2020 in archosaur paleontology

• A study on the skeletal anatomy and bone histology of Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum, based on data from two new specimens, is published by Lecuona, Desojo & Cerda (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Agustina Lecuona |author2=Julia Brenda Desojo |author3=Ignacio Alejandro Cerda |year=2020 |title=New information on the anatomy and histology of Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) from the Chañares Formation (early Carnian), Argentina |journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=40–62 |url=http://sciencepress.mnhn.fr/fr/periodiques/comptes-rendus-palevol/19/3 }}
• Redescription of the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton of Riojasuchus tenuisceps, and a study on the phylogenetic affinities of ornithosuchids, is published by von Baczko, Desojo & Ponce (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=M. Belén von Baczko |author2=Julia B. Desojo |author3=Denis Ponce |year=2020 |title=Postcranial anatomy and osteoderm histology of Riojasuchus tenuisceps and a phylogenetic update on Ornithosuchidae (Archosauria, Pseudosuchia) |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=39 |issue=5 |pages=e1693396 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2019.1693396 |hdl=11336/138965 |s2cid=213887703 |hdl-access=free }}
• Description of a new erpetosuchid specimen from the Upper Triassic Lossiemouth Sandstone (Scotland, United Kingdom) and a review of the anatomy, taxonomy and systematics of other erpetosuchid specimens from the Lossiemouth Sandstone (all previously referred to Erpetosuchus) is published by Foffa et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Davide Foffa |author2=Richard J. Butler |author3=Sterling J. Nesbitt |author4=Stig Walsh |author5=Paul M. Barrett |author6=Stephen L. Brusatte |author7=Nicholas C. Fraser |year=2020 |title=Revision of Erpetosuchus (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) and new erpetosuchid material from the Late Triassic 'Elgin Reptile' fauna based on μCT scanning techniques |journal=Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh |volume=111 |issue=4 |pages=209–233 |doi=10.1017/S1755691020000109 |bibcode=2020EESTR.111..209F |hdl=20.500.11820/92297237-59c2-499e-a05a-1d5bb6997c23 |s2cid=228887493 |url=https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/162966629/389._Foffa.pdf }}
• Description of new fossil material of Acaenasuchus geoffreyi and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of this species is published by Marsh et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Adam D. Marsh |author2=Matthew E. Smith |author3=William G. Parker |author4=Randall B. Irmis |author5=Ben T. Kligman |year=2020 |title=Skeletal Anatomy of Acaenasuchus geoffreyi Long and Murry, 1995 (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) and its Implications for the Origin of the Aetosaurian Carapace |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=e1794885 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1794885 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E4885M |s2cid=225136804 |doi-access=free |hdl=10919/102375 |hdl-access=free }}
• A three-dimensional reconstruction of the armour plates around the tail of Stagonolepis robertsoni is presented by Keeble & Benton (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Emily Keeble |author2=Michael J. Benton |year=2020 |title=Three-dimensional tomographic study of dermal armour from the tail of the Triassic aetosaur Stagonolepis robertsoni |journal=Scottish Journal of Geology |volume=56 |issue=1 |pages=55–62 |doi=10.1144/sjg2019-026 |bibcode=2020ScJG...56...55K |s2cid=211030624 |url=https://palaeopublications.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/files/2020/05/2020Stagonolepis.pdf }}{{Dead link|date=January 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Taxonomic revision, anatomical description, and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the type and referred materials of Prestosuchus from the original collections of Friedrich von Huene is published by Desojo, von Baczko & Rauhut (2020), who transfer the species Stagonosuchus nyassicus to the genus Prestosuchus.{{cite journal |author1=Julia Brenda Desojo |author2=María Belén von Baczko |author3=Oliver W.M. Rauhut |year=2020 |title=Anatomy, taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of Prestosuchus chiniquensis (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) from the original collection of von Huene, Middle-Late Triassic of southern Brazil |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 23(1):a04 |doi=10.26879/1026 |s2cid=213432918 |doi-access=free |hdl=11336/127498 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Heptasuchus clarki is published by Nesbitt, Zawiskie & Dawley (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Sterling J. Nesbitt |author2=John M. Zawiskie |author3=Robert M. Dawley |year=2020 |title=The osteology and phylogenetic position of the loricatan (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) Heptasuchus clarki, from the ?Mid-Upper Triassic, southeastern Big Horn Mountains, Central Wyoming (USA) |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e10101 |doi=10.7717/peerj.10101 |pmid=33194383 |pmc=7597643 |doi-access=free }}
• A review of the crocodylomorph Triassic record in South America is published by Leardi, Yáñez & Pol (2020), who report the occurrence of a large-bodied crocodylomorph in the Ischigualasto Formation and a putative new non-crocodyliform crocodylomorph taxon from Los Colorados Formation (Argentina).{{Cite journal|author1=Juan Martín Leardi |author2=Imanol Yáñez |author3=Diego Pol |year=2020 |title=South American Crocodylomorphs (Archosauria; Crocodylomorpha): A review of the early fossil record in the continent and its relevance on understanding the origins of the clade |journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences |volume=104 |pages=Article 102780 |doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102780 |bibcode=2020JSAES.10402780L |s2cid=225237455 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the braincase of Almadasuchus figarii, and on early evolution of cranial pneumaticity in Crocodylomorpha, is published by Leardi, Pol & Clark (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Juan Martín Leardi |author2=Diego Pol |author3=James Matthew Clark |year=2020 |title=Braincase anatomy of Almadasuchus figarii (Archosauria, Crocodylomorpha) and a review of the cranial pneumaticity in the origins of Crocodylomorpha |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=237 |issue=1 |pages=48–73 |doi=10.1111/joa.13171 |pmid=32227598 |pmc=7309285 }}
• A study on the impact of the habitat on the evolution of body size in Crocodyliformes, based on data from extant and fossil taxa, is published by Gearty & Payne (2020).{{cite journal |author1=William Gearty |author2=Jonathan L. Payne |year=2020 |title=Physiological constraints on body size distributions in Crocodyliformes |journal=Evolution |volume=74 |issue=2 |pages=245–255 |doi=10.1111/evo.13901 |pmid=31943148 |s2cid=210335476 }}
• New fossil material of crocodylomorphs from the Birket Qarun Formation in the Fayum Depression (Egypt), including the first record of a sebecosuchian from the late Eocene of Africa, is described by Stefanic et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Candice M. Stefanic |author2=Jennifer H. Nestler |author3=Erik R. Seiffert |author4=Alan H. Turner |year=2020 |title=New crocodylomorph material from the Fayum Depression, Egypt, including the first occurrence of a sebecosuchian in African late Eocene deposits |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=39 |issue=6 |pages=e1729781 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2019.1729781 |s2cid=216272094 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the skull and on the phylogenetic relationships of Araripesuchus buitreraensis, based on data from new as well as previously reported specimens, is published by Fernandez Dumont et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=M.L. Fernandez Dumont |author2=P. Bona |author3=D. Pol |author4=S. Apesteguía |year=2020 |title=New anatomical information on Araripesuchus buitreraensis with implications for the systematics of Uruguaysuchidae (Crocodyliforms, Notosuchia) |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=113 |pages=Article 104494 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104494 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11304494F |s2cid=218942443 }}
• A study on changes in the inner ear vestibular system, involved in sensing balance and equilibrium, throughout the evolutionary history of thalattosuchians is published by Schwab et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Julia A. Schwab |author2=Mark T. Young |author3=James M. Neenan |author4=Stig A. Walsh |author5=Lawrence M. Witmer |author6=Yanina Herrera |author7=Ronan Allain |author8=Christopher A. Brochu |author9=Jonah N. Choiniere |author10=James M. Clark |author11=Kathleen N. Dollman |author12=Steve Etches |author13=Guido Fritsch |author14=Paul M. Gignac |author15=Alexander Ruebenstahl |author16=Sven Sachs |author17=Alan H. Turner |author18=Patrick Vignaud |author19=Eric W. Wilberg |author20=Xing Xu |author21=Lindsay E. Zanno |author22=Stephen L. Brusatte |year=2020 |title=Inner ear sensory system changes as extinct crocodylomorphs transitioned from land to water |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |volume=117 |issue=19 |pages=10422–10428 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2002146117 |pmid=32312812 |pmc=7229756 |bibcode=2020PNAS..11710422S |doi-access=free }}
• A revision of the genus Steneosaurus is published by Johnson, Young & Brusatte (2020), who designate S. rostromajor as the type species of this genus, consider S. rostromajor to be a nomen dubium and propose that the genus Steneosaurus is undiagnostic.{{Cite journal|author1=Michela M. Johnson |author2=Mark T. Young |author3=Stephen L. Brusatte |year=2020 |title=Emptying the wastebasket: a historical and taxonomic revision of the Jurassic crocodylomorph Steneosaurus |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=189 |issue=2 |pages=428–448 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa027 |hdl=20.500.11820/9abd0c02-12ee-4387-ad0d-ceaff5ebdbe3 |hdl-access=free }}
• Description of new fossil material of Teleidosaurus calvadosii from the middle Bathonian of Ecouché (Normandy, France) and a redescription of the anatomy of this species is published by Hua (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Stéphane Hua |year=2020 |title=A new specimen of Teleidosaurus calvadosii (Eudes-Deslongchamps, 1866) (Crocodylia, Thalattosuchia) from the Middle Jurassic of France |journal=Annales de Paléontologie |volume=106 |issue=4 |pages=Article 102423 |doi=10.1016/j.annpal.2020.102423 |bibcode=2020AnPal.10602423H |s2cid=219426498 }}
• A study on the thermophysiology of metriorhynchids, as indicated by the oxygen isotope composition of the tooth enamel phosphate, is published by Séon et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Nicolas Séon |author2=Romain Amiot |author3=Jeremy E. Martin |author4=Mark T. Young |author5=Heather Middleton |author6=François Fourel |author7=Laurent Picot |author8=Xavier Valentin |author9=Christophe Lécuyer |s2cid=210157410 |year=2020 |title=Thermophysiologies of Jurassic marine crocodylomorphs inferred from the oxygen isotope composition of their tooth apatite |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=375 |issue=1793 |pages=Article ID 20190139 |doi=10.1098/rstb.2019.0139 |pmid=31928186 |pmc=7017436 }}
• Fossil material of two large-bodied metriorhynchids is reported from lower Kimmeridgian sediments in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg (Germany) by Abel, Sachs & Young (2020), who interpret these fossils as evidence of a new lineage of large-bodied geosaurines from the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian of Europe.{{Cite journal|author1=Pascal Abel |author2=Sven Sachs |author3=Mark Thomas Young |year=2020 |title=Metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs from the lower Kimmeridgian of Southern Germany: evidence for a new large-bodied geosaurin lineage in Europe |journal=Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology |volume=44 |issue=2 |pages=312–326 |doi=10.1080/03115518.2019.1701079 |bibcode=2020Alch...44..312A |hdl=20.500.11820/e71fe1e8-9a0f-44c3-abeb-02c14721f37f |s2cid=214328465 |url=https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/128155335/Mark_Young.pdf }}
• Redescription of the holotype specimen of Enaliosuchus macrospondylus, a revision of the fossil material assigned to this species, and a review of the current knowledge of metriorhynchid diversity during the Cretaceous is published by Sachs, Young & Hornung (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Sven Sachs |author2=Mark T. Young |author3=Jahn J. Hornung |year=2020 |title=The enigma of Enaliosuchus, and a reassessment of the Lower Cretaceous fossil record of Metriorhynchidae |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=114 |pages=Article 104479 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104479 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11404479S |hdl=20.500.11820/c52d1d56-1bf3-4aae-b2e1-38c85eed44fa |s2cid=218996914 |url=https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/143193289/171._Mark_Young.pdf }}
• A study aiming to determine whether notosuchians were warm-blooded, based on data from bone histology, is published by Cubo et al. (2020), who interpret their findings as indicating that notosuchians were likely to be ectotherms.{{Cite journal|author1=Jorge Cubo |author2=Mariana V. A. Sena |author3=Paul Aubier |author4=Guillaume Houee |author5=Penelope Claisse |author6=Mathieu G. Faure-Brac |author7=Ronan Allain |author8=Rafael C. L. P. Andrade |author9=Juliana M. Sayão |author10=Gustavo R. Oliveira |year=2020 |title=Were Notosuchia (Pseudosuchia: Crocodylomorpha) warm-blooded? A palaeohistological analysis suggests ectothermy |journal=Biological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=131 |issue=1 |pages= 154–162|doi=10.1093/biolinnean/blaa081 }}
• A study on the diversity of notosuchians, aiming to determine which factors are potentially distorting the interpretations of the diversity of this group, is published by de Celis et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=A. de Celis |author2=I. Narváez |author3=A. Arcucci |author4=F. Ortega |year=2020 |title=Lagerstätte effect drives notosuchian palaeodiversity (Crocodyliformes, Notosuchia) |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=11 |pages=3031–3040 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1844682 |s2cid=228864096 }}
• A study on the anatomy and biomechanics of baurusuchid skulls, evaluating their implications for the knowledge of likely predatory behaviors of baurusuchids, is published by Montefeltro et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Felipe C. Montefeltro |author2=Stephan Lautenschlager |author3=Pedro L. Godoy |author4=Gabriel S. Ferreira |author5=Richard J. Butler |year=2020 |title=A unique predator in a unique ecosystem: modelling the apex predator within a Late Cretaceous crocodyliform-dominated fauna from Brazil |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=237 |issue=2 |pages=323–333 |doi=10.1111/joa.13192 |pmid=32255518 |pmc=7369189 }}
• New information on the anatomy of the endocranial cavities of Campinasuchus dinizi is presented by Fonseca et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Pedro Henrique Morais Fonseca |author2=Agustín Guillermo Martinelli |author3=Thiago da Silva Marinho |author4=Luiz Carlos Borges Ribeiro |author5=Cesar Leandro Schultz |author6=Marina Bento Soares |year=2020 |title=Morphology of the endocranial cavities of Campinasuchus dinizi (Crocodyliformes: Baurusuchidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Brazil |journal=Geobios |volume=58 |pages=1–16 |doi=10.1016/j.geobios.2019.11.001 |bibcode=2020Geobi..58....1F |s2cid=213615580 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the brain and inner ear of Baurusuchus, based on data from reconstructed endocasts, is published by Dumont et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Marcos V. Dumont Jr |author2=Rodrigo M. Santucci |author3=Marco Brandalise de Andrade |author4=Carlos Eduardo Maia de Oliveira |title=Paleoneurology of Baurusuchus (Crocodyliformes: Baurusuchidae), ontogenetic variation, brain size, and sensorial implications |journal=The Anatomical Record |year=2022 |volume=305 |issue= 10|pages= 2670–2694|doi=10.1002/ar.24567 |pmid=33211405 |hdl=10923/19660 |s2cid=227067296 |hdl-access=free }}
• Pholidosaurid fossil material, representing the most recent record of this group reported so far, is described from the Paleocene (Danian) of Ouled Abdoun Basin (Morocco) by Jouve & Jalil (2020), who also reinterpret Dakotasuchus kingi, Woodbinesuchus byersmauricei and Sabinosuchus coahuilensis as pholidosaurids, and study the diversity of tethysuchians from the Late Jurassic to the early Paleogene.{{Cite journal|author1=Stéphane Jouve |author2=Nour-Eddine Jalil |year=2020 |title=Paleocene resurrection of a crocodylomorph taxon: Biotic crises, climatic and sea level fluctuations |journal=Gondwana Research |volume=85 |pages=1–18 |doi=10.1016/j.gr.2020.03.010 |bibcode=2020GondR..85....1J |s2cid=219451890 |url=https://hal.sorbonne-universite.fr/hal-02933167/file/Jouve%20%26%20Jalil%202020.pdf }}
• New specimen of Susisuchus anatoceps, displaying a non-eusuchian type palate (i.e. choana not entirely bounded by the pterygoids), is described by Montefeltro et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of the anatomy of this taxon and the phylogenetic position of susisuchids.{{Cite journal|author1=Felipe C. Montefeltro |author2=Mario Bronzati |author3=Max C. Langer |author4=Luiz E. Anelli |year=2020 |title=A new specimen of Susisuchus anatoceps (Crocodyliformes, Neosuchia) with a non-eusuchian-type palate |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=39 |issue= 5|pages=e1716240 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2019.1716240 |s2cid=213053518 }}
• A study on skull anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Bernissartia fagesii is published by Martin et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Jeremy E. Martin |author2=Thierry Smith |author3=Céline Salaviale |author4=Jerôme Adrien |author5=Massimo Delfino |year=2020 |title=Virtual reconstruction of the skull of Bernissartia fagesii and current understanding of the neosuchian–eusuchian transition |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |volume=18 |issue=13 |pages=1079–1101 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2020.1731722 |bibcode=2020JSPal..18.1079M |s2cid=216464226 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02513657 }}
• Reconstruction of the internal cavities of the skull of Agaresuchus fontisensis, including the cavities that contained the brain, nerves and blood vessels, is presented by Serrano-Martínez et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Alejandro Serrano-Martínez |author2=Fabien Knoll |author3=Iván Narváez |author4=Stephan Lautenschlager |author5=Francisco Ortega |year=2020 |title=Neuroanatomical and neurosensorial analysis of the Late Cretaceous basal eusuchian Agaresuchus fontisensis (Cuenca, Spain) |journal=Papers in Palaeontology |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=641–656 |doi=10.1002/spp2.1296 | issn=2056-2799 |s2cid=214145783 }}
• A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Eocaiman cavernensis is published by Godoy et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Pedro L. Godoy |author2=Giovanne M. Cidade |author3=Felipe C. Montefeltro |author4=Max C. Langer |author5=Mark A. Norell |year=2020 |title=Redescription and phylogenetic affinities of the caimanine Eocaiman cavernensis (Crocodylia, Alligatoroidea) from the Eocene of Argentina |journal=Papers in Palaeontology |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=1205–1231 |doi=10.1002/spp2.1339 |s2cid=222240131 }}
• A tibia of the mylodontid sloth Pseudoprepotherium bearing 46 predation tooth marks is described from the Miocene Pebas Formation (Peru) by Pujos & Salas-Gismondi (2020), who interpret this finding as evidence of predation of a young or sub-adult Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth.{{Cite journal|author1=François Pujos |author2=Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi |year=2020 |title=Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia |journal=Biology Letters |volume=16 |issue=8 |pages=Article ID 20200239 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2020.0239 |pmid=32842894 |pmc=7480153 |s2cid=221298643 }}
• New fossil material of Mourasuchus arendsi is described from the Miocene Urumaco Formation (Venezuela) by Cidade, Rincón & Solórzano (2020), who evaluate the implications of these fossils for the knowledge of the paleobiology of this species.{{cite journal |author1=Giovanne M. Cidade |author2=Ascanio D. Rincón |author3=Andrés Solórzano |year=2020 |title=New cranial and postcranial elements of Mourasuchus (Alligatoroidea: Caimaninae) from the late Miocene of Venezuela and their palaeobiological implications |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=2387–2399 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1795844 |s2cid=225395230 }}
• A study on the shape and biomechanical properties of the humeri of mekosuchines and extant Australian crocodiles, and on their implications for the knowledge of the locomotion of mekosuchines, is published by Stein et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Michael D. Stein |author2=Suzanne J. Hand |author3=Michael Archer |author4=Stephen Wroe |author5=Laura A.B. Wilson |year=2020 |title=Quantitatively assessing mekosuchine crocodile locomotion by geometric morphometric and finite element analysis of the forelimb |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9349 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9349 |pmid=32587803 |pmc=7301899 |doi-access=free }}
• Redescription of the anatomy and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of Crocodylus checchiai is published by Delfino et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Massimo Delfino |author2=Dawid A. Iurino |author3=Bruno Mercurio |author4=Paolo Piras |author5=Lorenzo Rook |author6=Raffaele Sardella |year=2020 |title=Old African fossils provide new evidence for the origin of the American crocodiles |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 11127 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-68482-5 |pmid=32703957 |pmc=7378212 |bibcode=2020NatSR..1011127D }}
• Fossil tracks possibly produced by large crocodylomorphs moving bipedally are described from the Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation and Haman Formation (South Korea) by Kim et al. (2020), who name a new ichnotaxon Batrachopus grandis.{{Cite journal|author1=Kyung Soo Kim |author2=Martin G. Lockley |author3=Jong Deock Lim |author4=Seul Mi Bae |author5=Anthony Romilio |year=2020 |title=Trackway evidence for large bipedal crocodylomorphs from the Cretaceous of Korea |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 8680 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-66008-7 |pmid=32528068 |pmc=7289791 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.8680K }}
• A study on the impact of recognition of cryptic species of extant crocodylians on interpretations of the crocodyliform fossil record is published by Brochu & Sumrall (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Christopher A. Brochu |author2=Colin D. Sumrall |year=2020 |title=Modern cryptic species and crocodylian diversity in the fossil record |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=189 |issue=2 |pages=700–711 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa039 }}

