# 1931 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 1931.

## Vertebrates
### Conodonts

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Idiognathodus | Gen et sp nov | valid | Gunnell | Gzhelian | Fort Scott Limestone | USA Missouri | | The type species is I. simulator | |

### Jawless fish

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Cardipeltis | Gen est sp nov | Valid | Branson & Mehl | Devonian | Jefferson Formation | USA Utah | | A heterostracan agnathan The type species is C. wallacii. | Cardipeltis wallacii |

### Crocodylomorphs

| Taxon | Novelty | Status | Author(s) | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Brasileosaurus | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Huene | Turonian | Adamantina Formation | Brazil | | Named as a coelurosaurbut reclassified as a notosuchid |

### Dinosaurs

| Taxon | Novelty | Status | Author(s) | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Carcharodontosaurus | Gen. et comb. nov. | Valid | Stromer | Cenomanian | Bahariya Formation | Egypt | A new genus for Megalosaurus saharicus |
| Cionodon kysylkumense | Sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Riabinin | Cenomanian | Dzharakuduk Formation | Uzbekistan | A species of Cionodon |
| Embasaurus minax | Gen. et sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Riabinin | Berriasian | Neocomian sands | Kazakhstan | A theropod of uncertain placement |
| Orthogoniosaurus matleyi | Gen. et sp. nov. | Nomen dubium | Das-Gupta | Maastrichtian | Lameta Formation | India | An indeterminate theropod tooth-taxon |
| Parasaurolophus tubicen | Sp. nov. | Valid | Wiman | Campanian | Kirtland Formation | USA | A species of Parasaurolophus |
| Tetragonosaurus praeceps | Gen. et sp. nov. | Jr. synonym | Parks | Campanian | Dinosaur Park Formation | Canada | A juvenile of Lambeosaurus |
| Tetragonosaurus erectofrons | Sp. nov. | Jr. synonym | Parks | Campanian | Dinosaur Park Formation | Canada | A juvenile of Corythosaurus |

### Synapsids
#### New taxa

| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Location | Notes | Images |
| Cerataelurus | Junior synonym of Pristerodon. | | | | | |
| Ericiolacerta | Valid | Watson | 250 Millions of years ago. | Antarctica  South Africa | Despite the meaning of his name, it was not related to lizards. | Ericiolacerta |
| Euchambersia | Valid | Broom | | | | |
| Ictidostoma | Valid | Broom | 261 Millions of years ago. | South Africa | | |
| Ictidosuchoides | Valid | Broom | 257 Millions of years ago. | South Africa | | Ictidosuchoides |
| Keratocephalus | Valid | Huene | 261 Millions of years ago. | South Africa | A protomammal with strange bumps on its head. | Keratocephalus |
| Lycideops | Valid | Broom | 257 Millions of years ago. | South Africa | | |
| Megacyclops | Junior synonym of Neomegacyclops. | | | | | |
| Neomegacyclops | Valid | Boonstra | | | | |

## Arthropods
### Insects
#### Blattoidea

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Stylotermes washingtonensis | sp. nov | Jr synonym | Snyder | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A Stylotermitid termite. Moved to Parastylotermes washingtonensis (1949) | |

#### Coleoptera

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Pterostichus fernquisti | sp. nov | | Wickham | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A carabid ground beetle | |
| Dytiscus latahensis | sp. nov | | Wickham | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A predaceous diving beetle | |

#### Diptera

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Elephantomyia baltica | Sp. nov | valid | Alexander | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Russia | A Limoniid cranefly | |

#### Hymenoptera

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Bombus proavus | Sp. nov | | Cockerell | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A bumble bee | |

#### Hemiptera

| Name | Novelty | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Latahcoris | Gen et sp. nov | Cockerell | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A tessaratomid giant stink bug The type species is L. spectatus |
| Miocordulia | Gen et sp. nov | Kennedy | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A corduliid dragonfly The type species is M. latipennis |
| Miopsyche | Gen et 2 sp. nov | Carpenter | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A northern caddisfly genus The type species is M. alexanderi Also includes M. martynovi |
| Phryganea spokanensis | Sp. nov | Carpenter | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Spokane Florule | USA Washington | A giant caddisfly species |

## Plants
### Angiosperms
#### Monocots

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Lysichiton washingtonense | Sp nov | Valid? | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule | USA Washington | | First described as a skunk cabbage fruit species Treated as placement incertae sedis by Chaney & Axelrod (1959) | Lysichiton washingtonense |

#### Superasterids

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Nyssa hesperia | Sp nov | valid | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule | USA Washington | | A tuplo seed species. | |

#### Superrosids

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Vitis bonseri | Sp nov | valid | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule | USA Washington | A grape seed species. | |
| Hicoria washingtoniana | Sp nov | jr synonym | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule | USA Washington | First described as a hickory species. Synonymized into Magnolia dayana | Magnolia dayana |
| Quercus mccanni | Sp nov | valid | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule | USA Washington | An oak species. | Quercus mccanni |
| Ptelea miocenica | Sp nov | valid | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule | USA Washington | An hoptree species. | Ptelea miocenica |

#### Incertae sedis

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
| Phyllites couleeannus | Sp nov | jr synonym | Berry | Miocene Langhian | Latah Formation Grand Coulee Florule | USA Washington | | First described as a leaf morphospecies of uncertain affinity. Moved to Amelanchier couleeana (1946) | Amelanchier couleeana |