithes amentiferus | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower of uncertain affinity. | |
| Antholithes grablensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower or fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Antholithes mimosaformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower of uncertain affinity. | |
| Antholithes iliciformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower of uncertain affinity. | |
| Antholithes pruniformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower of uncertain affinity. | |
| Antholithes ternstroemioides | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower of uncertain affinity. | |
| Antholithes wilcoxensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower of uncertain affinity. | |
| Calycites milanensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower or fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Calycites puryearensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower or fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Calycites rhizophoroides | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower or fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus aggregatus | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a racemose infructescence of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus ailanthioides | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a winged seed of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus alatus | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a winged fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus banisteroides | Species | jr synonym | Berry | Eocene | Claiborne Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | First named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. Synonymized into Eucommia eocenica (1997) | |
| Carpolithus bicapsulis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Claiborne Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a nutlets of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus bolivarensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus burseraformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus callowayensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus chesterensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. Suggested as a possibly Cinnmmomwm ovoides fruit. | |
| Carpolithus collinsi | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus delicatulus | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a flower of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus fagaraformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus gronovii | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus hiraeaformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus inequilateralis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus juncaformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus kentuckyensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus leitneriaformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a nutlets of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus longepedunculatus | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a nutlets of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus malpighiaformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a winged seed of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus plumosus | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus poaformis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus sapindoides | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus rotundalatus | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as an orbicular fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus sapindoides | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus shandyensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus silertonensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a nutlet of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus somervillensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as seeds of uncertain affinity. | |
| Carpolithus taylorensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a seed of uncertain affinity. | |
| Leguminosites copaiferanus | Species nov | jr synonym? | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs member | USA Tennessee | First named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. Synonymized into Eucommia eocenica (1997) | Eucommia eocenica |
| Phyllites grenadensis | Species nov | | Berry | Eocene | Tallahatta Formation Holly Springs sand member | USA Tennessee | Named as a leaf of uncertain affinity. | |
| Simaroubites eocenica | Species nov | jr synonym | Berry | Middle Eocene | Claiborne Formation | USA | First named as a fruit of uncertain affinity. Synonymized into Eucommia eocenica (1997) | |

## Arthropods
### Newly named insects

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Aphaenogaster donisthorpei | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A myrmicin ant | |
| Aphaenogaster mayri | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A myrmicin ant | Aphaenogaster mayri |
| Archiponera | Gen et sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A ponerine ant, one species A. wheeleri | Archiponera wheeleri |
| Camponotus fuscipennis | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A formicine ant. | Camponotus fuscipennis |
| Camponotus microcephalus | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A formicine ant. | |
| Camponotus petrifactus | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A formicine ant. | |
| Cephalomyrmex | Gen et sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A myrmicine ant. The type species is C. rotundatus | Cephalomyrmex rotundatus |
| Dolichoderus antiquus | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. | Dolichoderus antiquus |
| Dolichoderus rohweri | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. | |
| Elaeomyrmex | Gen et 2 sp nov | Valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant the type species is E. gracilis also included is E. coloradensis | Elaeomyrmex gracilis |
| Eoformica pingue | Comb nov | valid | Scudder, 1877 | Eocene | Green River Formation | USA Colorado | An incertae sedis ant species, Sr synonym to Eoformica eocenica Cockerell, 1921 corrected to Eoformica pinguis in 1995 | Eoformica pinguis |
| Formica cockerelli | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A formicine ant. | Formica cockerelli |
| Formica grandis | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A formicine ant. | |
| Iridomyrmex florissantius | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. | |
| Iridomyrmex obscurans | Sp nov | nomen dubium | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. Considered not identified in 2011 | |
| Liometopum miocenicum | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. | |
| Liometopum scudderi | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. | |
| Lithomyrmex | Gen et 2 sp nov | jr synonym | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | An agroecomyrmecine ant The type species is L. rugosus, also includes L. striatus moved to Eulithomyrmex in 1935 | Eulithomyrmex rugosus |
| Messor sculpturatus | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A myrmicine ant. | |
| Mianeuretus | Gen et Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | An aneuretine ant. The type species is M. mirabilis | |
| Miomyrmex | Trib, Gen et Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A miomyrmecine dolichoderine ant. The type species is M. striatus | |
| Petraeomyrmex | Gen et Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. The type species is P. minimus | Petraeomyrmex minimus |
| Pheidole tertiaria | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A myrmicine ant. | |
| Pogonomyrmex fossilis | Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A myrmicine ant. | |
| Protazteca | Gen, Comb, et 3 Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A dolichoderine ant. The type species is P. elongata Also includes P. capitata, P. quadrata, and "Ponera" hendersoni (1906) | Protazteca elongata |
| Pseudocamponotus | Gen, Comb, et 3 Sp nov | valid | Carpenter | Miocene | | USA Nevada | A camponotine formicine ant. The type species is P. elkoanus | |
| Pseudomyrma extincta | Sp nov | jr synonym | Carpenter | Eocene Priabonian | Florissant Formation | USA Colorado | A pseudomyrmecine ant. Moved to Pseudomyrmex extinctus in 1990 | |

## Dinosaurs

| Taxon | Novelty | Status | Author(s) | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Mandschurosaurus | Gen. nov. | Nomen dubium | Riabinin | Maastrichtian | Yuliangze Formation | China | A new genus name for Trachodon amurense | |
| Saurolophus kryschtofovici | Sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Riabinin | Maastrichtian | Yuliangze Formation | China | A species of Saurolophus | |

## Lepidosauromorphs
### Newly named plesiosaurs

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Macroplata | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Swinton | Early Jurassic (Hettangian-Sinemurian) | Lower Lias | UK | A rhomaleosaurid. | Macroplata |

## Paleontologists

* Death of William Diller Matthew.