• A study on the palynological record from the Carnian–Norian transition in the western Barents Sea region is published by Klausen, Paterson & Benton (2020), who interpret their findings as indicating that major sea-level changes across the vast delta plains situated in the northern Pangaea might have triggered terrestrial turnovers during the Carnian–Norian transition and facilitated the gradual rise of the dinosaurs to ecosystem dominance.{{Cite journal|author1=Tore G. Klausen |author2=Niall W. Paterson |author3=Michael J. Benton |year=2020 |title=Geological control on dinosaurs' rise to dominance: Late Triassic ecosystem stress by relative sea level change |journal=Terra Nova |volume=32 |issue=6 |pages=434–441 |doi=10.1111/ter.12480 |bibcode=2020TeNov..32..434K |s2cid=219906193 |doi-access=free |hdl=11250/2766438 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study comparing and testing for correlation between rates of morphological evolution and extinction at the species level in non-avian dinosaurs is published by Crouch (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Nicholas M. A. Crouch |year=2020 |title=Extinction rates of non-avian dinosaur species are uncorrelated with the rate of evolution of phylogenetically informative characters |journal=Biology Letters |volume=16 |issue=6 |pages=Article ID 20200231 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2020.0231 |pmid=32574533 |pmc=7336841 }}
• A study on the biogeography of the Cretaceous Australian dinosaur fauna is published by Kubo (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Tai Kubo |year=2020 |title=Biogeographical network analysis of Cretaceous Australian dinosaurs |journal=Gondwana Research |volume=82 |pages=39–47 |doi=10.1016/j.gr.2019.12.012 |bibcode=2020GondR..82...39K |s2cid=212880512 }}
• A study assessing the accuracy and precision of two major approaches to body mass estimation in non-avian dinosaurs is published by Campione & Evans (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Nicolás E. Campione |author2=David C. Evans |year=2020 |title=The accuracy and precision of body mass estimation in non-avian dinosaurs |journal=Biological Reviews |volume=95 |issue=6 |pages=1759–1797 |doi=10.1111/brv.12638 |pmid=32869488 |s2cid=221404013 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the relationships between trabecular bone architecture and its mechanical properties in dinosaurs is published by Aguirre et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Trevor G. Aguirre |author2=Aniket Ingrole |author3=Luca Fuller |author4=Tim W. Seek |author5=Anthony R. Fiorillo |author6=Joseph J. W. Sertich |author7=Seth W. Donahue |year=2020 |title=Differing trabecular bone architecture in dinosaurs and mammals contribute to stiffness and limits on bone strain |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=8 |pages=e0237042 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0237042 |pmid=32813735 |pmc=7437811 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1537042A |doi-access=free }}
• A study on small dinosaur tracks from the Lower Jurassic Portland Formation (Connecticut, United States), aiming to reconstruct the foot motions of the trackmaker, is published by Falkingham, Turner & Gatesy (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Peter L. Falkingham |author2=Morgan L. Turner |author3=Stephen M. Gatesy |year=2020 |title=Constructing and testing hypotheses of dinosaur foot motions from fossil tracks using digitization and simulation |journal=Palaeontology |volume=63 |issue=6 |pages=865–880 |doi=10.1111/pala.12502 |bibcode=2020Palgy..63..865F |s2cid=225356859 |doi-access=free }}
• A review of the Late Cretaceous dinosaur tracksites of Bolivia is published by Meyer et al. (2020), who describe new dinosaur tracksites from the Chuquisaca and Potosi departments, and report parallel trackways of subadult ankylosaurs interpreted as evidence of social behavior amongst these dinosaurs.{{Cite journal|author1=Ch.A. Meyer |author2=D. Marty |author3=B. Thüring |author4=S. Thüring |author5=M. Belvedere |year=2020 |title=The Late Cretaceous dinosaur track record of Bolivia – Review and perspective |journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences |volume=106 |pages=Article 102992 |doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102992| issn=0895-9811 |s2cid=229473959 |doi-access=free |hdl=2158/1252157 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on the evolutionary history of dinosaur integument, aiming to determine the most likely ancestral integumentary condition in dinosaurs, is published by Campione, Barrett & Evans (2020).{{cite book |author1=Nicolás E. Campione |author2=Paul M. Barrett |author3=David C. Evans |year=2020 |chapter=On the Ancestry of Feathers in Mesozoic Dinosaurs |editor1=Christian Foth |editor2=Oliver W. M. Rauhut |title=The Evolution of Feathers |publisher=Springer |pages=213–243 |isbn=978-3-030-27223-4 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-27223-4_12 |series=Fascinating Life Sciences |s2cid=216395898 }}
• A study aiming to determine dinosaur body temperatures on the basis of data from fossil eggshells, comparing them with paleoenvironmental temperatures, and evaluating their implications for the knowledge of dinosaur thermoregulation, is published by Dawson et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Robin R. Dawson |author2=Daniel J. Field |author3=Pincelli M. Hull |author4=Darla K. Zelenitsky |author5=François Therrien |author6=Hagit P. Affek |year=2020 |title=Eggshell geochemistry reveals ancestral metabolic thermoregulation in Dinosauria |journal=Science Advances |volume=6 |issue=7 |pages=eaax9361 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aax9361 |pmid=32110726 |pmc=7021498 |bibcode=2020SciA....6.9361D }}
• A study on body temperatures of Late Cretaceous sauropods and theropods from western and central India, based on data from fossil eggshells, is published by Laskar et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Amzad H. Laskar |author2=Dhananjay Mohabey |author3=Sourendra K. Bhattacharya |author4=Mao-Chang Liang |year=2020 |title=Variable thermoregulation of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs inferred by clumped isotope analysis of fossilized eggshell carbonates |journal=Heliyon |volume=6 |issue=10 |pages=e05265 |doi=10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05265 |doi-access=free |pmid=33117899 |pmc=7581925 |bibcode=2020Heliy...605265L }}
• Evidence for an originally non-biomineralized, soft-shelled nature of eggs of Mussaurus and Protoceratops is presented by Norell et al. (2020), who argue that the first dinosaur egg was soft-shelled, and that the calcified, hard-shelled dinosaur egg evolved independently at least three times throughout the Mesozoic era;{{cite journal |author1=Mark A. Norell |author2=Jasmina Wiemann |author3=Matteo Fabbri |author4=Congyu Yu |author5=Claudia A. Marsicano |author6=Anita Moore-Nall |author7=David J. Varricchio |author8=Diego Pol |author9=Darla K. Zelenitsky |year=2020 |title=The first dinosaur egg was soft |journal=Nature |volume=583 |issue=7816 |pages=406–410 |doi=10.1038/s41586-020-2412-8 |pmid=32555457 |bibcode=2020Natur.583..406N |s2cid=219730449 }} their interpretation of a soft Mussaurus eggshell is subsequently contested by Choi et al. (2022).{{cite journal |author1=Seung Choi |author2=Tzu-Ruei Yang |author3=Miguel Moreno-Azanza |author4=Noe-Heon Kim |author5=Congyu Yu |year=2022 |title=Triassic sauropodomorph eggshell might not be soft |journal=Nature |volume=610 |issue=7932 |pages=E8–E10 |doi=10.1038/s41586-022-05151-9 |pmid=36261569 |bibcode=2022Natur.610E...8C |s2cid=252996368 |url=http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/125873 }}{{cite journal |author1=Mark A. Norell |author2=Jasmina Wiemann |author3=Iris Menéndez |author4=Matteo Fabbri |author5=Congyu Yu |author6=Claudia A. Marsicano |author7=Anita Moore-Nall |author8=David J. Varricchio |author9=Diego Pol |author10=Darla K. Zelenitsky |year=2022 |title=Reply to: Triassic sauropodomorph eggshell might not be soft |journal=Nature |volume=610 |issue=7932 |pages=E11–E14 |doi=10.1038/s41586-022-05152-8 |pmid=36261552 |bibcode=2022Natur.610E..11N |s2cid=252996485 }}
• A study on the trace elements and isotopic compositions of eggshells of dinosaur eggs from the Cretaceous Zhaoying Formation (Henan, China), evaluating their implications for reconstructions of local paleoenvironment, is published by He et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Qing He |author2=Sen Yang |author3=Songhai Jia |author4=Li Xu |author5=Lida Xing |author6=Diansong Gao |author7=Di Liu |author8=Yongli Gao |author9=Yalin Zheng |year=2020 |title=Trace element and isotope geochemistry of macroelongatoolithid eggs as an indicator of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from the Late Cretaceous Xixia Basin, China |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=109 |pages=Article 104373 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104373 |bibcode=2020CrRes.10904373H |s2cid=214498095 }}
• A study on the affinities of putative gekkotan eggshells from the Late Cretaceous of Europe is published by Choi et al. (2020), who interpret the fossil material of Pseudogeckoolithus as theropod eggshells.{{Cite journal|author1=Seung Choi |author2=Miguel Moreno-Azanza |author3=Zoltán Csiki-Sava |author4=Edina Prondvai |author5=Yuong-Nam Lee |year=2020 |title=Comparative crystallography suggests maniraptoran theropod affinities for latest Cretaceous European 'geckoid' eggshell |journal=Papers in Palaeontology |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=265–292 |doi=10.1002/spp2.1294 |bibcode=2020PPal....6..265C |s2cid=214537088 |url=http://real.mtak.hu/133433/1/proof_spp2_1294%20%281%29-7-34.pdf }}
• Remains of small theropod eggs, providing new information on the diversity of small dinosaurs in the Hyogo region (Japan), are reported from the Cretaceous (Albian) of the Kamitaki Egg Quarry (Ohyamashimo Formation) by Tanaka et al. (2020), who name new ootaxa Himeoolithus murakamii (the smallest non-avian theropod egg known to date), Nipponoolithus ramosus and Subtiliolithus hyogoensis.{{Cite journal|author1=Kohei Tanaka |author2=Darla K. Zelenitsky |author3=François Therrien |author4=Tadahiro Ikeda |author5=Katsuhiro Kubota |author6=Haruo Saegusa |author7=Tomonori Tanaka |author8=Kenji Ikuno |year=2020 |title=Exceptionally small theropod eggs from the Lower Cretaceous Ohyamashimo Formation of Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=114 |pages=Article 104519 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104519 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11404519T |s2cid=219449961 }}
• Chapelle, Fernandez & Choiniere (2020) evaluate the possibility of estimating the developmental stage of dinosaur embryos, on the basis of a study of skull ossification sequences in embryos of Massospondylus carinatus and extant saurians.{{Cite journal|author1=Kimberley E. J. Chapelle |author2=Vincent Fernandez |author3=Jonah N. Choiniere |year=2020 |title=Conserved in-ovo cranial ossification sequences of extant saurians allow estimation of embryonic dinosaur developmental stages |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 4224 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-60292-z |pmid=32273522 |pmc=7145871 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.4224C }}
• Fossil remains of a member or a relative of the genus Scelidosaurus and of an indeterminate neotheropod are described from the Lower Jurassic Lias Group (Northern Ireland) by Simms et al. (2020), representing the first non-avian dinosaur remains reported from Ireland.{{Cite journal|author1=Michael J. Simms |author2=Robert S.H. Smyth |author3=David M. Martill |author4=Patrick C. Collins |author5=Roger Byrne |year=2020 |title=First dinosaur remains from Ireland |journal=Proceedings of the Geologists' Association |volume=132 |issue=6 |pages=771–779 |doi=10.1016/j.pgeola.2020.06.005 |s2cid=228811170 |url=https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/first-dinosaur-remains-from-ireland(bec59dd5-c380-4411-84a4-ffef1324af80).html }}
• Prasad & Parmar (2020) describe fossil teeth of ornithischian and theropod dinosaurs (including five morphotypes of putative dromaeosaurid teeth) from the Middle Jurassic Kota Formation, providing new information on the Jurassic dinosaur fauna of India.{{cite book |author1=Guntupalli V. R. Prasad |author2=Varun Parmar |year=2020 |chapter=First Ornithischian and Theropod Dinosaur Teeth from the Middle Jurassic Kota Formation of India: Paleobiogeographic Relationships |editor1=Guntupalli V.R. Prasad |editor2=Rajeev Patnaik |title=Biological consequences of plate tectonics. New perspectives on post-Gondwana break-up–A tribute to Ashok Sahni |publisher=Springer |pages=1–30 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-49753-8_1 |series=Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology |isbn=978-3-030-49752-1 |s2cid=229665927 }}
• Two sacral vertebrae representing the oldest record of fusion of these vertebrae among dinosaurs are described from the Upper Triassic Candelária Sequence (Brazil) by Moro et al. (2020), who also review the occurrence of sacral fusion in dinosaurs and their close relatives.{{cite journal |author1=Débora Moro |author2=Leonardo Kerber |author3=Rodrigo T. Müller |author4=Flávio A. Pretto |year=2020 |title=Sacral co-ossification in dinosaurs: The oldest record of fused sacral vertebrae in Dinosauria and the diversity of sacral co-ossification patterns in the group |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=238 |issue=4 |pages=828–844 |doi=10.1111/joa.13356 |pmid=33164207 |pmc=7930772 }}
• A study aiming to test whether non-avian dinosaurs were in long-term decline prior to the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event is published by Bonsor et al. (2020);{{cite journal|author1=Joseph A. Bonsor|author2=Paul M. Barrett|author3=Thomas J. Raven|author4=Natalie Cooper|year=2020|title=Dinosaur diversification rates were not in decline prior to the K-Pg boundary|journal=Royal Society Open Science|volume=7|issue=11|pages=Article ID: 201195|doi=10.1098/rsos.201195|pmc=7735361|pmid=33391800|bibcode=2020RSOS....701195B|s2cid=226981705}} the study is subsequently criticized by Sakamoto, Benton & Venditti (2021).{{cite journal|author1=Manabu Sakamoto|author2=Michael J. Benton|author3=Chris Venditti|year=2021|title=Strong support for a heterogeneous speciation decline model in Dinosauria: a response to claims made by Bonsor et al. (2020)|journal=Royal Society Open Science|volume=8|issue=8|pages=Article ID: 202143|doi=10.1098/rsos.202143|pmid=34457325|pmc=8385376|bibcode=2021RSOS....802143S|doi-access=free}}
• A study on the causes of extinction of non-avian dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous, evaluating dinosaur habitability in the wake of climatic perturbations caused by various asteroid impact and Deccan volcanism scenarios, is published by Chiarenza et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza|author2=Alexander Farnsworth|author3=Philip D. Mannion|author4=Daniel J. Lunt|author5=Paul J. Valdes|author6=Joanna V. Morgan|author6-link= Joanna Morgan |author7=Peter A. Allison|year=2020|title=Asteroid impact, not volcanism, caused the end-Cretaceous dinosaur extinction|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|volume=117|issue=29|pages=17084–17093|bibcode=2020PNAS..11717084C|doi=10.1073/pnas.2006087117|pmc=7382232|pmid=32601204|doi-access=free }}

• A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Daemonosaurus chauliodus is published by Nesbitt & Sues (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Sterling J. Nesbitt |author2=Hans-Dieter Sues |year=2020 |title=The osteology of the early-diverging dinosaur Daemonosaurus chauliodus (Archosauria: Dinosauria) from the Coelophysis Quarry (Triassic: Rhaetian) of New Mexico and its relationships to other early dinosaurs |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=191 |issue=1 |pages=150–179 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa080 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the evolutionary trends and functional relationships between giant body size and hip anatomy in saurischians is published by Tsai et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Henry P. Tsai |author2=Kevin M. Middleton |author3=John R. Hutchinson |author4=Casey M. Holliday |year=2020 |title=More than one way to be a giant: Convergence and disparity in the hip joints of saurischian dinosaurs |journal=Evolution |volume=74 |issue=8 |pages=1654–1681 |doi=10.1111/evo.14017 |pmid=32433795 |s2cid=218765317 |url=https://researchonline.rvc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12692/1/12692_More-than-one-way-to-be-a-giant_Accepted.pdf }}
• A study on the metabolism of Coelophysis and Plateosaurus, aiming to determine whether the absence of large sauropodomorph dinosaurs in the tropical to subtropical latitudes during the Late Triassic (e.g. the Chinle Formation) was caused by physiological limitations, is published by Lovelace et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=David M. Lovelace |author2=Scott A. Hartman |author3=Paul D. Mathewson |author4=Benjamin J. Linzmeier |author5=Warren P. Porter |year=2020 |title=Modeling Dragons: Using linked mechanistic physiological and microclimate models to explore environmental, physiological, and morphological constraints on the early evolution of dinosaurs |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=5 |pages=e0223872 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0223872 |pmid=32469936 |pmc=7259893 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1523872L |doi-access=free }}
• A study on locomotion in non-avian theropods, aiming to determine the selective pressures that influenced evolution of limb length and proportions of limb components in theropods, is published by Dececchi et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=T. Alexander Dececchi |author2=Aleksandra M. Mloszewska |author3=Thomas R. Holtz Jr. |author4=Michael B. Habib |author5=Hans C. E. Larsson |year=2020 |title=The fast and the frugal: Divergent locomotory strategies drive limb lengthening in theropod dinosaurs |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=5 |pages=e0223698 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0223698 |pmid=32401793 |pmc=7220109 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1523698D |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the growth strategies of theropod dinosaurs, with a focus on gigantic tyrannosaurids and carcharodontosaurids, is published by Cullen et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|last1=Cullen|first1=Thomas M.|last2=Canale|first2=Juan I.|last3=Apesteguía|first3=Sebastián|last4=Smith|first4=Nathan D.|last5=Hu|first5=Dongyu|last6=Makovicky|first6=Peter J.|date=2020-11-25|title=Osteohistological analyses reveal diverse strategies of theropod dinosaur body-size evolution|url=|journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences|volume=287|issue=1939|pages=20202258|doi=10.1098/rspb.2020.2258|pmid=33234083|pmc=7739506|s2cid=227154091}}
• The discovery of sternal plates of Tawa hallae from the Late Triassic of New Mexico and Arizona, representing the oldest known dinosaur sternal plates described so far, is reported by Bradley et al. (2020), who note the presence of morphological features similar to sternal traits in avialans.{{Cite journal|author1=Alexander B. Bradley |author2=Sara H. Burch |author3=Alan H. Turner |author4=Nathan D. Smith |author5=Randall B. Irmis |author6=Sterling J. Nesbitt |year=2020 |title=Sternal elements of early dinosaurs fill a critical gap in the evolution of the sternum in Avemetatarsalia (Reptilia: Archosauria) |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=39 |issue=5 |pages=e1700992 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2019.1700992 |s2cid=213431272 }}
• A study on the anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Dilophosaurus wetherilli, based on data from the holotype, referred, and previously undescribed specimens from the Kayenta Formation, is published by Marsh & Rowe (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Adam D. Marsh |author2=Timothy B. Rowe |year=2020 |title=A comprehensive anatomical and phylogenetic evaluation of Dilophosaurus wetherilli (Dinosauria, Theropoda) with descriptions of new specimens from the Kayenta Formation of northern Arizona |journal=Journal of Paleontology |volume=94 |issue=Supplement S78 |pages=1–103 |doi=10.1017/jpa.2020.14 |bibcode=2020JPal...94S...1M |s2cid=220601744 |doi-access=free }}
• Redescription of the anatomy, revision of the taxonomy and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the genus Sarcosaurus is published by Ezcurra et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Martín D. Ezcurra |author2=Richard J. Butler |author3=Susannah C. R. Maidment |author4= Ivan J. Sansom |author5=Luke E. Meade |author6=Jonathan D. Radley |year=2020 |title=A revision of the early neotheropod genus Sarcosaurus from the Early Jurassic (Hettangian–Sinemurian) of central England |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=191 |issue=1 |pages=113–149 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa054 |hdl=11336/160038 |hdl-access=free }}
• New fossil material of theropod dinosaurs representing a wide taxonomic range is reported from the Late Jurassic of the Langenberg Quarry (Lower Saxony, Germany) by Evers & Wings (2020), who interpret these fossils as evidence of the presence of several taxa of theropods in the Late Jurassic archipelago in the area of Central Europe.{{Cite journal|author1=Serjoscha W. Evers |author2=Oliver Wings |year=2020 |title=Late Jurassic theropod dinosaur bones from the Langenberg Quarry (Lower Saxony, Germany) provide evidence for several theropod lineages in the central European archipelago |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e8437 |doi=10.7717/peerj.8437 |pmid=32071804 |pmc=7007975 |doi-access=free }}
• Teeth attributed to the genus Ceratosaurus are described from the Late Jurassic Tacuarembó Formation (Uruguay) by Matías et al., (2020).{{Cite journal|last1=Soto|first1=Matías|last2=Toriño|first2=Pablo|last3=Perea|first3=Daniel|date=2020-11-01|title=Ceratosaurus (Theropoda, Ceratosauria) teeth from the Tacuarembó Formation (Late Jurassic, Uruguay)|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0895981120303242|journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences|language=en|volume=103|pages=102781|doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102781|bibcode=2020JSAES.10302781S|s2cid=224842133|issn=0895-9811}}
• A vertebra of an elaphrosaurine theropod is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Eumeralla Formation (Victoria, Australia) by Poropat et al. (2020), representing the first record of Elaphrosaurinae from Australia reported so far.{{Cite journal|author1=Stephen F. Poropat |author2=Adele H. Pentland |author3=Ruairidh J. Duncan |author4=Joseph J. Bevitt |author5=Patricia Vickers-Rich |author6=Thomas H. Rich |year=2020 |title=First elaphrosaurine theropod dinosaur (Ceratosauria: Noasauridae) from Australia — A cervical vertebra from the Early Cretaceous of Victoria |journal=Gondwana Research |volume=84 |pages=284–295 |doi=10.1016/j.gr.2020.03.009 |bibcode=2020GondR..84..284P |s2cid=218930877 }}
• New theropod fossil material is reported from the Griman Creek Formation by Brougham, Smith & Bell (2020), who interpret it as evidence of the presence of noasaurids in Australia during the Cretaceous.{{Cite journal|author1=Tom Brougham |author2=Elizabeth T. Smith |author3=Phil R. Bell |year=2020 |title=Noasaurids are a component of the Australian 'mid'-Cretaceous theropod fauna |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 1428 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-57667-7 |pmid=31996712 |pmc=6989633 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.1428B }}
• A study on the bone microstructure and growth dynamics of Vespersaurus paranaensis is published by Souza et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Geovane Alves de Souza |author2=Marina Bento Soares |author3=Arthur Souza Brum |author4=Maria Zucolotto |author5=Juliana M. Sayão |author6=Luiz Carlos Weinschütz |author7=Alexander W.A. Kellner |year=2020 |title=Osteohistology and growth dynamics of the Brazilian noasaurid Vespersaurus paranaensis Langer et al., 2019 (Theropoda: Abelisauroidea) |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9771 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9771 |pmid=32983636 |pmc=7500327 |s2cid=221906765 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on a row of large foramina on the external surface of the skull of Skorpiovenator bustingorryi is published by Cerroni et al. (2020), who report evidence indicating that these foramina were linked to an internal canal that ran across the nasal bones, which they interpret as indicative of the presence of blood vessels and nerves, and attempt to determine possible biological significance of this neurovascular system.{{Cite journal|author1=Mauricio A. Cerroni |author2=Juan I. Canale |author3=Fernando E. Novas |author4=Ariana Paulina-Carabajal |year=2020 |title=An exceptional neurovascular system in abelisaurid theropod skull: New evidence from Skorpiovenator bustingorryi |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=240 |issue= 4|pages= 612–626|doi=10.1111/joa.13258 |pmid=32569442 |pmc=8930818 |s2cid=219991206 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the skull of Carnotaurus sastrei is published by Cerroni, Canale & Novas (2020).{{cite journal |author1=M.A. Cerroni |author2=J. I. Canale |author3=F. E. Novas |year=2020 |title=The skull of Carnotaurus sastrei Bonaparte 1985 revisited: insights from craniofacial bones, palate and lower jaw |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=2444–2485 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1802445 |s2cid=225374445 |url=https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/The_skull_of_i_Carnotaurus_sastrei_i_Bonaparte_1985_revisited_insights_from_craniofacial_bones_palate_and_lower_jaw/12848981 }}
• Almost complete skeleton of Majungasaurus crenatissimus preserving evidence of multiple pre-mortem pathologies is described from the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation (Madagascar) by Gutherz et al. (2020), who interpret these pathologies as most likely to be the result of multiple non-fatal events experienced during the life of the individual, rather than a single traumatic incident.{{Cite journal|author1=Samuel B. Gutherz |author2=Joseph R. Groenke |author3=Joseph J.W. Sertich |author4=Sara H. Burch |author5=Patrick M. O'Connor |year=2020 |title=Paleopathology in a nearly complete skeleton of Majungasaurus crenatissimus (Theropoda: Abelisauridae) |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=115 |pages=Article 104553 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104553 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11504553G |s2cid=224948887 |doi-access=free }}
• Hornung (2020) interprets the holotype specimen of "Ornithocheirus" hilsensis as a partial phalanx of a large-sized theropod, making it one of the earliest dinosaur discoveries in Germany and one of the few records of large-sized theropods near the Valanginian/Hauterivian boundary of Central Europe.{{Cite journal|last=Hornung|first=Jahn Jochen|date=2020-10-13|title=Comments on "Ornithocheirus hilsensis" Koken, 1883 – One of the earliest dinosaur discoveries in Germany|url=http://www.palarch.nl/index.php/jvp/article/view/2|journal=PalArch's Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology|language=en|volume=17|issue=1|pages=1–12|issn=1567-2158}}
• Pereira et al. (2020) describe theropod fossil material from the Albian-Cenomanian Açu Formation (Brazil), and evaluate the diversity of theropods from this formation.{{Cite journal|author1=Paulo Victor Gomes da Costa Pereira |author2=Theo Baptista Ribeiro |author3=Stephen Louis Brusatte |author4=Carlos Roberto Dos Anjos Candeiro |author5=Thiago da Silva Marinho |author6=Lilian Paglarelli Bergqvist |year=2020 |title=Theropod (Dinosauria) diversity from the Açu Formation (mid-Cretaceous), Potiguar Basin, Northeast Brazil |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=114 |pages=Article 104517 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104517 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11404517P |hdl=20.500.11820/849a673d-9aa1-4b8e-be0c-f630af8a5d5e |s2cid=226198049 |url=https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/849a673d-9aa1-4b8e-be0c-f630af8a5d5e |hdl-access=free }}
• Fragmentary maxilla of a member of the genus Torvosaurus is described from the Middle Jurassic (Callovian) Ornatenton Formation (Germany) by Rauhut et al. (2020), representing the first occurrence of this genus from Germany and the oldest record of Torvosaurus reported so far.{{Cite journal|author1=Oliver W. M. Rauhut |author2=Achim H. Schwermann |author3=Tom R. Hübner |author4=Klaus-Peter Lanser |year=2020 |title=The oldest record of the genus Torvosaurus (Theropoda: Megalosauridae) from the Callovian Ornatenton Formation of north-western Germany |journal=Geologie und Paläontologie in Westfalen |volume=93 |pages=1–13 |url=http://www.lwl.org/wmfn-download/Geologie_und_Palaeontologie_in_Westfalen/GuP_Heft_93_14_Seiten.pdf }}
• A study on the formation time and replacement rates of spinosaurid teeth from the Kem Kem Group (Morocco), comparing them to those of other archosaurs and evaluating their palaeoecological implications, is published by Heckeberg & Rauhut (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Nicola S. Heckeberg |author2=Oliver W. M. Rauhut |year=2020 |title=Histology of spinosaurid dinosaur teeth from the Albian-Cenomanian of Morocco: Implications for tooth replacement and ecology |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |volume=23 |issue=3 |pages=Article number 23(3):a48 |doi=10.26879/1041 |s2cid=222285498 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the anatomy of the braincase of Irritator challengeri, and on its implications for the knowledge of the neuroanatomy and ecology of this dinosaur, is published by Schade, Rauhut & Evers (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Marco Schade |author2=Oliver W. M. Rauhut |author3=Serjoscha W. Evers |year=2020 |title=Neuroanatomy of the spinosaurid Irritator challengeri (Dinosauria: Theropoda) indicates potential adaptations for piscivory |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 9259 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-66261-w |pmid=32518236 |pmc=7283278 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.9259S }}
• A study on the anatomy of the tail of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus is published by Ibrahim et al. (2020), who present evidence of tall neural spines and elongate chevrons forming a large, flexible fin-like organ, interpreted by the authors as evidence of adaptation to tail-propelled aquatic locomotion.{{Cite journal|last1=Ibrahim|first1=Nizar|author-link=Nizar Ibrahim|last2=Maganuco|first2=Simone|last3=Dal Sasso|first3=Cristiano|last4=Fabbri|first4=Matteo|last5=Auditore|first5=Marco|last6=Bindellini|first6=Gabriele|last7=Martill|first7=David M.|last8=Zouhri|first8=Samir|last9=Mattarelli|first9=Diego A.|last10=Unwin|first10=David M.|last11=Wiemann|first11=Jasmina|year=2020|title=Tail-propelled aquatic locomotion in a theropod dinosaur|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=581|issue=7806|pages=67–70|doi=10.1038/s41586-020-2190-3|pmid=32376955|bibcode=2020Natur.581...67I|s2cid=216650535|issn=1476-4687|doi-access=free}}
• A study on the taxonomic status of spinosaurs from the Kem Kem Group (Morocco) is published by Smyth, Ibrahim & Martill (2020), who consider Oxalaia quilombensis, Spinosaurus maroccanus, and Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis to be junior synonyms of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus.{{Cite journal|author1=Robert S.H. Smyth |author2=Nizar Ibrahim |author3=David M. Martill |year=2020 |title=Sigilmassasaurus is Spinosaurus: a reappraisal of African spinosaurines |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=114 |pages=Article 104520 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104520 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11404520S |s2cid=219487346 }}
• Beevor et al. (2020) report a new locality near Tarda on the northern margin of the Tafilalt (Morocco) dominated by dental remains of Spinosaurus, and interpret the high abundance of spinosaur teeth compared to remains of terrestrial dinosaurs as evidence supporting the interpretation of Spinosaurus as an aquatic animal.{{Cite journal|author1=Thomas Beevor |author2=Aaron Quigley |author3=Roy E. Smith |author4=Robert S.H. Smyth |author5=Nizar Ibrahim |author6=Samir Zouhri |author7=David M. Martill |year=2020 |title=Taphonomic evidence supports an aquatic lifestyle for Spinosaurus |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=117 |pages=Article 104627 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104627 |s2cid=224888268 |url=https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/taphonomic-evidence-supports-an-aquatic-lifestyle-for-spinosaurus(e7fb2358-2ac6-4b6c-9697-225a525e8366).html }}
• A study on the anatomy of teeth of Sinraptor dongi, comparing it with dentition of other theropods and evaluating its implications for the knowledge of the feeding ecology of S. dongi, is published by Hendrickx et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Christophe Hendrickx |author2=Josef Stiegler |author3=Philip J. Currie |author4=Fenglu Han |author5=Xing Xu |author6=Jonah Choiniere |author7=Xiao-Chun Wu |year=2020 |title=Dental anatomy of the apex predator Sinraptor dongi (Theropoda: Allosauroidea) from the Late Jurassic of China |journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences |volume=57 |issue=9 |pages=1127–1147 |doi=10.1139/cjes-2019-0231 |bibcode=2020CaJES..57.1127H |s2cid=213426133 |doi-access=free |hdl=11336/143527 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on theropod bite marks on Late Jurassic vertebrate fossils from the Mygatt-Moore Quarry (Colorado, United States), the identification of the trace makers and their feeding ecology is published by Drumheller et al. (2020), who report possible evidence of cannibalism in Allosaurus.{{Cite journal|author1=Stephanie K. Drumheller |author2=Julia B. McHugh |author3=Miriam Kane |author4=Anja Riedel |author5=Domenic C. D'Amore |year=2020 |title=High frequencies of theropod bite marks provide evidence for feeding, scavenging, and possible cannibalism in a stressed Late Jurassic ecosystem |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=5 |pages=e0233115 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0233115 |pmid=32459808 |pmc=7252595 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1533115D |doi-access=free }}
• A revision of putative carcharodontosaurid teeth from the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group (Brazil) is published by Delcourt et al. (2020), who interpret the studied fossil material as more likely to belong to abelisaurid theropods.{{Cite journal|author1=Rafael Delcourt |author2=Natan S. Brilhante |author3=Orlando N. Grillo |author4=Aline M. Ghilardi |author5=Bruno G. Augusta |author6=Fresia Ricardi-Branco |year=2020 |title=Carcharodontosauridae theropod tooth crowns from the Upper Cretaceous (Bauru Basin) of Brazil: A reassessment of isolated elements and its implications to palaeobiogeography of the group |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=556 |pages=Article 109870 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109870 |bibcode=2020PPP...55609870D |s2cid=224864035 }}
• A study on an indeterminate megaraptoran specimen from the Winton Formation (Australia) is published by White et al. (2020), who interpret this finding as evidence of either ontogenetic or intraspecific variation in Australovenator, or the presence of a second megaraptorid taxon in the Winton Formation.{{Cite journal|last1=White|first1=Matt A.|last2=Bell|first2=Phil R.|last3=Poropat|first3=Stephen F.|last4=Pentland|first4=Adele H.|last5=Rigby|first5=Samantha L.|last6=Cook|first6=Alex G.|last7=Sloan|first7=Trish|last8=Elliott|first8=David A.|title=New theropod remains and implications for megaraptorid diversity in the Winton Formation (lower Upper Cretaceous), Queensland, Australia|journal=Royal Society Open Science|volume=7|issue=1|pages=191462|doi=10.1098/rsos.191462|year=2020|pmid=32218963|pmc=7029900|bibcode=2020RSOS....791462W}}
• Two partial skeletons of large-bodied megaraptorid theropods, representing the most ancient unquestionable records of Megaraptoridae from South America reported so far, are described from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Turonian) Bajo Barreal Formation (Argentina) by Lamanna et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Matthew C. Lamanna |author2=Gabriel A. Casal |author3=Ruben D. F. Martinez |author4=Lucio M. Ibiricu |year=2020 |title=Megaraptorid (Theropoda: Tetanurae) partial skeletons from the Upper Cretaceous Bajo Barreal Formation of central Patagonia, Argentina: implications for the evolution of large body size in Gondwanan megaraptorans |journal=Annals of Carnegie Museum |volume=86 |issue=3 |pages=255–294 |doi=10.2992/007.086.0302 |s2cid=229355207 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346643017 }}
• A study on the pneumaticity of the sacrum and tail of Aoniraptor libertatem, and on its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of pneumaticity through Theropoda, is published by Rolando, Marsà & Novas (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Mauro Aranciaga Rolando |author2=Jordi Garcia Marsà |author3=Fernando Novas |year=2020 |title=Histology and pneumaticity of Aoniraptor libertatem (Dinosauria, Theropoda), an enigmatic mid-sized megaraptoran from Patagonia |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=237 |issue=4 |pages=741–756 |doi=10.1111/joa.13225 |pmid=32470191 |pmc=7495275 }}
• Pol & Goloboff (2020) present a protocol that identifies unstable taxa that decrease support measures in the phylogenetic analyses, and explore a dataset of coelurosaurian relationships published by Pei et al. (2020) using this protocol.{{Cite journal|author1=Diego Pol |author2=Pablo A. Goloboff |year=2020 |title=The impact of unstable taxa in coelurosaurian phylogeny and resampling support measures for parsimony analyses |journal=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |volume=440 |pages=97–115 |doi=10.1206/0003-0090.440.1.1 |hdl=2246/7237 |s2cid=221256926 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/288336 }}
• A study on the biogeography of coelurosaurian theropods is published by Ding et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Anyang Ding |author2=Michael Pittman |author3=Paul Upchurch |author4=Jingmai O'Connor |author5=Daniel J. Field |author6=Xing Xu |year=2020 |title=The biogeography of coelurosaurian theropods and its impact on their evolutionary history |journal=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |volume=440 |pages=117–157 |doi=10.1206/0003-0090.440.1.1 |hdl=2246/7237 |s2cid=221256926 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/288336 }}
• A study on the endocranial anatomy of Bistahieversor sealeyi, evaluating its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of the brains and sinuses of tyrannosauroids, is published by McKeown et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Matthew McKeown |author2=Stephen L. Brusatte |author3=Thomas E. Williamson |author4=Julia A. Schwab |author5=Thomas D. Carr |author6=Ian B. Butler |author7=Amy Muir |author8=Katlin Schroeder |author9=Michelle A. Espy |author10=James F. Hunter |author11=Adrian S. Losko |author12=Ronald O. Nelson |author13=D. Cort Gautier |author14=Sven C. Vogel |year=2020 |title=Neurosensory and sinus evolution as tyrannosauroid dinosaurs developed giant size: insight from the endocranial anatomy of Bistahieversor sealeyi |journal=The Anatomical Record |volume=303 |issue=4 |pages=1043–1059 |doi=10.1002/ar.24374 |pmid=31967416 |hdl=20.500.11820/8c657729-91df-4f7c-bca5-b9c469781768 |s2cid=210871038 |url=https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/8c657729-91df-4f7c-bca5-b9c469781768 |hdl-access=free }}
• A metatarsal bone of a young tyrannosaurid theropod, assigned to a very small juvenile Gorgosaurus is described from the Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada) by Yun (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Chan-gyu Yun |year=2020 |title=An exceptionally small juvenile Gorgosaurus libratus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) specimen from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Campanian) of Alberta |journal=The Mosasaur. The Journal of the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society |volume=XI |pages=107–115 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342864321 }}
• A frontal bone of a subadult Daspletosaurus torosus is described from the Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada) by Yun (2020).{{Cite journal |author=Chan-gyu Yun |year=2020 |title=A Subadult Frontal of Daspletosaurus torosus (Theropoda: Tyrannosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada with Implications for Tyrannosaurid Ontogeny and Taxonomy |journal=PalArch's Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology |volume=17 |pages=1–13 |url=http://www.palarch.nl/2020/09/yun-chan-gyu-2020-a-subadult-frontal-of-daspletosaurus-torosus-theropoda-tyrannosauridae-from-the-late-cretaceous-of-alberta-canada-with-implications-for-tyrannosaurid-ontogeny-and-taxonomy/ |access-date=2020-09-17 |archive-date=2020-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927070909/http://www.palarch.nl/2020/09/yun-chan-gyu-2020-a-subadult-frontal-of-daspletosaurus-torosus-theropoda-tyrannosauridae-from-the-late-cretaceous-of-alberta-canada-with-implications-for-tyrannosaurid-ontogeny-and-taxonomy/ |url-status=dead }}
• A study on the proposed autapomorphies of Dynamoterror dynastes is published by Yun (2020), who determined a taxonomic name to be a nomen dubium.{{cite journal|last=Chan-gyu|first=Yun.|year=2020|title=A reassessment of the taxonomic validity of Dynamoterror dynastes (Theropoda: Tyrannosauridae)|journal=Zoodiversity |volume=54|issue=3|pages=259–264|doi=10.15407/zoo2020.03.259|s2cid=225707330|doi-access=free}}
• A study on the bone microstructure of two half-grown specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex, evaluating its implications for the knowledge of the early life history of members of this species and the taxonomic validity of Nanotyrannus lancensis, is published by Woodward et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Holly N. Woodward |author2=Katie Tremaine |author3=Scott A. Williams |author4=Lindsay E. Zanno |author5=John R. Horner |author6=Nathan Myhrvold |year=2020 |title=Growing up Tyrannosaurus rex: Osteohistology refutes the pygmy "Nanotyrannus" and supports ontogenetic niche partitioning in juvenile Tyrannosaurus |journal=Science Advances |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=eaax6250 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aax6250 |pmid=31911944 |pmc=6938697 |bibcode=2020SciA....6.6250W }}
• A study on changes in skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex during its growth, aiming to assign known specimens of this taxon to specific growth categories, is published by Carr (2020).{{cite journal |author=Thomas D. Carr |year=2020 |title=A high-resolution growth series of Tyrannosaurus rex obtained from multiple lines of evidence |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9192 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9192 |s2cid=219914849 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the pathologies observed in the caudal vertebrae and left fibula of the Tyrannosaurus rex specimen FMNH PR2081 ("Sue") is published by Hamm et al. (2020), who diagnose this specimen as affected by osteomyelitis.{{Cite journal|author1=C. A. Hamm |author2=O. Hampe |author3=D. Schwarz |author4=F. Witzmann |author5=P. J. Makovicky |author6=C. A. Brochu |author7=R. Reiter |author8=P. Asbach |year=2020 |title=A comprehensive diagnostic approach combining phylogenetic disease bracketing and CT imaging reveals osteomyelitis in a Tyrannosaurus rex |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 18897 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-75731-0 |pmid=33144637 |pmc=7642268 |bibcode=2020NatSR..1018897H }}
• A study on the anatomy of the integumentary structures of Juravenator starki and Sciurumimus albersdoerferi from the Kimmeridgian Torleite Formation of southern Germany is published by Foth et al. (2020).{{cite book |author1=Christian Foth |author2=Carolin Haug |author3=Joachim T. Haug |author4=Helmut Tischlinger |author5=Oliver W. M. Rauhut |year=2020 |chapter=Two of a Feather: A Comparison of the Preserved Integument in the Juvenile Theropod Dinosaurs Sciurumimus and Juravenator from the Kimmeridgian Torleite Formation of Southern Germany |editor1=Christian Foth |editor2=Oliver W. M. Rauhut |title=The Evolution of Feathers |publisher=Springer |pages=79–101 |isbn=978-3-030-27223-4 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-27223-4_6 |series=Fascinating Life Sciences |s2cid=216245045 }}
• A unique scale type with distinctive circular nodes, interpreted as integumentary sense organs analogous to those in modern crocodylians, is reported from the tail of Juravenator starki by Bell & Hendrickx (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Phil R. Bell |author2=Christophe Hendrickx |year=2020 |title=Crocodile-like sensory scales in a Late Jurassic theropod dinosaur |journal=Current Biology |volume=30 |issue=19 |pages=R1068–R1070 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.066 |pmid=33022234 |s2cid=222137370 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020CBio...30R1068B }}
• A study on diversity and possible functions of the epidermal covering of Juravenator starki is published online by Bell & Hendrickx (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Phil R. Bell |author2=Christophe Hendrickx |year=2020 |title=Epidermal complexity in the theropod dinosaur Juravenator from the Upper Jurassic of Germany |journal=Palaeontology |volume=64 |issue=2 |pages=203–223 |doi=10.1111/pala.12517 |s2cid=233860853 }}
• A compsognathid specimen preserved with elaborate integumentary structures was described from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation (Brazil);{{cite web|author=Gretchen Vogel|date=18 December 2020|title=Chicken-size dino with a furlike mane stirs ethics debate|website=Science Magazine|publisher=American Association for the Advancement of Science|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/chicken-size-dino-furlike-mane-stirs-ethics-debate|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219052740/https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/chicken-size-dino-furlike-mane-stirs-ethics-debate|archive-date=19 December 2020|access-date=19 December 2020}} the announcement of its discovery sparked a legal and ethical controversy regarding the circumstances of the fossil's export from Brazil, and the publication describing the specimen was subsequently withdrawn.{{Cite web|author=Rodrigo Pérez Ortega|date=29 September 2021|title='It's like a second extinction': Retraction deepens legal and ethical battle over rare dinosaur|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/it-s-second-extinction-retraction-deepens-legal-and-ethical-battle-over-rare-dinosaur|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-12|website=www.science.org|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929173123/https://www.science.org/content/article/it-s-second-extinction-retraction-deepens-legal-and-ethical-battle-over-rare-dinosaur |archive-date=2021-09-29 }}
• A study on the pneumatic chambers in the vertebrae of Nothronychus mckinleyi is published by Smith, Sanders & Wolfe (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=David K. Smith |author2=R. Kent Sanders |author3=Douglas G. Wolfe |year=2020 |title=Vertebral pneumaticity of the North American therizinosaur Nothronychus |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=238 |issue=3 |pages=598–614 |doi=10.1111/joa.13327 |pmid=33044012 |pmc=7855063 }}
• A review of the research on the phylogenetic relationships, morphology and locomotory (including aerial) capabilities of scansoriopterygids, and on their implications for the knowledge of the origin of oviraptorosaurs, is published by Sorkin (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Boris Sorkin |year=2020 |title=Scansorial and aerial ability in Scansoriopterygidae and basal Oviraptorosauria |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=12 |pages=3202–3214 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1855158 |s2cid=230540120 }}
• Partial skeleton of an oviraptorosaur theropod closely associated with two eggs (one within the pelvic canal and the other just posterior to it) is described from the Upper Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation (China) by Jin et al. (2020), who note the complete absence of medullary bone in this egg-bearing specimen.{{Cite journal|author1=Xingsheng Jin |author2=David J. Varricchio |author3=Ashley W. Poust |author4=Tao He |year=2020 |title=An oviraptorosaur adult-egg association from the Cretaceous of Jiangxi Province, China |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=39 |issue=6 |pages=e1739060 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2019.1739060 |s2cid=219447073 |url=https://scholarworks.montana.edu/xmlui/handle/1/16513 }}
• New fossil material of Chirostenotes pergracilis, representing the first associated mandibular and postcranial material of a caenagnathid from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada), is described by Funston & Currie (2020), who evaluate the implications of these fossils for the knowledge of taxonomy and diversity of caenagnathids from the Dinosaur Park Formation and the growth patterns of Chirostenotes pergracilis.{{cite journal |author1=G. F. Funston |author2=P. J. Currie |year=2020 |title=New material of Chirostenotes pergracilis (Theropoda, Oviraptorosauria) from the Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=9 |pages=1671–1685 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1726908 |hdl=20.500.11820/990cb4be-8a56-4248-ac47-e4fddad8f7ba |s2cid=212849229 |url=https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/990cb4be-8a56-4248-ac47-e4fddad8f7ba |hdl-access=free }}
• Description of new caenagnathid fossil material from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada), providing new information on pelvic anatomy of caenagnathids, is published by Rhodes, Funston & Currie (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Matthew M. Rhodes |author2=Gregory F. Funston |author3=Philip J. Currie |year=2020 |title=New material reveals the pelvic morphology of Caenagnathidae (Theropoda, Oviraptorosauria) |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=114 |pages=Article 104521 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104521 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11404521R |s2cid=219745025 }}
• Description of a partial skeleton of a caenagnathid theropod from the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation (Montana, United States) and study on the bone histology of this specimen is published by Cullen et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of their findings for the knowledge of the utility of size as a determinant for referral of incomplete or fragmentary skeletal remains to specific or new coelurosaur taxa.{{Cite journal|author1=Thomas M. Cullen |author2=D. Jade Simon |author3=Elizabeth K. C. Benner |author4=David C. Evans |year=2020 |title=Morphology and osteohistology of a large-bodied caenagnathid (Theropoda, Oviraptorosauria) from the Hell Creek Formation (Montana): implications for size-based classifications and growth reconstruction in theropods |journal=Papers in Palaeontology |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=751–767 |doi=10.1002/spp2.1302 |issn=2056-2799 |s2cid=216310907 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/4954280 }}
• An adult oviraptorid specimen preserved atop an egg clutch that contains embryonic remains, representing the first such finding among non-avialan dinosaurs, is described by Bi et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Shundong Bi |author2=Romain Amiot |author3=Claire Peyre de Fabrègues |author4=Michael Pittman |author5=Matthew C.Lamanna |author6=Yilun Yu |author7=Congyu Yu |author8=Tzuruei Yang |author9=Shukang Zhang |author10=Qi Zhao |author11=Xing Xu |year=2020 |title=An oviraptorid preserved atop an embryo-bearing egg clutch sheds light on the reproductive biology of non-avialan theropod dinosaurs |journal=Science Bulletin |volume=66 |issue=9 |pages=947–954 |doi=10.1016/j.scib.2020.12.018 |pmid=36654242 |s2cid=230524877 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03374051/file/Bi%20et%20al.%20accepted.pdf }}
• The first probable deinonychosaur (likely troodontid) tracks from Canada are described from the Campanian Wapiti Formation (Alberta) by Enriquez et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Nathan J. Enriquez |author2=Nicolás E. Campione |author3=Corwin Sullivan |author4=Matthew Vavrek |author5=Robin L. Sissons |author6=Matt A. White |author7=Phil R. Bell |year=2020 |title=Probable deinonychosaur tracks from the Upper Cretaceous Wapiti Formation (upper Campanian) of Alberta, Canada |journal=Geological Magazine |volume=158 |issue=6 |pages=1115–1128 |doi=10.1017/S0016756820001247 |s2cid=234375593 }}
• New theropod teeth, possibly belonging to members of the family Dromaeosauridae and representing the first record of that group from the southern Junggar Basin, are reported from the Upper Jurassic Qigu Formation (China) by Maisch & Matzke (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Michael W. Maisch |author2=Andreas T. Matzke |year=2020 |title=Small theropod teeth (Dinosauria) from the Upper Jurassic Qigu Formation of the southern Junggar Basin, NW China |journal=Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen |volume=295 |issue=1 |pages=91–100 |doi=10.1127/njgpa/2020/0869 |s2cid=213709095 }}
• A study on the facial pneumatic features of members of the family Dromaeosauridae, and on the evolutionary history of these features, is published by Brownstein (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Chase Doran Brownstein |year=2020 |title=Dromaeosaurid crania demonstrate the progressive loss of facial pneumaticity in coelurosaurian dinosaurs |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=191 |issue=1 |pages=87–112 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa048 }}
• A study on the differences in the locomotor and predatory specializations of eudromaeosaurs and unenlagiines, as indicated by the anatomy of their hindlimbs, is published by Gianechini, Ercoli & Díaz-Martínez (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Federico A. Gianechini |author2=Marcos D. Ercoli |author3=Ignacio Díaz-Martínez |year=2020 |title=Differential locomotor and predatory strategies of Gondwanan and derived Laurasian dromaeosaurids (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Paraves): Inferences from morphometric and comparative anatomical studies |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=236 |issue=5 |pages=772–797 |doi=10.1111/joa.13153 |pmid=32023660 |pmc=7163733 }}
• A study on eudromaeosaurian maxillae, aiming to determine the extent to which maxillae can be used to draw ecological and phylogenetic inferences about dromaeosaurids, is published by Powers, Sullivan & Currie (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Mark James Powers |author2=Corwin Sullivan |author3=Philip John Currie |year=2020 |title=Re-examining ratio based premaxillary and maxillary characters in Eudromaeosauria (Dinosauria: Theropoda): Divergent trends in snout morphology between Asian and north American taxa |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=547 |pages=Article 109704 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109704 |bibcode=2020PPP...54709704P |s2cid=216499705 }}
• Evidence of sequential wing feather molt in a specimen of Microraptor is presented by Kiat et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of the ecology and locomotion of this theropod.{{cite journal |author1=Yosef Kiat |author2=Amir Balaban |author3=Nir Sapir |author4=Jingmai Kathleen O'Connor |author5=Min Wang |author6=Xing Xu |year=2020 |title=Sequential molt in a feathered dinosaur and implications for early paravian ecology and locomotion |journal=Current Biology |volume=30 |issue=18 |pages=3633–3638.e2 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.046 |pmid=32679101 |s2cid=220575841 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020CBio...30E3633K }}
• Partial dentary of a juvenile saurornitholestine dromaeosaurid is described from the Upper Cretaceous Prince Creek Formation (Alaska, United States) by Chiarenza et al. (2020), representing the first confirmed non-dental fossil specimen of a member of Dromaeosauridae in the Arctic.{{Cite journal|author1=Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza |author2=Anthony R. Fiorillo |author3=Ronald S. Tykoski |author4=Paul J. McCarthy |author5=Peter P. Flaig |author6=Dori L. Contreras |year=2020 |title=The first juvenile dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from Arctic Alaska |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=7 |pages=e0235078 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0235078 |pmid=32639990 |pmc=7343144 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1535078C |doi-access=free }}
• The first cranial material of Saurornitholestes is described from the Judith River Formation (Montana, United States) by Wilson & Fowler (2020), representing the easternmost occurrence of this genus reported so far.{{Cite journal|author1=John P. Wilson |author2=Denver W. Fowler |year=2020 |title=The easternmost occurrence of Saurornitholestes from the Judith River Formation, Montana, indicates broad biogeographic distribution of Saurornitholestes in the Western Interior of North America |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=12 |pages=3302–3306 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1862828 |s2cid=234431926 }}
• A study testing for dietary changes through growth in Deinonychus antirrhopus is published by Frederickson, Engel & Cifelli (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=J.A. Frederickson |author2=M.H. Engel |author3=R.L. Cifelli |year=2020 |title=Ontogenetic dietary shifts in Deinonychus antirrhopus (Theropoda; Dromaeosauridae): Insights into the ecology and social behavior of raptorial dinosaurs through stable isotope analysis |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=552 |pages=Article 109780 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109780 |bibcode=2020PPP...55209780F |s2cid=219059665 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the hindbrain and inner ear of Velociraptor mongoliensis, evaluating its implications for the knowledge of the trophic ecology and sensory aptitude of this theropod, is published by King et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=J. Logan King |author2=Justin S. Sipla |author3=Justin A. Georgi |author4=Amy M. Balanoff |author5=James M. Neenan |year=2020 |title=The endocranium and trophic ecology of Velociraptor mongoliensis |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=237 |issue=5 |pages=861–869 |doi=10.1111/joa.13253 |pmid=32648601 |pmc=7542195 }}
• A study aiming to determine the thermoregulatory efficiency of contact incubation of partially buried eggs by Troodon formosus is published by Hogan & Varricchio (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Jason D. Hogan |author2=David J. Varricchio |year=2020 |title=Do paleontologists dream of electric dinosaurs? Investigating the presumed inefficiency of dinosaurs contact incubating partially buried eggs |journal=Paleobiology |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=101–114 |doi=10.1017/pab.2020.49 |s2cid=226322413 |doi-access=free }}
• Description of the anatomy of the skeleton of Rahonavis ostromi is published by Forster et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Catherine A. Forster |author2=Patrick M. O'Connor |author3=Luis M. Chiappe |author4=Alan H. Turner |year=2020 |title=The osteology of the Late Cretaceous paravian Rahonavis ostromi from Madagascar |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |volume=23 |issue=2 |pages=Article number 23(2):a29 |doi=10.26879/793 |s2cid=221507083 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the flight potential and gliding capabilities of Yi qi and Ambopteryx longibrachium is published by Dececchi et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=T. Alexander Dececchi |author2=Arindam Roy |author3=Michael Pittman |author4=Thomas G. Kaye |author5=Xing Xu |author6=Michael B. Habib |author7=Hans C.E. Larsson |author8=Xiaoli Wang |author9=Xiaoting Zheng |year=2020 |title=Aerodynamics show membrane-winged theropods were a poor gliding dead-end |journal=iScience |volume=23 |issue=12 |pages=Article 101574 |doi=10.1016/j.isci.2020.101574 |pmid=33376962 |pmc=7756141 |bibcode=2020iSci...23j1574D }}
• A study on the chemical preservation of fossil feathers preserved in association with the skeleton of Anchiornis huxleyi is published by Cincotta et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Aude Cincotta |author2=Thanh Thuy Nguyen Tu |author3=Julien L. Colaux |author4=Guy Terwagne |author5=Sylvie Derenne |author6=Pascal Godefroit |author7=Robert Carleer |author8=Christelle Anquetil |author9=Johan Yans |year=2020 |title=Chemical preservation of tail feathers from Anchiornis huxleyi, a theropod dinosaur from the Tiaojishan Formation (Upper Jurassic, China) |journal=Palaeontology |volume=63 |issue=5 |pages=841–863 |doi=10.1111/pala.12494 |bibcode=2020Palgy..63..841C |hdl=1942/32457 |s2cid=225726078 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03068424 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on the quality of the sauropodomorph fossil record is published by Cashmore et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Daniel D. Cashmore |author2=Philip D. Mannion |author3=Paul Upchurch |author4=Richard J. Butler |year=2020 |title=Ten more years of discovery: revisiting the quality of the sauropodomorph dinosaur fossil record |journal=Palaeontology |volume=63 |issue=6 |pages=951–978 |doi=10.1111/pala.12496 |bibcode=2020Palgy..63..951C |s2cid=219090716 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the anatomy of the endocranial cavity and the probable anatomy of the brain of Buriolestes schultzi is published by Müller et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Rodrigo T. Müller |author2=José D. Ferreira |author3=Flávio A. Pretto |author4=Mario Bronzati |author5=Leonardo Kerber |year=2020 |title=The endocranial anatomy of Buriolestes schultzi (Dinosauria: Saurischia) and the early evolution of brain tissues in sauropodomorph dinosaurs |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=238 |issue=4 |pages=809–827 |doi=10.1111/joa.13350 |pmid=33137855 |pmc=7930773 }}
• Description of new fossil material of Thecodontosaurus antiquus, providing new information on the skeletal anatomy of this species, is published by Ballell, Rayfield & Benton (2020), who evaluate the implications of these fossils for the knowledge of the paleoecology of Thecodontosaurus and the taxonomy of Late Triassic British sauropodomorphs.{{Cite journal|author1=Antonio Ballell |author2=Emily J. Rayfield |author3=Michael J. Benton |year=2020 |title=Osteological redescription of the Late Triassic sauropodomorph dinosaur Thecodontosaurus antiquus based on new material from Tytherington, southwestern England |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=e1770774 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1770774 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E0774B |s2cid=221877432 |doi-access=free |hdl=1983/01dbc7c5-9473-4057-b164-06cbff0338a4 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on the anatomy of the braincase of Thecodontosaurus antiquus is published by Ballell et al. (2020), who also reconstruct the anatomy of the brain of this dinosaur, and evaluate its implications for the knowledge of the paleobiology of Thecodontosaurus.{{Cite journal|author1=Antonio Ballell |author2=J. Logan King |author3=James M Neenan |author4=Emily J. Rayfield |author5=Michael J Benton |year=2020 |title=The braincase, brain and palaeobiology of the basal sauropodomorph dinosaur Thecodontosaurus antiquus |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=193 |issue=2 |pages=541–562 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa157 |hdl=1983/3a55dbe5-d8a3-48fd-8c7e-d3bdcb4edc26 |hdl-access=free }}
• Greenfield et al. (2020) reviewed the nomenclature of Coloradisaurus and determined that the authorship should be attributed to Peter Galton and not David Lambert.{{cite journal|last1=Greenfield|first1=T.|last2=Bivens|first2=G.|last3=Fonseca|first3=A.|date=2020|title=The correct authorship of Coloradisaurus (Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha): Galton, 1990, not Lambert, 1983|journal=Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature|volume=77|issue=1|pages=153–155|doi=10.21805/bzn.v77.a050|s2cid=229723564}}
• A study on the morphological variation of Plateosaurus occurring at the genus level, as indicated by data on the shape variation of a sample of limb long bones, is published by Lefebvre et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Rémi Lefebvre |author2=Ronan Allain |author3=Alexandra Houssaye |author4=Raphaël Cornette |year=2020 |title=Disentangling biological variability and taphonomy: shape analysis of the limb long bones of the sauropodomorph dinosaur Plateosaurus |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9359 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9359 |pmid=32775045 |pmc=7382942 |doi-access=free }}
• New skeleton of Plateosaurus, representing the first substantially complete specimen of a juvenile Plateosaurus and the first such specimen with a body size significantly below the known adult size range of this taxon, is described from the Norian Klettgau Formation (Switzerland) by Nau et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Darius Nau |author2=Jens N. Lallensack |author3=Ursina Bachmann |author4=P. Martin Sander |year=2020 |title=Postcranial osteology of the first early-stage juvenile skeleton of Plateosaurus trossingensis from the Norian of Frick, Switzerland |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |volume=65 |issue=4 |pages=679–708 |doi=10.4202/app.00757.2020 |s2cid=229378149 |doi-access=free }}
• The second-known specimen of Ignavusaurus rachelis, extending known geographic range of this species, is described from the Likhoele Mountain near Mafeteng (Upper Elliot Formation, Lesotho) by Bodenham & Barrett (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Ewan H. Bodenham |author2=Paul M. Barrett |year=2020 |title=A new specimen of the sauropodomorph dinosaur Ignavusaurus rachelis from the Early Jurassic of Lesotho |journal=Palaeontologia Africana |volume=54 |pages=48–55 |hdl=10539/30351 }}
• A study on teeth development in embryos of Lufengosaurus is published by Reisz et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Robert R. Reisz |author2=Aaron R. H. LeBlanc |author3=Hillary C. Maddin |author4=Thomas W. Dudgeon |author5=Diane Scott |author6=Timothy Huang |author7=Jun Chen |author8=Chuan-Mu Chen |author9=Shiming Zhong |year=2020 |title=Early Jurassic dinosaur fetal dental development and its significance for the evolution of sauropod dentition |journal=Nature Communications |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 2240 |doi=10.1038/s41467-020-16045-7 |pmid=32382025 |pmc=7206009 |bibcode=2020NatCo..11.2240R }}
• A study on the histology of the humeri of two basal sauropod specimens from the Jurassic of Niger and Thailand, reporting evidence of a layer of the radial fibrolamellar bone buried in the outer cortex of these bones, is published by Jentgen-Ceschino, Stein & Fischer (2020), who interpret their findings as evidence of these sauropods being affected by pathologies similar to Ewing's sarcoma and avian osteopetrosis or haemangioma.{{Cite journal|author1=Benjamin Jentgen-Ceschino |author2=Koen Stein |author3=Valentin Fischer |s2cid=210157418 |year=2020 |title=Case study of radial fibrolamellar bone tissues in the outer cortex of basal sauropods |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=375 |issue=1793 |pages=Article ID 20190143 |doi=10.1098/rstb.2019.0143 |pmid=31928196 |pmc=7017438 }}
• A study comparing articulation and range of motion of necks of extant giraffes and Spinophorosaurus nigerensis is published by Vidal et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Daniel Vidal |author2=Pedro Mocho |author3=Adrián Páramo |author4=José Luis Sanz |author5=Francisco Ortega |year=2020 |title=Ontogenetic similarities between giraffe and sauropod neck osteological mobility |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=e0227537 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0227537 |pmid=31929581 |pmc=6957182 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1527537V |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the body plan, functional morphology of the neck and feeding capabilities of Spinophorosaurus nigerensis is published by Vidal et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=D. Vidal |author2=P. Mocho |author3=A. Aberasturi |author4=J. L. Sanz |author5=F. Ortega |year=2020 |title=High browsing skeletal adaptations in Spinophorosaurus reveal an evolutionary innovation in sauropod dinosaurs |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 6638 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-63439-0 |pmid=32313018 |pmc=7171156 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.6638V }}
• A study on the skeletal anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Klamelisaurus gobiensis is published by Moore et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Andrew J. Moore |author2=Paul Upchurch |author3=Paul M. Barrett |author4=James M. Clark |author5=Xu Xing |year=2020 |title=Osteology of Klamelisaurus gobiensis (Dinosauria, Eusauropoda) and the evolutionary history of Middle–Late Jurassic Chinese sauropods |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |volume=18 |issue=16 |pages=1299–1393 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2020.1759706 |bibcode=2020JSPal..18.1299M |s2cid=219749618 |url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10101710/ }}
• Two vertebrae of diplodocoid sauropods are described from the Middle Jurassic (Callovian) Podosinki Formation (Russia) by Averianov & Zverkov (2020), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of the initial radiation of Diplodocoidea.{{Cite journal|author1=Alexander O. Averianov |author2=Nikolay G. Zverkov |year=2020 |title=New diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur material from the Middle Jurassic of European Russia |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |volume=65 |issue=3 |pages=499–509 |doi=10.4202/app.00724.2020 |s2cid=219414682 |doi-access=free }}
• Fossils of a member of Flagellicaudata are described from the Middle Jurassic Otlaltepec Formation (Mexico) by Rivera-Sylva & Espinosa-Arrubarrena (2020), representing the first conclusive evidence of the occurrence of Flagellicaudata in this part of North America throughout the Bathonian-Callovian.{{cite journal |author1=Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva |author2=Luis Espinosa-Arrubarrena |year=2020 |title=Remains of a diplodocid (Sauropoda: Flagellicaudata) from the Otlaltepec Formation Middle Jurassic (Bathonian-Callovian) from Puebla, Mexico |journal=Paleontología Mexicana |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=145–150 |url=http://www.ojs-igl.unam.mx/index.php/Paleontologia/article/view/640 }}
• Baron (2020) argues that the elongate tails of diplodocid sauropods were used for herding co-ordination.{{Cite journal|author=Matthew G. Baron |year=2020 |title=Tactile tails: a new hypothesis for the function of the elongate tails of diplodocid sauropods |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=2057–2066 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1769092 |s2cid=219762797 }}
• A review of the distribution of the Cretaceous fossils of rebbachisaurid sauropods is published by Pereira et al. (2020), who report the first occurrence of a rebbachisaurid from the Açu Formation (Potiguar Basin, Brazil), and discuss its paleobiogeographic implications.{{Cite journal|author1=Paulo Victor Luiz Gomes da Costa Pereira |author2=Ingrid Martins Machado Garcia Veiga |author3=Theo Baptista Ribeiro |author4=Ryan Henrique Bezerra Cardozo |author5=Carlos Roberto dos Anjos Candeiro |author6=Lilian Paglarelli Bergqvist |year=2020 |title=The path of giants: a new occurrence of Rebbachisauridae (Dinosauria, Diplodocoidea) in the Açu Formation, NE Brazil, and its paleobiogeographic implications |journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences |volume=100 |pages=Article 102515 |doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102515 |bibcode=2020JSAES.10002515P |s2cid=212916577 }}
• A reconstruction of the epaxial and hypaxial musculature of the tail of Giraffatitan brancai is published by Díez Díaz et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Verónica Díez Díaz |author2=Oliver E. Demuth |author3=Daniela Schwarz |author4=Heinrich Mallison |year=2020 |title=The tail of the Late Jurassic sauropod Giraffatitan brancai: digital reconstruction of its epaxial and hypaxial musculature, and implications for tail biomechanics |journal=Frontiers in Earth Science |volume=8 |pages=Article 160 |doi=10.3389/feart.2020.00160 |bibcode=2020FrEaS...8..160D |s2cid=218973399 |doi-access=free }}
• A humerus of a titanosauriform sauropod, likely belonging to a member or a relative of the genus Duriatitan, is described from the Tithonian-Berriasian Rupelo Formation (Burgos, Spain) by Torcida Fernández-Baldor, Canudo & Huerta (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=F. Torcida Fernández-Baldor |author2=J. I. Canudo |author3=P. Huerta |year=2020 |title=New data on sauropod palaeobiodiversity at the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition of Spain (Burgos) |journal=Journal of Iberian Geology |volume=46 |issue=4 |pages=351–362 |doi=10.1007/s41513-020-00145-w |bibcode=2020JIbG...46..351T |s2cid=227258628 |url=http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/109032 }}
• A large sauropod humerus, probably belonging to a member of the species Fusuisaurus zhaoi, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Xinlong Formation (Guangxi, China) by Mo et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Jinyou Mo |author2=Jincheng Li |author3=Yunchuan Ling |author4=Eric Buffetaut |author5=Suravech Suteethorn |author6=Varavudh Suteethorn |author7=Haiyan Tong |author8=Gilles Cuny |author9=Romain Amiot |author10=Xing Xu |year=2020 |title=New fossil remain of Fusuisaurus zhaoi (Sauropoda: Titanosauriformes) from the Lower Cretaceous of Guangxi, southern China |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=109 |pages=Article 104379 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104379 |bibcode=2020CrRes.10904379M |s2cid=214396629 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02991795/file/Mo%20et%20al.%20%28accepted%29.pdf }}
• A study on sauropod teeth from the Cenomanian Griman Creek Formation (Australia), evaluating their implications for the knowledge of the diversity and palaeoecology of the sauropods from this formation, is published by Frauenfelder et al. (2020), who report evidence of the presence of at least two taxa of non-titanosaur titanosauriforms and a possible titanosaur.{{Cite journal|author1=Timothy G. Frauenfelder |author2=Nicolás E. Campione |author3=Elizabeth T. Smith |author4=Phil R. Bell |year=2020 |title=Diversity and palaeoecology of Australia's southern-most sauropods, Griman Creek Formation (Cenomanian), New South Wales, Australia |journal=Lethaia |volume=54 |issue=3 |pages=354–367 |doi=10.1111/let.12407 |s2cid=228995067 }}
• A study on histology and affinities of two bone fragments from the Upper Cretaceous (lower Santonian to/or lower Campanian) of the Western Srednogorie (Bulgaria) is published by Nikolov et al. (2020), who interpret these fossils as bones of a titanosaur sauropod, coming from a time interval when sauropods are rare in the fossil record of Europe.{{cite journal |author1=Vladimir Nikolov |author2=Marlena Yaneva |author3=Docho Dochev |author4=Ralitsa Konyovska |author5=Ivanina Sergeeva |author6=Latinka Hristova |year=2020 |title=Bone histology reveals the first record of titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Bulgaria |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 23(1):a10 |doi=10.26879/879 |s2cid=214618292 |doi-access=free }}
• An almost intact embryonic skull of a titanosaur sauropod is described from the Upper Cretaceous Allen Formation (Argentina) by Kundrát et al. (2020), who interpret this specimen as indicating that titanosaurs hatched with a temporary monocerotid (single-horned) face, retracted narial openings, and early binocular vision.{{cite journal |author1=Martin Kundrát |author2=Rodolfo A. Coria |author3=Terry W. Manning |author4=Daniel Snitting |author5=Luis M. Chiappe |author6=John Nudds |author7=Per E. Ahlberg |year=2020 |title=Specialized craniofacial anatomy of a titanosaurian embryo from Argentina |journal=Current Biology |volume=30 |issue=21 |pages=4263–4269.e2 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2020.07.091 |pmid=32857974 |hdl=11336/150635 |s2cid=221343275 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020CBio...30E4263K |hdl-access=free }}
• Evidence of aggressive case of osteomyelitis affecting a titanosaur specimen from the Upper Cretaceous Adamantina Formation (Brazil) is reported by Aureliano et al. (2020), who also report the preservation of tens of parasites throughout the specimen’s vascular canals.{{Cite journal|author1=Tito Aureliano |author2=Carolina S.I. Nascimento |author3=Marcelo A. Fernandes |author4=Fresia Ricardi-Branco |author5=Aline M. Ghilardi |year=2020 |title=Blood parasites and acute osteomyelitis in a non-avian dinosaur (Sauropoda, Titanosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Adamantina Formation, Bauru Basin, Southeast Brazil |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=118 |pages=Article 104672 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104672 |s2cid=225134198 }}
• Description of the skeletal anatomy of Savannasaurus elliottorum is published by Poropat et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Stephen F. Poropat |author2=Philip D. Mannion |author3=Paul Upchurch |author4=Travis R. Tischler |author5=Trish Sloan |author6=George H. K. Sinapius |author7=Judy A. Elliott |author8=David A. Elliott |year=2020 |title=Osteology of the wide-hipped titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur Savannasaurus elliottorum from the Upper Cretaceous Winton Formation of Queensland, Australia |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=e1786836 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1786836 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E6836P |s2cid=224850234 |url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10098670/ }}
• A study on the anatomy of the brain and inner ear of Narambuenatitan palomoi is published by Paulina-Carabajal, Filippi & Knoll (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Ariana Paulina-Carabajal |author2=Leonardo Filippi |author3=Fabien Knoll |year=2020 |title=Neuroanatomy of the titanosaurian sauropod Narambuenatitan palomoi from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina |journal=Publicación Electrónica de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.5710/PEAPA.21.05.2020.298 |s2cid=229274752 |doi-access=free |hdl=11336/152435 |hdl-access=free }}
• Voegele et al. (2020) reconstruct the forelimb and shoulder girdle musculature of Dreadnoughtus schrani,{{Cite journal|author1=Kristyn K. Voegele |author2=Paul V. Ullmann |author3=Matthew C. Lamanna |author4=Kenneth J. Lacovara |year=2020 |title=Appendicular myological reconstruction of the forelimb of the giant titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur Dreadnoughtus schrani |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=237 |issue=1 |pages=133–154 |doi=10.1111/joa.13176 |pmid=32141103 |pmc=7309294 }} as well as the pelvic girdle and hindlimb musculature of this sauropod.{{Cite journal|author1=Kristyn K. Voegele |author2=Paul V. Ullmann |author3=Matthew C. Lamanna |author4=Kenneth J. Lacovara |year=2020 |title=Myological reconstruction of the pelvic girdle and hind limb of the giant titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur Dreadnoughtus schrani |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=238 |issue=3 |pages=576–597 |doi=10.1111/joa.13334 |pmid=33084085 |pmc=7855065 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the appendicular skeleton of Patagotitan mayorum is published by Otero, Carballido & Moreno (2020), who also provide a new body mass estimate of this species.{{Cite journal|author1=Alejandro Otero |author2=José L. Carballido |author3=Agustín Pérez Moreno |year=2020 |title=The appendicular osteology of Patagotitan mayorum (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=e1793158 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1793158 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E3158O |s2cid=225012747 }}

• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of the silesaurids is published by Müller & Garcia (2020), who recover silesaurids as an evolutionary grade of early ornithischian dinosaurs.{{Cite journal|author1=Rodrigo Temp Müller |author2=Maurício Silva Garcia |year=2020 |title=A paraphyletic 'Silesauridae' as an alternative hypothesis for the initial radiation of ornithischian dinosaurs |journal=Biology Letters |volume=16 |issue=8 |pages=Article ID 20200417 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2020.0417 |pmid=32842895 |pmc=7480155 |s2cid=221298572 }}
• A study on the microstructure of the tooth enamel of Manidens condorensis, evaluating its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of tooth enamel in Ornithischia, is published by Becerra & Pol (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Marcos G. Becerra |author2=Diego Pol |year=2020 |title=The enamel microstructure of Manidens condorensis: New hypotheses on the ancestral state and evolution of enamel in Ornithischia |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |volume=65 |issue=1 |pages=59–70 |doi=10.4202/app.00658.2019 |s2cid=212699867 |doi-access=free |hdl=11336/168310 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on tooth replacement in Manidens condorensis is published by Becerra et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Marcos G. Becerra |author2=Diego Pol |author3=John A. Whitlock |author4=Laura B. Porro |year=2020 |title=Tooth replacement in Manidens condorensis: baseline study to address the replacement pattern in dentitions of early ornithischians |journal=Papers in Palaeontology |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=1167–1193 |doi=10.1002/spp2.1337 |hdl=11336/143687 | issn=2056-2799 |s2cid=224937914 |url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10115472/ |hdl-access=free }}
• New specimens of Scutellosaurus lawleri, providing new information on the anatomy of this species, are described from the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation (Arizona, United States), by Breeden & Rowe (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Benjamin T. Breeden III |author2=Timothy B. Rowe |year=2020 |title=New specimens of Scutellosaurus lawleri Colbert, 1981, from the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation in Arizona elucidate the early evolution of thyreophoran dinosaurs |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=e1791894 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1791894 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E1894B |s2cid=224961326 }}
• Studies on the structure and development of the dermal skeleton of Scelidosaurus harrisonii, the neurocranium and the associated principal sensory systems of this dinosaur, its locomotor abilities, breathing, and on its phylogenetic relationships, are published by Norman (2020).{{Cite journal|author=David B. Norman |year=2020 |title=Scelidosaurus harrisonii from the Early Jurassic of Dorset, England: the dermal skeleton |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=190 |issue=1 |pages=1–53 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz085 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal|author=David B. Norman |year=2020 |title=Scelidosaurus harrisonii (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Early Jurassic of Dorset, England: biology and phylogenetic relationships |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=191 |issue=1 |pages=1–86 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa061 }}
• Description of the dermal armor of Stegosaurus, revision of the various reconstructions of the dermal armor of S. ungulatus and S. stenops, and a summary of the evidence for and against the different functions proposed for the plates and spines of Stegosaurus is published by Galton (2020).{{cite journal |author=Peter M. Galton |year=2020 |title=Dermal armor of plated ornithischian dinosaur Stegosaurus from Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Colorado and Wyoming (based mostly on bones collected in 1877-1889 for O. C. Marsh), and Utah |journal=Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève |volume=39 |issue=2 |pages=311–370 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.4460690 }}
• An isolated caudal vertebra representing the first evidence of the presence of an ankylosaur in the Upper Jurassic Qigu Formation (China) is described by Augustin et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Felix J. Augustin |author2=Andreas T. Matzke |author3=Michael W. Maisch |author4=Hans-Ulrich Pfretzschner |year=2020 |title=First evidence of an ankylosaur (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the Jurassic Qigu Formation (Junggar Basin, NW China) and the early fossil record of Ankylosauria |journal=Geobios |volume=61 |pages= 1–10|doi=10.1016/j.geobios.2020.06.005 |bibcode=2020Geobi..61....1A |s2cid=225545154 }}
• A study aiming to determine the social lifestyle of ankylosaurs, as indicated by anatomy, taphonomic history, ontogenetic composition of the mass death assemblages and inferred habitat characteristics, is published by Botfalvai, Prondvai & Ősi (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Gábor Botfalvai |author2=Edina Prondvai |author3=Attila Ősi |year=2020 |title=Living alone or moving in herds? A holistic approach highlights complexity in the social lifestyle of Cretaceous ankylosaurs |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=118 |pages=Article 104633 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104633 |s2cid=225164568 |url=http://real.mtak.hu/112909/1/Botfalvai%20et%20al_pre_Proof.pdf }}
• Redescription of the anatomy of the holotype specimens of Hylaeosaurus armatus and Polacanthus foxii, and a study on the taxonomy of all ankylosaur specimens from the British Wealden Supergroup, is published by Raven et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Thomas J. Raven |author2=Paul M. Barrett |author3=Stuart B. Pond |author4=Susannah C. R. Maidment |year=2020 |title=Osteology and Taxonomy of British Wealden Supergroup (Berriasian–Aptian) Ankylosaurs (Ornithischia, Ankylosauria) |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=e1826956 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1826956 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E6956R |s2cid=227249280 }}
• Fossil stomach contents preserved within the abdominal cavity of the holotype specimen of Borealopelta markmitchelli are described by Brown et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Caleb M. Brown |author2=David R. Greenwood |author3=Jessica E. Kalyniuk |author4=Dennis R. Braman |author5=Donald M. Henderson |author6=Cathy L. Greenwood |author7=James F. Basinger |year=2020 |title=Dietary palaeoecology of an Early Cretaceous armoured dinosaur (Ornithischia; Nodosauridae) based on floral analysis of stomach contents |journal=Royal Society Open Science |volume=7 |issue=6 |pages=Article ID: 200305 |doi=10.1098/rsos.200305 |pmid=32742695 |pmc=7353971 |bibcode=2020RSOS....700305B }}
• Description of the anatomy of braincases of three specimens of Bissektipelta archibaldi is published by Kuzmin et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Ivan Kuzmin |author2=Ivan Petrov |author3=Alexander Averianov |author4=Elizaveta Boitsova |author5=Pavel Skutschas |author6=Hans-Dieter Sues |year=2020 |title=The braincase of Bissektipelta archibaldi — new insights into endocranial osteology, vasculature, and paleoneurobiology of ankylosaurian dinosaurs |journal=Biological Communications |volume=65 |issue=2 |pages=85–156 |doi=10.21638/spbu03.2020.201 |s2cid=219909120 |doi-access=free |hdl=11701/19215 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of cerapodan ornithischians is published by Dieudonné et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=P.-E. Dieudonné |author2=P. Cruzado-Caballero |author3=P. Godefroit |author4=T. Tortosa |year=2020 |title=A new phylogeny of cerapodan dinosaurs |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=2335–2355 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1793979 |s2cid=221854017 |url=http://rid.unrn.edu.ar/handle/20.500.12049/5441 }}
• A study on the bone histology and probable life history of Jeholosaurus shangyuanensis is published by Han et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Fenglu Han |author2=Qi Zhao |author3=Josef Stiegler |author4=Xing Xu |year=2020 |title=Bone histology of the non-iguanodontian ornithopod Jeholosaurus shangyuanensis and its implications for dinosaur skeletochronology and development |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=e1768538 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1768538 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E8538H |s2cid=222211183 }}
• A study on the bone histology and growth patterns of Trinisaura santamartaensis and Morrosaurus antarcticus is published by Garcia-Marsà et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Jordi A. Garcia-Marsà |author2=Mauricio A. Cerroni |author3=Sebastián Rozadilla Fowler |author4=Ignacio A. Cerda |author5=Marcelo A. Reguero |author6=Rodolfo A. Coria |author7=Fernando E. Novas |year=2020 |title=Biological implications of the bone microstructure of the Antarctic ornithopods Trinisaura and Morrosaurus (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=116 |pages=Article 104605 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104605 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11604605G |s2cid=225028518 }}
• Redescription of Eucercosaurus tanyspondylus and Syngonosaurus macrocercus from the Cenomanian Cambridge Greensand (United Kingdom) is published by Barrett & Bonsor (2020), who interpret both these taxa as described on the basis of fossils of iguanodontian dinosaurs possessing no clear diagnostic features.{{Cite journal|author1=Paul M. Barrett |author2=Joseph A. Bonsor |year=2020 |title=A revision of the non-avian dinosaurs {{‘}}Eucercosaurus tanyspondylus{{’}} and {{‘}}Syngonosaurus macrocercus{{’}} from the Cambridge Greensand, UK |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=118 |pages=Article 104638 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104638 |s2cid=225289654 |url=https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publications/ef0cd083-2ea5-4db9-9435-a607a92511a7 }}
• A study on the bone microstructure of Mongolian hadrosauroid dinosaurs, evaluating its implications for the knowledge of growth strategies and evolution of gigantism in hadrosauroids, is published by Słowiak et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Justyna Słowiak |author2=Tomasz Szczygielski |author3=Michał Ginter |author4=Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik |year=2020 |title=Uninterrupted growth in a non-polar hadrosaur explains the gigantism among duck-billed dinosaurs |journal=Palaeontology |volume=63 |issue=4 |pages=579–599 |doi=10.1111/pala.12473 |bibcode=2020Palgy..63..579S |s2cid=213247742 }}
• Brownstein (2020) describes new fossil material of hadrosauromorphs from the Maastrichtian New Egypt Formation (New Jersey, United States), including a skeleton of a specimen which was probably a small-bodied adult hadrosauromorph from a lineage outside Hadrosauridae and fossils of juvenile hadrosauromorphs.{{Cite journal|author=Chase Doran Brownstein |year=2020 |title=Osteology and phylogeny of small-bodied hadrosauromorphs from an end-Cretaceous marine assemblage |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=191 |issue=1 |pages=180–200 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa085 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the tail of Tethyshadros insularis is published by Dalla Vecchia (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Fabio Marco Dalla Vecchia |year=2020 |title=The unusual tail of Tethyshadros insularis (Dinosauria, Hadrosauroidea) from the Adriatic island of the European archipelago |journal=Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia |volume=126 |issue=3 |pages=583–628 |doi=10.13130/2039-4942/14075 }}
• A study on pathologies affecting two hadrosaurid vertebrae from the Dinosaur Provincial Park (Alberta, Canada) is published by Rothschild et al. (2020), who consider Langerhans cell histiocytosis to be the most likely diagnosis, making it the first case of LCH recognized in a dinosaur so far.{{Cite journal|author1=Bruce M. Rothschild |author2=Darren Tanke |author3=Frank Rühli |author4=Ariel Pokhojaev |author5=Hila May |year=2020 |title=Suggested case of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in a Cretaceous dinosaur |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 2203 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-59192-z |pmid=32042034 |pmc=7010826 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.2203R }}
• A study on a set of fused hadrosaur vertebrae with fragments of a tooth of Tyrannosaurus rex scattered through the intervertebral space is published by Rothschild et al. (2020), who interpret this findings as evidence indicating that the space between the vertebrae was not occupied by intervertebral discs, but rather by an articular space similar to that in modern reptiles.{{Cite journal|author1=Bruce M. Rothschild |author2=Robert A. Depalma |author3=David A. Burnham |author4=Larry Martin |year=2020 |title=Anatomy of a dinosaur—Clarification of vertebrae in vertebrate anatomy |journal=Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia |volume=49 |issue=4 |pages=571–574 |doi=10.1111/ahe.12573 |pmid=32468658 |s2cid=218984934 }}
• A study on the migratory behaviours of hadrosaurs, as indicated by strontium isotope data from hadrosaur teeth from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta (Canada), is published by Terrill, Henderson & Anderson (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=David F. Terrill |author2=Charles M. Henderson |author3=Jason S. Anderson |year=2020 |title=New application of strontium isotopes reveals evidence of limited migratory behaviour in Late Cretaceous hadrosaurs |journal=Biology Letters |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=Article ID 20190930 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2019.0930 |pmid=32126185 |pmc=7115185 }}
• A study aiming to determine whether body size and ontogenetic age were strongly correlated in hadrosaurid dinosaurs from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada), and to test the hypothesis of a rapid growth rate of hadrosaurids from the Dinosaur Park Formation relative to those from the Two Medicine Formation, is published by Wosik et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Mateusz Wosik |author2=Kentaro Chiba |author3=François Therrien |author4=David C. Evans |year=2020 |title=Testing size–frequency distributions as a method of ontogenetic aging: a life-history assessment of hadrosaurid dinosaurs from the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada, with implications for hadrosaurid paleoecology |journal=Paleobiology |volume=46 |issue=3 |pages=379–404 |doi=10.1017/pab.2020.2 |bibcode=2020Pbio...46..379W |s2cid=221666530 |doi-access=free }}
• Partial forelimb of a large hadrosaurid with similarities to forelimbs of lambeosaurines is described from the Maastrichtian New Egypt Formation (New Jersey, United States) by Brownstein & Bissell (2020), who interpret this findings as evidence of the presence of a morphotype of large hadrosauromorph with elongate forelimbs in the latest Maastrichtian of eastern North America.{{Cite journal|author1=Chase Doran Brownstein |author2=Immanuel Bissell |year=2020 |title=An elongate hadrosaurid forelimb with biological traces informs the biogeography of the Lambeosaurinae |journal=Journal of Paleontology |volume=95 |issue=2 |pages=367–375 |doi=10.1017/jpa.2020.83 |s2cid=225114976 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the anatomy of fossils of Ugrunaaluk kuukpikensis and on the taxonomic status of this species is published by Takasaki et al. (2020), who consider Ugrunaaluk to be a junior synonym of the genus Edmontosaurus.{{Cite journal|author1=Ryuji Takasaki |author2=Anthony R. Fiorillo |author3=Ronald S. Tykoski |author4=Yoshitsugu Kobayashi |year=2020 |title=Re-examination of the cranial osteology of the Arctic Alaskan hadrosaurine with implications for its taxonomic status |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=5 |pages=e0232410 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0232410 |pmid=32374777 |pmc=7202651 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1532410T |doi-access=free }}
• Evidence of pre-mortem traumatic injuries in multiple skeletal elements (especially in tail vertebrae) of Edmontosaurus annectens from the Lance Formation (Wyoming, United States) is presented by Siviero et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Bethania C.T. Siviero |author2=Elizabeth Rega |author3=William K. Hayes |author4=Allen M. Cooper |author5=Leonard R. Brand |author6=Art V. Chadwick |year=2020 |title=Skeletal trauma with implications for intratail mobility in Edmontosaurus annectens from a monodominant bonebed, Lance Formation (Maastrichtian), Wyoming USA |journal=PALAIOS |volume=35 |issue=4 |pages=201–214 |doi=10.2110/palo.2019.079 |bibcode=2020Palai..35..201S |s2cid=218503493 }}
• A study on the taphonomy and depositional history of an extensive Maastrichtian bonebed in the Lance Formation of eastern Wyoming dominated by fossils of Edmontosaurus annectens is published by Snyder et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Keith Snyder |author2=Matthew McLain |author3=Jared Wood |author4=Arthur Chadwick |year=2020 |title=Over 13,000 elements from a single bonebed help elucidate disarticulation and transport of an Edmontosaurus thanatocoenosis |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=5 |pages=e0233182 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0233182 |pmid=32437394 |pmc=7241792 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1533182S |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the interior structure of the nasal spine of Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus is published by Zhang et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Jialiang Zhang |author2=Xiaolin Wang |author3=Shunxing Jiang |author4=Guobiao Li |year=2020 |title=Internal morphology of nasal spine of Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus (Ornithischia: Lambeosaurinae) from the upper cretaceous of Shandong, China |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=9 |pages=1697–1704 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1731804 |s2cid=216422257 }}
• Description of new fossil material of Pararhabdodon isonensis, and a study on the bone histology and life history of this taxon, is published by Serrano et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Jesús F. Serrano |author2=Albert G. Sellés |author3=Bernat Vila |author4=Àngel Galobart |author5=Albert Prieto-Márquez |year=2020 |title=The osteohistology of new remains of Pararhabdodon isonensis sheds light into the life history and paleoecology of this enigmatic European lambeosaurine dinosaur |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=118 |pages=Article 104677 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104677|issn=0195-6671 |s2cid=225110719 }}
• A study on the morphology and likely causes of the injuries in the holotype specimen of Parasaurolophus walkeri is published by Bertozzo et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Filippo Bertozzo |author2=Fabio Manucci |author3=Matthew Dempsey |author4=Darren H. Tanke |author5=David C. Evans |author6=Alastair Ruffell |author7=Eileen Murphy |year=2020 |title=Description and etiology of paleopathological lesions in the type specimen of Parasaurolophus walkeri (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae), with proposed reconstructions of the nuchal ligament |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=238 |issue=5 |pages=1055–1069 |doi=10.1111/joa.13363 |pmid=33289113 |pmc=8053592 }}
• Evidence of preservation of proteins, chromosomes and chemical markers of DNA in the cartilage of a nestling of Hypacrosaurus stebingeri from the Campanian Two Medicine Formation (Montana, United States) is presented by Bailleul et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Alida M. Bailleul |author2=Wenxia Zheng |author3=John R. Horner |author4=Brian K. Hall |author5=Casey M. Holliday |author6=Mary H. Schweitzer |year=2020 |title=Evidence of proteins, chromosomes and chemical markers of DNA in exceptionally preserved dinosaur cartilage |journal=National Science Review |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=815–822 |doi=10.1093/nsr/nwz206 |pmid=34692099 |pmc=8289162 }}
• A study on patterns of morphological variation of the ceratopsian frill, and on its implications for the knowledge of the ontogeny and evolution of this structure, is published by Prieto-Márquez et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Albert Prieto-Márquez |author2=Joan Garcia-Porta |author3=Shantanu H. Joshi |author4=Mark A. Norell |author5=Peter J. Makovicky |year=2020 |title=Modularity and heterochrony in the evolution of the ceratopsian dinosaur frill |journal=Ecology and Evolution |volume=10 |issue=13 |pages=6288–6309 |doi=10.1002/ece3.6361 |pmid=32724514 |pmc=7381594 |bibcode=2020EcoEv..10.6288P }}
• New protoceratopsid specimens are described from the Üüden Sair and Zamyn Khond localities (Mongolia) by Czepiński (2020), who evaluates the implications of these specimens for correlation of fossil sites of the Djadochta Formation, and interprets one of these specimens as probable evidence of an anagenetic transition from Protoceratops andrewsi to Bagaceratops rozhdestvenskyi.{{Cite journal|author=Łukasz Czepiński |year=2020 |title=New protoceratopsid specimens improve the age correlation of the Upper Cretaceous Gobi Desert strata |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |volume=65 |issue=3 |pages=481–497 |doi=10.4202/app.00701.2019 |s2cid=218948729 |doi-access=free }}
• Evidence of osteosarcoma affecting a specimen of Centrosaurus apertus, representing the first case of osteosarcoma in a dinosaur reported so far, is presented by Ekhtiari et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Seper Ekhtiari |author2=Kentaro Chiba |author3=Snezana Popovic |author4=Rhianne Crowther |author5=Gregory Wohl |author6=Andy Kin On Wong |author7=Darren H. Tanke |author8=Danielle M. Dufault |author9=Olivia D. Geen |author10=Naveen Parasu |author11=Mark A. Crowther |author12=David C. Evans |year=2020 |title=First case of osteosarcoma in a dinosaur: a multimodal diagnosis |journal=The Lancet Oncology |volume=21 |issue=8 |pages=1021–1022 |doi=10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30171-6 |pmid=32758461 |s2cid=225473251 }}
• Description of an immature specimen of Styracosaurus albertensis (the smallest known for this species) from the Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation (Alberta, Canada), and a study comparing the ontogeny and individual variation of the skulls in Styracosaurus and Centrosaurus, is published by Brown, Holmes & Currie (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Caleb M. Brown |author2=Robert B. Holmes |author3=Phillip J. Currie |year=2020 |title=A subadult individual of Styracosaurus albertensis (Ornithischia: Ceratopsidae) with comments on ontogeny and intraspecific variation in Styracosaurus and Centrosaurus |journal=Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology |volume=8 |pages=67–95 |doi=10.18435/vamp29361 |s2cid=218945057 |url=https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/vamp/index.php/VAMP/article/view/29361 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the braincases of two specimens of Triceratops is published by Sakagami & Kawabe (2020), who present three-dimensional virtual renderings of the endocasts of the cranial cavities and bony labyrinths, and compare the endocranial endocasts of specimens of Triceratops and other ceratopsians.{{Cite journal|author1=Rina Sakagami |author2=Soichiro Kawabe |year=2020 |title=Endocranial anatomy of the ceratopsid dinosaur Triceratops and interpretations of sensory and motor function |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9888 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9888 |pmid=32999761 |pmc=7505063 |doi-access=free }}

• A study on the phylogenetic relationships and powered flight potential of early birds and their closest relatives is published by Pei et al. (2020), who argue that the potential for powered flight evolved at least three times (once in birds and twice in dromaeosaurids).{{Cite journal|author1=Rui Pei |author2=Michael Pittman |author3=Pablo A. Goloboff |author4=T. Alexander Dececchi |author5=Michael B. Habib |author6=Thomas G. Kaye |author7=Hans C.E. Larsson |author8=Mark A. Norell |author9=Stephen L. Brusatte |author10=Xing Xu |year=2020 |title=Potential for powered flight neared by most close avialan relatives, but few crossed its thresholds |journal=Current Biology |volume=30 |issue=20 |pages=4033–4046.e8 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.105 |pmid=32763170 |s2cid=221015472 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020CBio...30E4033P |hdl=11336/143103 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study aiming to determine whether the origin of birds was marked with a distinct shift in cranial evolutionary dynamics, based on data from birds and non-avian dinosaurs, is published by Felice et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Ryan N. Felice |author2=Akinobu Watanabe |author3=Andrew R. Cuff |author4=Michael Hanson |author5=Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar |author6=Emily R. Rayfield |author7=Lawrence M. Witmer |author8=Mark A. Norell |author9=Anjali Goswami |year=2020 |title=Decelerated dinosaur skull evolution with the origin of birds |journal=PLOS Biology |volume=18 |issue=8 |pages=e3000801 |doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000801 |pmid=32810126 |pmc=7437466 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on patterns of evolution of avian brain size and its relationship with body size evolution, based on data from extant and fossil birds and from non-avian theropod dinosaurs, is published by Ksepka et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Daniel T. Ksepka |author2=Amy M. Balanoff |author3=N. Adam Smith |author4=Gabriel S. Bever |author5=Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar |author6=Estelle Bourdon |author7=Edward L. Braun |author8=J. Gordon Burleigh |author9=Julia A. Clarke |author10=Matthew W. Colbert |author11=Jeremy R. Corfield |author12=Federico J. Degrange |author13=Vanesa L. De Pietri |author14=Catherine M. Early |author15=Daniel J. Field |author16=Paul M. Gignac |author17=Maria Eugenia Leone Gold |author18=Rebecca T. Kimball |author19=Soichiro Kawabe |author20=Louis Lefebvre |author21=Jesús Marugán-Lobón |author22=Carrie S. Mongle |author23=Ashley Morhardt |author24=Mark A. Norell |author25=Ryan C. Ridgely |author26=Ryan S. Rothman |author27=R. Paul Scofield |author28=Claudia P. Tambussi |author29=Christopher R. Torres |author30=Marcel van Tuinen |author31=Stig A. Walsh |author32=Akinobu Watanabe |author33=Lawrence M. Witmer |author34=Alexandra K. Wright |author35=Lindsay E. Zanno |author36=Erich D. Jarvis |author37=Jeroen B. Smaers |year=2020 |title=Tempo and pattern of avian brain size evolution |journal=Current Biology |volume=30 |issue=11 |pages=2026–2036.e3 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.060 |pmid=32330422 |s2cid=216095924 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020CBio...30E2026K |hdl=11336/141993 |hdl-access=free }}
• A study aiming to determine the volumes of the brain structures used to infer behavior or functional capabilities in Archaeopteryx lithographica, Lithornis plebius, Dinornis robustus, Paraptenodytes antarcticus, Psilopterus lemoinei, Llallawavis scagliai and an unnamed Miocene galliform is published by Early, Ridgely & Witmer (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Catherine M. Early |author2=Ryan C. Ridgely |author3=Lawrence M. Witmer |year=2020 |title=Beyond endocasts: using predicted brain-structure volumes of extinct birds to assess neuroanatomical and behavioral inferences |journal=Diversity |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=Article 34 |doi=10.3390/d12010034 |doi-access=free }}
• The study on the identity of the holotype feather of Archaeopteryx lithographica published by Kaye et al. (2019){{cite journal |author1=Thomas G. Kaye |author2=Michael Pittman |author3=Gerald Mayr |author4=Daniela Schwarz |author5=Xing Xu |year=2019 |title=Detection of lost calamus challenges identity of isolated Archaeopteryx feather |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 1182 |doi=10.1038/s41598-018-37343-7 |pmid=30718905 |pmc=6362147 |bibcode=2019NatSR...9.1182K }} is criticized by Carney, Tischlinger & Shawkey (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Ryan M. Carney |author2=Helmut Tischlinger |author3=Matthew D. Shawkey |year=2020 |title=Evidence corroborates identity of isolated fossil feather as a wing covert of Archaeopteryx |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 15593 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-65336-y |pmid=32999314 |pmc=7528088 |bibcode=2020NatSR..1015593C }}
• Evidence of feather moulting in the Thermopolis specimen of Archaeopteryx is presented by Kaye, Pittman & Wahl (2020), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of the origins of flight-related molting and flight;{{Cite journal|author1=Thomas G. Kaye |author2=Michael Pittman |author3=William R. Wahl |year=2020 |title=Archaeopteryx feather sheaths reveal sequential center-out flight-related molting strategy |journal=Communications Biology |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 745 |doi=10.1038/s42003-020-01467-2 |pmid=33293660 |pmc=7722847 }} the study is subsequently criticized by Kiat et al. (2021).{{Cite journal|author1=Yosef Kiat |author2=Peter Pyle |author3=Amir Balaban |author4=Jingmai K. O'Connor |year=2021 |title=Reinterpretation of purported molting evidence in the Thermopolis Archaeopteryx |journal=Communications Biology |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 837 |doi=10.1038/s42003-021-02349-x |pmid=34226661 |pmc=8257594 }}{{Cite journal|author1=Thomas G. Kaye |author2=Michael Pittman |year=2021 |title=Reply to: Reinterpretation of purported molting evidence in the Thermopolis Archaeopteryx |journal=Communications Biology |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 839 |doi=10.1038/s42003-021-02367-9 |pmid=34226634 |pmc=8257677 }}
• A study on the structure and possible function of the paddle-shaped skeletal elements preserved in the thoracic region of the skeleton of Jeholornis is published by Zheng et al. (2020), who interpret these elements as anomalously expanded sternal ribs.{{cite journal |author1=Xiaoting Zheng |author2=Corwin Sullivan |author3=Jingmai K. O’Connor |author4=Xiaoli Wang |author5=Yan Wang |author6=Xiaomei Zhang |author7=Zhonghe Zhou |year=2020 |title=Structure and possible ventilatory function of unusual, expanded sternal ribs in the Early Cretaceous bird Jeholornis |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=116 |pages=Article 104597 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104597 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11604597Z |s2cid=225019577 }}
• Traces of the soft tissue of the beak preserved with two specimens of Confuciusornis are described by Zheng et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Xiaoting Zheng |author2=Jingmai O’Connor |author3=Yan Wang |author4=Xiaoli Wang |author5=Yin Xuwei |author6=Xiaomei Zhang |author7=Zhonghe Zhou |year=2020 |title=New information on the keratinous beak of Confuciusornis (Aves: Pygostylia) from two new specimens |journal=Frontiers in Earth Science |volume=8 |pages=Article 367 |doi=10.3389/feart.2020.00367 |bibcode=2020FrEaS...8..367Z |s2cid=221713024 |doi-access=free }}
• Miller et al. (2020) describe a new specimen of Confuciusornis sanctus preserving a disassociated rhamphotheca, and evaluate the differences in the keratinous and bony beak anatomy between confuciusornithids and modern birds.{{Cite journal|author1=Case Vincent Miller |author2=Michael Pittman |author3=Thomas G. Kaye |author4=Xiaoli Wang |author5=Jen A. Bright |author6=Xiaoting Zheng |year=2020 |title=Disassociated rhamphotheca of fossil bird Confuciusornis informs early beak reconstruction, stress regime, and developmental patterns |journal=Communications Biology |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 519 |doi=10.1038/s42003-020-01252-1 |pmid=32958793 |pmc=7506531 }}
• A study on the furcula-coracoid articulation in Confuciusornis and in extant birds that utilize different flight styles is published by Wu et al. (2020), who report the first evidence of fossilized secondary cartilage on the furcula of a fossil bird, and evaluate the implications of their findings for the knowledge of flight styles in Mesozoic birds.{{cite journal |author1=Qian Wu |author2=Jingmai O'Connor |author3=Zhi-Heng Li |author4=Alida M. Bailleul |year=2020 |title=Cartilage on the furculae of living birds and the extinct bird Confuciusornis: a preliminary analysis and implications for flight style inferences in Mesozoic birds |journal=Vertebrata PalAsiatica |volume=59 |issue=2 |pages=106–124 |doi=10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.201222 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the skull of Sapeornis chaoyangensis is published by Hu et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Han Hu |author2=Jingmai K. O’Connor |author3=Paul G. McDonald |author4=Stephen Wroe |year=2020 |title=Cranial osteology of the Early Cretaceous Sapeornis chaoyangensis (Aves: Pygostylia) |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=113 |pages=Article 104496 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104496 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11304496H |s2cid=219470455 }}
• New specimen of Longusunguis kurochkini, providing new information on the anatomy of this taxon and indicating that the plesiomorphic diapsid skull was retained by at least some basal enantiornithines, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation (China) by Hu et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Han Hu |author2=Jingmai K. O’Connor |author3=Min Wang |author4=Stephen Wroe |author5=Paul G. McDonald |year=2020 |title=New anatomical information on the bohaiornithid Longusunguis and the presence of a plesiomorphic diapsid skull in Enantiornithes |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |volume=18 |issue=18 |pages=1481–1495 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2020.1748133 |bibcode=2020JSPal..18.1481H |s2cid=219081409 }}
• An isolated foot of an enantiornithine consisting of complete metatarsals and digits, including the claws, is described from the Cretaceous Burmese amber by Xing et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Lida Xing |author2=Pierre Cockx |author3=Jingmai K. O'Connor |author4=Ryan C. McKellar |year=2020 |title=A newly discovered enantiornithine foot preserved in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber |journal=Palaeoentomology |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=212–219 |doi=10.11646/palaeoentomology.3.2.11 |s2cid=219014899 }}
• New enantiornithine specimen preserving portions of two forelimbs and two feet, as well as associated feathers, is described from the Cretaceous Burmese amber by Xing et al. (2020), providing new evidence of a diversity of limb proportions and plumage patterns in the enantiornithine fauna from Myanmar.{{Cite journal|author1=Lida Xing |author2=Jingmai K. O’Connor |author3=Kecheng Niu |author4=Pierre Cockx |author5=Huijuan Mai |author6=Ryan C. McKellar |year=2020 |title=A new enantiornithine (Aves) preserved in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber contributes to growing diversity of Cretaceous plumage patterns |journal=Frontiers in Earth Science |volume=8 |pages=Article 264 |doi=10.3389/feart.2020.00264 |bibcode=2020FrEaS...8..264X |s2cid=220526808 |doi-access=free }}
• Bailleul et al. (2020) confirm the presence of ovarian follicles in an enantiornithine specimen STM10–12 from the Lower Cretaceous of China;{{Cite journal|author1=Alida M. Bailleul |author2=Jingmai O’Connor |author3=Zhiheng Li |author4=Qian Wu |author5=Tao Zhao |author6=Mario A. Martinez Monleon |author7=Min Wang |author8=Xiaoting Zheng |year=2020 |title=Confirmation of ovarian follicles in an enantiornithine (Aves) from the Jehol biota using soft tissue analyses |journal=Communications Biology |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 399 |doi=10.1038/s42003-020-01131-9 |pmid=32724075 |pmc=7387556 }} the conclusions of this study are subsequently contested by Mayr et al. (2020), who interpret putative ovarian follicles of this specimen and other birds from the Jehol Biota as more likely to be ingested food items.{{cite journal |author1=Gerald Mayr |author2=Thomas G. Kaye |author3=Michael Pittman |author4=Evan T. Saitta |author5=Christian Pott |year=2020 |title=Reanalysis of putative ovarian follicles suggests that Early Cretaceous birds were feeding not breeding |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 19035 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-76078-2 |pmid=33149245 |pmc=7643104 }}
• New specimen of Protopteryx fengningensis, providing additional information on the plumage of this species, is described by O’Connor et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Jingmai K. O’Connor |author2=Xiaoting Zheng |author3=Yanhong Pan |author4=Xiaoli Wang |author5=Yan Wang |author6=Xiaomei Zhang |author7=Zhonghe Zhou |year=2020 |title=New information on the plumage of Protopteryx (Aves: Enantiornithes) from a new specimen |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=116 |pages=Article 104577 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104577 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11604577O |s2cid=225021585 }}
• Wang & Zhou (2020) describe a new specimen of Piscivorenantiornis inusitatus from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation (China), providing new information on the anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of this taxon.{{Cite journal|author1=Min Wang |author2=Zhonghe Zhou |year=2020 |title=Anatomy of a new specimen of Piscivorenantiornis inusitatus (Aves: Enantiornithes) from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Biota |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=e1783278 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1783278 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E3278W |s2cid=225188555 }}
• A feather fragment from an aquatic bird is reported from amber recovered from the Pipestone Creek bonebed from the Campanian Wapiti Formation (Alberta, Canada) by Cockx et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Pierre Cockx |author2=Ryan McKellar |author3=Ralf Tappert |author4=Matthew Vavrek |author5=Karlis Muehlenbachs |year=2020 |title=Bonebed amber as a new source of paleontological data: The case of the Pipestone Creek deposit (Upper Cretaceous), Alberta, Canada |journal=Gondwana Research |volume=81 |pages=378–389 |doi=10.1016/j.gr.2019.12.005 |bibcode=2020GondR..81..378C |s2cid=214000931 }}
• A tibiotarsus of a non-hesperornithid hesperornithiform is described from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Kita-ama Formation (Japan) by Tanaka et al. (2020), representing the first hesperornithiform record from marine Maastrichtian deposits in Asia reported so far, and indicating that the habitat of hesperornithiforms during the Maastrichtian extended to both terrestrial and marine environments in Asia and North America.{{cite journal |author1=Tomonori Tanaka |author2=Yoshitsugu Kobayashi |author3=Kenji Ikuno |author4=Tadahiro Ikeda |author5=Haruo Saegusa |year=2020 |title=A marine hesperornithiform (Avialae: Ornithuromorpha) from the Maastrichtian of Japan: implications for the paleoecological diversity of the earliest diving birds in the end of the Cretaceous |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=113 |pages=Article 104492 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104492 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11304492T |s2cid=219015002 }}
• A study on the anatomy of the skeleton of Parahesperornis alexi is published by Bell & Chiappe (2020), who report that this taxon possessed a mosaic of basal and derived traits found among other hesperornithiform taxa.{{Cite journal|author1=Alyssa Bell |author2=Luis M. Chiappe |year=2020 |title=Anatomy of Parahesperornis: evolutionary mosaicism in the Cretaceous Hesperornithiformes (Aves) |journal=Life |volume=10 |issue=5 |pages=Article 62 |doi=10.3390/life10050062 |pmid=32422986 |pmc=7281208 |bibcode=2020Life...10...62B |doi-access=free }}
• A study on melanosome morphologies in two lithornithid specimens from the Eocene Green River Formation (United States), evaluating their implications for reconstructions of coloration in lithornithids and for the knowledge of color evolution in palaeognaths, is published by Eliason & Clarke (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Chad M. Eliason |author2=Julia A. Clarke |year=2020 |title=Cassowary gloss and a novel form of structural color in birds |journal=Science Advances |volume=6 |issue=20 |pages=eaba0187 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aba0187 |pmid=32426504 |pmc=7220335 |bibcode=2020SciA....6..187E }}
• Evidence of the presence of the bill tip organ in lithornithids is presented by du Toit, Chinsamy & Cunningham (2020), who interpret their findings as indicating that remote-touch probe foraging evolved very early among the Neornithes and may even have predated the palaeognathous–neognathous divergence.{{cite journal |author1=C. J. du Toit |author2=A. Chinsamy |author3=S. J. Cunningham |year=2020 |title=Cretaceous origins of the vibrotactile bill-tip organ in birds |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=287 |issue=1940 |pages=Article ID 20202322 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2020.2322 |pmid=33259758 |pmc=7739938 |s2cid=227240681 }}
• A study on the life history of the elephant birds, as indicated by bone histology, is published by Chinsamy et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Anusuya Chinsamy |author2=Delphine Angst |author3=Aurore Canoville |author4=Ursula B. Göhlich |year=2020 |title=Bone histology yields insights into the biology of the extinct elephant birds (Aepyornithidae) from Madagascar |journal=Biological Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=130 |issue=2 |pages= 268–295|doi=10.1093/biolinnean/blaa013 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the evolutionary history of the ostriches in Africa and Eurasia during the Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene, as indicated by data from eggshell and bone fossil record, is published by Mikhailov & Zelenkov (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Konstantin E. Mikhailov |author2=Nikita Zelenkov |year=2020 |title=The late Cenozoic history of the ostriches (Aves: Struthionidae), as revealed by fossil eggshell and bone remains |journal=Earth-Science Reviews |volume=208 |pages=Article 103270 |doi=10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103270 |bibcode=2020ESRv..20803270M |s2cid=225275210 }}
• A dentary fragment of a pelagornithid bird with an estimated body size on par with the largest known members of Pelagornithidae is described from the Eocene Submeseta Formation (Seymour Island, Antarctica) by Kloess, Poust & Stidham (2020), who interpret this finding as evidence of early evolution of giant body size in Pelagornithidae.{{Cite journal|author1=Peter A. Kloess |author2=Ashley W. Poust |author3=Thomas A. Stidham |year=2020 |title=Earliest fossils of giant-sized bony-toothed birds (Aves: Pelagornithidae) from the Eocene of Seymour Island, Antarctica |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 18286 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-75248-6 |pmid=33106519 |pmc=7588450 }}
• A study on the flight capacity of Pelagornis chilensis is published by Meza-Vélez (2020).{{cite journal |author=Ivan Meza-Vélez |year=2020 |title=Reconstrucción alométrica de la capacidad de vuelo de Pelagornis chilensis Mayr & Rubilar-Rogers, 2010 (Aves: Pelagornithidae) |journal=Spanish Journal of Palaeontology |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=229–250 |doi=10.7203/sjp.35.2.18485 |s2cid=230604796 |doi-access=free }}
• Volkova & Zelenkov (2020) describe new fossil material of geese from the late Miocene locality Khyargas Nuur 2 in western Mongolia, and evaluate the implications of these fossils for the knowledge of the late Miocene evolution and paleogeography of geese.{{Cite journal|author1=N. V. Volkova |author2=N. V. Zelenkov |year=2020 |title=On the diversity and morphology of Anserini (Aves: Anatidae) from the late Miocene of western Mongolia |journal=Paleontological Journal |volume=54 |issue=1 |pages=73–80 |doi=10.1134/S0031030120010128 |bibcode=2020PalJ...54...73V |s2cid=213168945 |url=https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=41695143 }}
• A coracoid of a small-bodied paraortygid is reported from the Uinta Formation (Utah, United States) by Stidham, Townsend & Holroyd (2020), representing the only known pangalliform from the middle Eocene of North America, occurring in a temporal gap in their history between the early Eocene Gallinuloides wyomingensis and late Eocene Nanortyx inexpectus.{{Cite journal|author1=Thomas A. Stidham |author2=K.E. Beth Townsend |author3=Patricia A. Holroyd |year=2020 |title=Evidence for wide dispersal in a stem galliform clade from a new small-sized middle Eocene pangalliform (Aves: Paraortygidae) from the Uinta Basin of Utah (USA) |journal=Diversity |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=Article 90 |doi=10.3390/d12030090 |doi-access=free }}
• A revision of the fossil material from Ukraine attributed to Plioperdix pontica, and a study on the taxonomy of small phasianids of the Neogene-Pleistocene in the Northern Black Sea region and Eastern Europe, is published by Zelenkov & Gorobets (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=N. V. Zelenkov |author2=L. V. Gorobets |year=2020 |title=Revision of Plioperdix (Aves: Phasianidae) from the Plio-Pleistocene of Ukraine |journal=Paleontological Journal |volume=54 |issue=5 |pages=531–541 |doi=10.1134/S0031030120050159 |bibcode=2020PalJ...54..531Z |s2cid=222181064 |url=https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=43182418 }}
• Barton et al. (2020) reinterpret purported chicken specimens from the Neolithic site at Dadiwan as remains of pheasants, and argue that these remains provide evidence of exploitation of grain-fed pheasants by early farmers in arid northwest China.{{Cite journal|author1=Loukas Barton |author2=Brittany Bingham |author3=Krithivasan Sankaranarayanan |author4=Cara Monroe |author5=Ariane Thomas |author6=Brian M. Kemp |year=2020 |title=The earliest farmers of northwest China exploited grain-fed pheasants not chickens |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 2556 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-59316-5 |pmid=32054913 |pmc=7018827 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.2556B }}
• Lawal et al. (2020) report that chicken was domesticated 8,000 years ago from its primary ancestor, Red junglefowl and that the genome of chicken was subsequently enhanced through introgression with the other three junglefowls i.e. Grey junglefowl, Sri Lankan junglefowl, and Green junglefowl.{{cite journal |last1=Lawal |first1=R.A. |display-authors=etal |year=2020 |title=The wild species genome ancestry of domestic chickens |journal=BMC Biology |volume=18 |issue=13 |pages=13 |doi=10.1186/s12915-020-0738-1 |doi-access=free |pmid=32050971 |pmc=7014787}}
• A study on the origin and history of domestication of chickens, as indicated by data from domestic chicken and wild jungle fowl genomes, is published by Wang et al. (2020), who interpret their findings as indicating that domestic chickens were initially derived from the red junglefowl subspecies Gallus gallus spadiceus, and that they interbred locally with other subspecies of the red junglefowl and with other jungle fowl species after their domestication.{{cite journal |author1=Ming-Shan Wang |author2=Mukesh Thakur |author3=Min-Sheng Peng |author4=Yu Jiang |author5=Laurent Alain François Frantz |author6=Ming Li |author7=Jin-Jin Zhang |author8=Sheng Wang |author9=Joris Peters |author10=Newton Otieno Otecko |author11=Chatmongkon Suwannapoom |author12=Xing Guo |author13=Zhu-Qing Zheng |author14=Ali Esmailizadeh |author15=Nalini Yasoda Hirimuthugoda |author16=Hidayat Ashari |author17=Sri Suladari |author18=Moch Syamsul Arifin Zein |author19=Szilvia Kusza |author20=Saeed Sohrabi |author21=Hamed Kharrati-Koopaee |author22=Quan-Kuan Shen |author23=Lin Zeng |author24=Min-Min Yang |author25=Ya-Jiang Wu |author26=Xing-Yan Yang |author27=Xue-Mei Lu |author28=Xin-Zheng Jia |author29=Qing-Hua Nie |author30=Susan Joy Lamont |author31=Emiliano Lasagna |author32=Simone Ceccobelli |author33=Humpita Gamaralalage Thilini Nisanka Gunwardana |author34=Thilina Madusanka Senasige |author35=Shao-Hong Feng |author36=Jing-Fang Si |author37=Hao Zhang |author38=Jie-Qiong Jin |author39=Ming-Li Li |author40=Yan-Hu Liu |author41=Hong-Man Chen |author42=Cheng Ma |author43=Shan-Shan Dai |author44=Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan |author45=Muhammad Sajjad Khan |author46=Gamamada Liyanage Lalanie Pradeepa Silva |author47=Thi-Thuy Le |author48=Okeyo Ally Mwai |author49=Mohamed Nawaz Mohamed Ibrahim |author50=Megan Supple |author51=Beth Shapiro |author52=Olivier Hanotte |author53=Guojie Zhang |author54=Greger Larson |author55=Jian-Lin Han |author56=Dong-Dong Wu |author57=Ya-Ping Zhang |year=2020 |title=863 genomes reveal the origin and domestication of chicken |journal=Cell Research |volume=30 |issue=8 |pages=693–701 |doi=10.1038/s41422-020-0349-y |pmid=32581344 |pmc=7395088 }}
• Partial skull of a large-bodied crane with a long beak, representing the oldest record of the subfamily Gruinae reported so far and expanding the known temporal range for the occurrence of large-sized cranes in Europe, is described from the Miocene (Tortonian) locality Hammerschmiede (Bavaria, Germany) by Mayr, Lechner & Böhme (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Gerald Mayr |author2=Thomas Lechner |author3=Madelaine Böhme |year=2020 |title=A skull of a very large crane from the late Miocene of Southern Germany, with notes on the phylogenetic interrelationships of extant Gruinae |journal=Journal of Ornithology |volume=161 |issue= 4|pages= 923–933|doi=10.1007/s10336-020-01799-0 |s2cid=220505689 |doi-access=free }}
• A study comparing the osteology of plotopterids and Paleocene stem group penguins is published by Mayr et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Gerald Mayr |author2=James L. Goedert |author3=Vanesa L. de Pietri |author4=R. Paul Scofield |year=2020 |title=Comparative osteology of the penguin-like mid-Cenozoic Plotopteridae and the earliest true fossil penguins, with comments on the origins of wing-propelled diving |journal=Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research |volume=59 |issue=1 |pages=264–276 |doi=10.1111/jzs.12400 |s2cid=225727162 |doi-access=free }}
• New fossil material of Macranhinga ranzii is described from the Miocene Solimões Formation (Brazil) by Guilherme et al. (2020), who also study the phylogenetic relationships of this species.{{cite journal |author1=E. Guilherme |author2=L. G. D. Souza |author3=T. S. Loboda |author4=A. Ranzi |author5=A. Adamy |author6=J. Dos Santos Ferreira |author7=J. P. Souza-Filho |year=2020 |title=New material of Anhingidae (Aves: Suliformes) from the upper Miocene of the Amazon, Brazil |journal=Historical Biology |volume=33 |issue=11 |pages=3091–3100 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2020.1850714 |s2cid=230599234 }}
• A study on the morphological diversity of bills of extant and fossil penguins, and its relationship with feeding habits, is published by Chávez-Hoffmeister (2020).{{Cite journal|author=Martín Chávez-Hoffmeister |year=2020 |title=Bill disparity and feeding strategies among fossil and modern penguins |journal=Paleobiology |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=176–192 |doi=10.1017/pab.2020.10 |bibcode=2020Pbio...46..176C |s2cid=216289741 |doi-access=free }}
• Partial skeleton of an early penguin (possibly belonging to the species Muriwaimanu tuatahi), preserving the first complete wing of a Paleocene penguin reported so far and providing new information on the skeletal anatomy of this taxon, is described from the Waipara Greensand (New Zealand) by Mayr et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Gerald Mayr |author2=Vanesa L. de Pietri |author3=Leigh Love |author4=Al A. Mannering |author5=Joseph J. Bevitt |author6=R. Paul Scofield |year=2020 |title=First complete wing of a stem group sphenisciform from the Paleocene of New Zealand sheds light on the evolution of the penguin flipper |journal=Diversity |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=Article 46 |doi=10.3390/d12020046 |doi-access=free }}
• An articulated wing of Palaeeudyptes gunnari, preserving mineralized skin, is described from the Eocene (Lutetian) of Seymour Island (Antarctica) by Acosta Hospitaleche et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche |author2=Martín De Los Reyes |author3=Sergio Santillana |author4=Marcelo Reguero |year=2020 |title=First fossilized skin of a giant penguin from the Eocene of Antarctica |journal=Lethaia |volume=53 |issue=3 |pages=409–420 |doi=10.1111/let.12366 |bibcode=2020Letha..53..409A |s2cid=213350615 }}
• A study on the swimming capabilities of Inkayacu paracasensis is published by Meza-Vélez (2020).{{cite journal |author=Ivan Meza-Vélez |year=2020 |title=Capacidad de nado del pingüino fósil Inkayacu paracasensis Clarke, 2010 (Aves: Spheniscidae) con la tasa metabólica basal o estándar |journal=Spanish Journal of Palaeontology |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=185–196 |doi=10.7203/sjp.35.2.18482 |s2cid=230594013 |doi-access=free }}
• New fossil material of Anhinga pannonica is described from the Miocene (Tortonian) of the Hammerschmiede clay pit (Bavaria, Germany) by Mayr, Lechner & Böhme (2020), who also reinterpret the putative Miocene cormorant Phalacrocorax brunhuberi as another, previously misclassified, record of A. pannonica.{{Cite journal|author1=Gerald Mayr |author2=Thomas Lechner |author3=Madelaine Böhme |year=2020 |title=The large-sized darter Anhinga pannonica (Aves, Anhingidae) from the late Miocene hominid Hammerschmiede locality in Southern Germany |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=5 |pages=e0232179 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0232179 |pmid=32374733 |pmc=7202596 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1532179M |doi-access=free }}
• New fossil material of penguins and a member of Gruiformes is reported from the Eocene La Meseta and Submeseta Formations of the Seymour Island by Davis et al. (2020), supporting previously controversial reports of Gruiformes from Antarctica.{{cite journal |author1=Sarah N. Davis |author2=Christopher R. Torres |author3=Grace M. Musser |author4=James V. Proffitt |author5=Nicholas M.A. Crouch |author6=Ernest L. Lundelius |author7=Matthew C. Lamanna |author8=Julia A. Clarke |year=2020 |title=New mammalian and avian records from the late Eocene La Meseta and Submeseta formations of Seymour Island, Antarctica |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e8268 |doi=10.7717/peerj.8268 |pmid=31942255 |pmc=6955110 |doi-access=free }}
• Partial tibiotarsus of an owl (possibly a member of Selenornithinae) is described from the Oligocene of the Jebel Qatrani Formation (Egypt) by Smith, Stidham & Mitchell (2020), representing the first occurrence of a fossil owl from the Paleogene of Africa reported so far.{{Cite journal|author1=N. Adam Smith |author2=Thomas A. Stidham |author3=Jonathan S. Mitchell |year=2020 |title=The first fossil owl (Aves, Strigiformes) from the Paleogene of Africa |journal=Diversity |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=Article 163 |doi=10.3390/d12040163 |doi-access=free }}
• Part of a maxilla of a member of the genus Tockus is described from the early Miocene of Napak (Uganda) by Riamon et al. (2020), representing the earliest fossil of a hornbill reported so far.{{Cite journal|author1=Ségolène Riamon |author2=Martin Pickford |author3=Brigitte Senut |author4=Antoine Louchart |year=2020 |title=Bucerotidae from the early Miocene of Napak, Uganda (East Africa): The earliest hornbill with a modern-type beak |journal=Ibis |volume=163 |issue=2 |pages=715–721 |doi=10.1111/ibi.12907 |s2cid=230632701 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03429850/file/Calao%20pour%20HAL%20-%20Louchart%20-%202021.pdf }}
• A nearly complete passerine specimen is described from the early Oligocene of Revest-des-Brousses (Luberon, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France) by Riamon, Tourment & Louchart (2020), who interpret this specimen as a member of Tyranni, most likely belonging to the stem group of Tyrannida.{{Cite journal|author1=Ségolène Riamon |author2=Nicolas Tourment |author3=Antoine Louchart |year=2020 |title=The earliest Tyrannida (Aves, Passeriformes), from the Oligocene of France |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 9776 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-66149-9 |pmid=32555197 |pmc=7299954 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.9776R }}
• New fossil material of larks is reported from the late Pliocene localities in Transbaikalia (Russia) and Mongolia by Palastrova & Zelenkov (2020), who transfer the species Pliocalcarius orkhonensis to the genus Eremophila, and evaluate the implications of their findings for the knowledge of the evolutionary history of larks.{{cite journal |author1=E. S. Palastrova |author2=N. V. Zelenkov |year=2020 |title=A fossil species of Eremophila and other larks (Aves, Alaudidae) from the Upper Pliocene of the Selenga River valley (Central Asia) |journal=Paleontological Journal |url=https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=42445802 |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=187–204 |doi=10.1134/S0031030120020124 |bibcode=2020PalJ...54..187P |s2cid=215741594 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• An exceptionally well-preserved bird carcass found in the Siberian permafrost and dated to approximately 44–49 ka BP is described by Dussex et al. (2020), who identify this specimen as a female horned lark, and evaluate the implications of this specimen for the knowledge of the evolution and biogeography of its species during the Pleistocene.{{cite journal |author1=Nicolas Dussex |author2=David W. G. Stanton |author3=Hanna Sigeman |author4=Per G. P. Ericson |author5=Jacquelyn Gill |author6=Daniel C. Fisher |author7=Albert V. Protopopov |author8=Victoria L. Herridge |author9=Valery Plotnikov |author10=Bengt Hansson |author11=Love Dalén |year=2020 |title=Biomolecular analyses reveal the age, sex and species identity of a near-intact Pleistocene bird carcass |journal=Communications Biology |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 84 |doi=10.1038/s42003-020-0806-7 |pmid=32081985 |pmc=7035339 }}
• New fossil material of Rhodospiza shaamarica is described from the Pliocene localities of Shaamar (northern Mongolia) and Beregovaya (south Transbaikalia, Russia) by Palastrova & Zelenkov (2020), who transfer this species to the genus Emberiza.{{Cite journal|author1=E. S. Palastrova |author2=N. V. Zelenkov |year=2020 |title=A fossil bunting Emberiza shaamarica (Aves, Emberizidae) from the Upper Pliocene of Central Asia |journal=Paleontological Journal |volume=54 |issue=6 |pages= 652–661|doi=10.1134/S0031030120060076 |bibcode=2020PalJ...54..652P |s2cid=227133794 |url=https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=43961980 }}
• A study on Pleistocene bird tracks from the Cape south coast of South Africa is published by Helm et al. (2020), who report six tracksites with tracks produced by large birds, possibly indicating the existence of large Pleistocene forms of extant bird taxa.{{Cite journal|author1=Charles W. Helm |author2=Martin G. Lockley |author3=Hayley C. Cawthra |author4=Jan C. De Vynck |author5=Carina J.Z. Helm |author6=Guy H.H. Thesen |year=2020 |title=Large Pleistocene avian tracks on the Cape south coast of South Africa |journal=Ostrich |volume=91 |issue=4 |pages=275–291 |doi=10.2989/00306525.2020.1789772 |bibcode=2020Ostri..91..275H |s2cid=225204354 }}
• A study on the impact of the climate changes of the last 35,000 years on small birds from the La Brea Tar Pits is published by Long, Prothero & Syverson (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Katherine L. Long |author2=Donald R. Prothero |author3=Valerie J.P. Syverson |year=2020 |title=How do small birds evolve in response to climate change? Data from the long-term record at La Brea tar pits |journal=Integrative Zoology |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=249–261 |doi=10.1111/1749-4877.12426 |pmid=31912657 |s2cid=210086009 }}
• A study comparing predicted breeding and wintering distributions for landbird species identified from the La Brea Tar Pits during the Last Glacial Maximum, aiming to determine if niche models successfully predict species’ presence, to estimate the degree of species turnover, to evaluate the fluidity of life history strategies of birds from La Brea, and to compare niche breadths of bark-foraging birds from La Brea between the Last Glacial Maximum and the present, is published by Zink et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Robert M. Zink |author2=Sebastian Botero-Cañola |author3=Helen Martinez |author4=Katelyn M. Herzberg |year=2020 |title=Niche modeling reveals life history shifts in birds at La Brea over the last twenty millennia |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=e0227361 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0227361 |pmid=31945101 |pmc=6964907 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1527361Z |doi-access=free }}
• New fossil material of seabirds, including remains of the little auk or a related species, is reported from the Pleistocene Kazusa and Shimosa groups (Japan) by Watanabe et al. (2020), who interpret this finding as possible evidence that the little auk more widespread in the North Pacific in the middle Pleistocene than it is today.{{cite journal |author1=Junya Watanabe |author2=Akihiro Koizumi |author3=Ryohei Nakagawa |author4=Keiichi Takahashi |author5=Takeshi Tanaka |author6=Hiroshige Matsuoka |year=2020 |title=Seabirds (Aves) from the Pleistocene Kazusa and Shimosa groups, central Japan |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=39 |issue=5 |pages=e1697277 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2019.1697277 |s2cid=213253527 }}
• A study comparing the bird communities of the Bahamian Archipelago (The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands) during the Late Pleistocene, Holocene prior to human arrival and Late Holocene subsequent to human arrival, aiming to determine what drove changes in biodiversity of Bahamian birds throughout the Late Quaternary, is published by Steadman & Franklin (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=David W. Steadman |author2=Janet Franklin |year=2020 |title=Bird populations and species lost to Late Quaternary environmental change and human impact in the Bahamas |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |volume=117 |issue=43 |pages=26833–26841 |doi=10.1073/pnas.2013368117 |pmid=33020311 |pmc=7604420 |bibcode=2020PNAS..11726833S |doi-access=free }}
• A study on flightlessness in bird species known to have gone extinct since the rise of humans (i.e. in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene), aiming to determine the extent to which inferences about evolutionary transitions and rates of evolution of flightlessness in birds are biased by anthropogenic extinctions, is published by Sayol et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=F. Sayol |author2=M. J. Steinbauer |author3=T. M. Blackburn |author4=A. Antonelli |author5=S. Faurby |year=2020 |title=Anthropogenic extinctions conceal widespread evolution of flightlessness in birds |journal=Science Advances |volume=6 |issue=49 |pages=eabb6095 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.abb6095 |pmid=33268368 |pmc=7710364 |bibcode=2020SciA....6.6095S }}

• A study on the ingroup relationships within Pterosauria is published by Baron (2020), who names new clades Zambellisauria and Caviramidae.{{Cite journal|author=Matthew G. Baron |year=2020 |title=Testing pterosaur ingroup relationships through broader sampling of avemetatarsalian taxa and characters and a range of phylogenetic analysis techniques |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9604 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9604 |pmid=33005485 |pmc=7512134 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the fusion process of the notarial elements of pterosaurs is published by Aires et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Alex Schiller Aires |author2=Leici Machado Reichert |author3=Rodrigo Temp Müller |author4=Felipe Lima Pinheiro |author5=Marco Brandalise Andrade |year=2020 |title=Development and evolution of the notarium in Pterosauria |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=238 |issue=2 |pages=400–415 |doi=10.1111/joa.13319 |issn=0021-8782 |pmid=33026119 |pmc=7812132 }}
• A study on the evolution of the flight efficiency of pterosaurs is published by Venditti et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Chris Venditti |author2=Joanna Baker |author3=Michael J. Benton |author4=Andrew Meade |author5=Stuart Humphries |year=2020 |title=150 million years of sustained increase in pterosaur flight efficiency |journal=Nature |volume=587 |issue=7832 |pages=83–86 |doi=10.1038/s41586-020-2858-8 |pmid=33116315 |bibcode=2020Natur.587...83V |s2cid=226044128 |url=https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/93748/1/29Oct2020Main%20Text.pdf }}
• A study aiming to determine diets of 17 pterosaur genera, as indicated by data from dental microwear texture analysis, is published by Bestwick et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Jordan Bestwick |author2=David M. Unwin |author3=Richard J. Butler |author4=Mark A. Purnell |year=2020 |title=Dietary diversity and evolution of the earliest flying vertebrates revealed by dental microwear texture analysis |journal=Nature Communications |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 5293 |doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19022-2 |pmid=33116130 |pmc=7595196 |bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5293B }}
• Mazin & Pouech (2020) describe non-pterodactyloid pterosaur tracks from the ichnological site known as "the Pterosaur Beach of Crayssac" (Tithonian; south-western France), evaluate the implications of these tracks for the knowledge of the terrestrial capabilities of non-pterodactyloid pterosaurs, and name a new ichnogenus Rhamphichnus.{{cite journal |author1=Jean-Michel Mazin |author2=Joane Pouech |year=2020 |title=The first non-pterodactyloid pterosaurian trackways and the terrestrial ability of non-pterodactyloid pterosaurs |journal=Geobios |volume=58 |pages=39–53 |doi=10.1016/j.geobios.2019.12.002 |bibcode=2020Geobi..58...39M |s2cid=214238490 }}
• The record of pycnofibers in two specimens of anurognathid pterosaurs from the Jurassic of China interpreted by Yang et al. (2019) as showing diagnostic features of feathers{{Cite journal |author1=Zixiao Yang |author2=Baoyu Jiang |author3=Maria E. McNamara |author4=Stuart L. Kearns |author5=Michael Pittman |author6=Thomas G. Kaye |author7=Patrick J. Orr |author8=Xing Xu |author9=Michael J. Benton |year=2019 |title=Pterosaur integumentary structures with complex feather-like branching |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=24–30 |doi=10.1038/s41559-018-0728-7 |pmid=30568282 |hdl=1983/1f7893a1-924d-4cb3-a4bf-c4b1592356e9 |s2cid=56480710 |url=https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/1f7893a1-924d-4cb3-a4bf-c4b1592356e9 |hdl-access=free }} is reexamined and challenged by Unwin & Martill (2020).{{Cite journal |author1=David M. Unwin |author2=David M. Martill |year=2020 |title=No protofeathers on pterosaurs |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |volume=4 |issue= 12|pages= 1590–1591|doi=10.1038/s41559-020-01308-9 |pmid=32989266 |bibcode=2020NatEE...4.1590U |s2cid=222168569 }}{{Cite journal |author1=Zixiao Yang |author2=Baoyu Jiang |author3=Maria E. McNamara |author4=Stuart L. Kearns |author5=Michael Pittman |author6=Thomas G. Kaye |author7=Patrick J. Orr |author8=Xing Xu |author9=Michael J. Benton |year=2020 |title=Reply to: No protofeathers on pterosaurs |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |volume=4 |issue=12 |pages=1592–1593 |url=https://palaeopublications.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/files/2020/12/2020Pterofeathers.pdf |doi=10.1038/s41559-020-01309-8 |pmid=32989267 |bibcode=2020NatEE...4.1592Y |hdl=10468/11874 |s2cid=222163211 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• A coleoid cephalopod specimen preserved with an associated tooth of a pterosaur (probably Rhamphorhynchus) is reported from the Upper Jurassic Altmühltal Formation (Germany) by Hoffmann et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of feeding behaviours of Rhamphorhynchus.{{Cite journal|author1=R. Hoffmann |author2=J. Bestwick |author3=G. Berndt |author4=R. Berndt |author5=D. Fuchs |author6=C. Klug |year=2020 |title=Pterosaurs ate soft-bodied cephalopods (Coleoidea) |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=Article number 1230 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-57731-2 |pmid=31988362 |pmc=6985239 |bibcode=2020NatSR..10.1230H }}
• A study on changes in the skeletal anatomy during growth in Rhamphorhynchus muensteri is published by Hone et al. (2020), who consider it likely that R. muensteri was able to fly soon after hatching.{{Cite journal|author1=David W. E. Hone |author2=John M. Ratcliffe |author3=Daniel K. Riskin |author4=John W. Hermanson |author5=Robert R. Reisz |year=2020 |title=Unique near isometric ontogeny in the pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus suggests hatchlings could fly |journal=Lethaia |volume=54 |issue=1 |pages=106–112 |doi=10.1111/let.12391 |s2cid=225535294 |doi-access=free }}
• A well-preserved basihyal is reported for the first time in a pterosaur specimen (possibly belonging to the species Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (China) by Jiang et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Shunxing Jiang |author2=Zhiheng Li |author3=Xin Cheng |author4=Xiaolin Wang |year=2020 |title=The first pterosaur basihyal, shedding light on the evolution and function of pterosaur hyoid apparatuses |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e8292 |doi=10.7717/peerj.8292 |pmid=31934505 |pmc=6951291 |doi-access=free }}
• Jacobs et al. (2020) describe new fossil material of pterosaurs from the Kem Kem Beds (Morocco), bringing the Kem Kem pterosaur fauna up to at least nine species (of which three are ornithocheirids), and confirming that toothed pterosaurs remained diverse during the mid-Cretaceous.{{cite journal |author1=Megan L. Jacobs |author2=David M. Martill |author3=David M. Unwin |author4=Nizar Ibrahim |author5=Samir Zouhri |author6=Nicholas R. Longrich |year=2020 |title=New toothed pterosaurs (Pterosauria: Ornithocheiridae) from the middle Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco and implications for pterosaur palaeobiogeography and diversity |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=110 |pages=Article 104413 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104413 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11004413J |s2cid=214542129 }}
• Fossil material of pterosaurs (including a large non-pteranodontian ornithocheiroid) is described from the Valanginian Rosablanca Formation by Cadena, Unwin & Martill (2020), representing the first record of pterosaurs from Colombia.{{cite journal |author1=Edwin-Alberto Cadena |author2=David M. Unwin |author3=David M. Martill |year=2020 |title=Lower Cretaceous pterosaurs from Colombia |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=114 |pages=Article 104526 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104526 |bibcode=2020CrRes.11404526C |s2cid=224886977 }}
• New forelimb of a pteranodontoid pterosaur is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (China) by Jiang et al. (2020), who also revise the species Yixianopterus jingangshanensis.{{cite journal |author1=Shun-Xing Jiang |author2=Xin-Jun Zhang |author3=Xin Cheng |author4=Xiao-Lin Wang |year=2020 |title=A new pteranodontoid pterosaur forelimb from the upper Yixian Formation, with a revision of Yixianopterus jingangshanensis |journal=Vertebrata PalAsiatica |volume=59 |issue=2 |pages=81–94 |doi=10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.201124 }}
• Averianov (2020) reassesses the taxonomy of the Lonchodectidae, transferring the species "Lonchodraco" machaerorhynchus (including L. microdon and Pterodactylus oweni) to the genus Ikrandraco.{{cite journal|first=A.O. |last=Averianov |year=2020 |title=Taxonomy of the Lonchodectidae (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) |journal=Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS |volume=324 |issue=1 |pages=41–55 |doi=10.31610/trudyzin/2020.324.1.41|s2cid=216523569 |doi-access=free }}
• Martill et al. (2020) report evidence of the presence of clusters of circular foramina on the tip of the beak of Lonchodraco giganteus, interpret this finding as evidence of enhanced sensitivity of the rostrum tip, and argue that this pattern implies tactile feeding in L. giganteus.{{Cite journal|author1=David M. Martill |author2=Roy E. Smith |author3=Nicholas Longrich |author4=James Brown |year=2020 |title=Evidence for tactile feeding in pterosaurs: a sensitive tip to the beak of Lonchodraco giganteus (Pterosauria, Lonchodectidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of southern England |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=117 |pages=Article 104637 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104637 |s2cid=225130037 |url=https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/evidence-for-tactile-foraging-in-pterosaurs-a-sensitive-tip-to-the-beak-of-lonchodraco-giganteus-pterosauria-lonchodectidae-from-the-upper-cretaceous-of-southern-england(272b942d-5438-474f-ab90-c38901638d06).html }}
• An ornithocheirid metacarpus, representing one of the geologically youngest ornithocheirid remains reported worldwide, is described from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of the Crema Bonfil quarry (Coahuila, Mexico) by Frey et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of this finding for the knowledge of the extinction of the toothed pterosaurs during the Late Cretaceous.{{Cite journal|author1=Eberhard D. Frey |author2=Wolfgang Stinnesbeck |author3=David M. Martill |author4=Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva |author5=Héctor Porras Múzquiz |year=2020 |title=The geologically youngest remains of an ornithocheirid pterosaur from the late Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of northeastern Mexico with implications on the paleogeography and extinction of Late Cretaceous ornithocheirids |journal=Palæovertebrata |volume=43 |issue=1 |pages=e4 |doi=10.18563/pv.43.1.e4 |s2cid=225569843 }}
• Fossil material of a large pteranodontid pterosaur is described from the Campanian Beloe Ozero locality (Rybushka Formation; Saratov Oblast, Russia) by Averianov & Arkhangelsky (2020), who also review other putative records of pteranodontids in the Late Cretaceous of North America, Europe and Asia, and argue that Volgadraco bogolubovi is more likely to be a pteranodontid than azhdarchid.{{Cite journal|author1=Alexander O. Averianov |author2=Maxim S. Arkhangelsky |year=2020 |title=A large pteranodontid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Eastern Europe |journal=Geological Magazine |volume=158 |issue=7 |pages=1143–1155 |doi=10.1017/S0016756820001119 |s2cid=229441587 }}
• New tapejarid specimen, providing new information on the anatomy of the vertebral column of tapejarids, is described from the Aptian Crato Formation (Brazil) by Cheng et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Xin Cheng |author2=Renan A.M. Bantim |author3=Juliana M. Sayão |author4=Xinjun Zhang |author5=Shunxing Jiang |author6=Alexander W.A. Kellner |author7=Xiaolin Wang |author8=Antônio Á.F. Saraiva |year=2020 |title=Short note on the vertebral column of the Tapejaridae (Pterosauria, Pterodactyloidea) based on a new specimen from the Crato formation (late Aptian, Early Cretaceous), northeast Brazil |journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences |volume=105 |pages=Article 102921 |doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102921 |s2cid=225319266 }}
• New information on the anatomy of Dsungaripterus weii (especially on the palatal region), based on the study of new and previously collected specimens, is published by Chen et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=He Chen |author2=Shunxing Jiang |author3=Alexander W.A. Kellner |author4=Xin Cheng |author5=Xinjun Zhang |author6=Rui Qiu |author7=Yang Li |author8=Xiaolin Wang |year=2020 |title=New anatomical information on Dsungaripterus weii Young, 1964 with focus on the palatal region |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e8741 |doi=10.7717/peerj.8741 |pmid=32274262 |pmc=7127482 |doi-access=free }}
• New fossil material of Tethydraco regalis is described from the Maastrichtian deposits of the Ouled Abdoun Basin (Morocco) by Labita & Martill (2020), who consider it more likely that T. regalis was an azhdarchid rather than a pteranodontian.{{cite journal |author1=Claudio Labita |author2=David M. Martill |year=2020 |title=An articulated pterosaur wing from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) phosphates of Morocco |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=119 |pages=Article 104679 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104679 |s2cid=226328607 }}
• New specimens of edentulous pterosaur jaw fragments are described from the Cambridge Greensand (eastern England, United Kingdom) by Smith et al. (2020), who also revise the fossil material of Ornithostoma sedgwicki and assign this taxon to the group Azhdarchoidea rather than to the family Pteranodontidae.{{cite journal |author1=Roy E. Smith |author2=David M. Martill |author3=David M. Unwin |author4=Lorna Steel |year=2020 |title=Edentulous pterosaurs from the Cambridge Greensand (Cretaceous) of eastern England with a review of Ornithostoma Seeley, 1871 |journal=Proceedings of the Geologists' Association |volume=132 |issue=1 |pages=110–126 |doi=10.1016/j.pgeola.2020.10.004 |s2cid=228892210 |url=https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/edentulous-pterosaurs-from-the-cambridge-greensand-cretaceous-of-eastern-england-with-a-review-of-ornithostoma-seeley-1871(0fe934dd-840e-4a4d-9e07-841e6445bd35).html }}

• A study on the anatomy, locomotion and phylogenetic relationships of Scleromochlus taylori is published by Bennett (2020).{{cite journal |author=S. Christopher Bennett |year=2020 |title=Reassessment of the Triassic archosauriform Scleromochlus taylori: neither runner nor biped, but hopper |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e8418 |doi=10.7717/peerj.8418 |pmid=32117608 |pmc=7035874 |doi-access=free }}
• An Otischalkian assemblage of lagerpetid and silesaurid fossils, including lagerpetid material of unusually large size assignable to Dromomeron, is described from the Los Esteros Member of the Santa Rosa Formation (New Mexico, United States) by Beyl, Nesbitt & Stocker (2020), who interpret this finding as evidence that lagerpetids achieved large body size earlier than previously recognized.{{Cite journal|author1=Alexander Beyl |author2=Sterling Nesbitt |author3=Michelle R. Stocker |year=2020 |title=An Otischalkian dinosauromorph assemblage from the Los Esteros Member (Santa Rosa Formation) of New Mexico and its implications for biochronology and lagerpetid body size |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=e1765788 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2020.1765788 |bibcode=2020JVPal..40E5788B |s2cid=221751762 }}
• A study on the phylogenetic relationships of lagerpetids is published by Ezcurra et al. (2020), who interpret lagerpetids as the sister group of pterosaurs.{{Cite journal|author1=Martín D. Ezcurra |author2=Sterling J. Nesbitt |author3=Mario Bronzati |author4=Fabio Marco Dalla Vecchia |author5=Federico L. Agnolin |author6=Roger B. J. Benson |author7=Federico Brissón Egli |author8=Sergio F. Cabreira |author9=Serjoscha W. Evers |author10=Adriel R. Gentil |author11=Randall B. Irmis |author12=Agustín G. Martinelli |author13=Fernando E. Novas |author14=Lúcio Roberto da Silva |author15=Nathan D. Smith |author16=Michelle R. Stocker |author17=Alan H. Turner |author18=Max C. Langer |year=2020 |title=Enigmatic dinosaur precursors bridge the gap to the origin of Pterosauria |journal=Nature |volume=588 |issue=7838 |pages=445–449 |doi=10.1038/s41586-020-3011-4 |pmid=33299179 |bibcode=2020Natur.588..445E |s2cid=228077525 |url=http://doc.rero.ch/record/329918/files/ser_edp.pdf }}
• New dinosauromorph fossil material is described from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation (Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, United States) by Marsh & Parker (2020), who also review the global fossil record of Late Triassic dinosauromorphs.{{Cite journal|author1=Adam D. Marsh |author2=William G. Parker |year=2020 |title=New dinosauromorph specimens from Petrified Forest National Park and a global biostratigraphic review of Triassic dinosauromorph body fossils |journal=PaleoBios |volume=37 |pages=ucmp_paleobios_50859 |url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/01w536hs }}
• A study on the musculoskeletal apparatus and posture of Silesaurus opolensis, evaluating its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of the fully erect limb posture in archosaurs, is published by Piechowski & Tałanda (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Rafał Piechowski |author2=Mateusz Tałanda |year=2020 |title=The locomotor musculature and posture of the early dinosauriform Silesaurus opolensis provides a new look into the evolution of Dinosauromorpha |journal=Journal of Anatomy |volume=236 |issue=6 |pages=1044–1100 |doi=10.1111/joa.13155 |pmid=32003023 |pmc=7219628 }}

• A study aiming to determine how mass properties and body proportions relate to each other and locomotor posture in archosaurs is published online by Bishop et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Peter J. Bishop |author2=Karl T. Bates |author3=Vivian R. Allen |author4=Donald M. Henderson |author5=Marcela Randau |author6=John R. Hutchinson |year=2020 |title=Relationships of mass properties and body proportions to locomotor habit in terrestrial Archosauria |journal=Paleobiology |volume=46 |issue= 4|pages= 550–568|doi=10.1017/pab.2020.47 |bibcode=2020Pbio...46..550B |s2cid=227129682 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/4023013 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the brain growth in the American alligator and in the common ostrich throughout their ontogeny is published by Hu et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of their findings for the knowledge of the development of the brain in non-avian dinosaurs.{{cite journal |author1=Krishna Hu |author2=J. Logan King |author3=Cheyenne A. Romick |author4=David L. Dufeau |author5=Lawrence M. Witmer |author6=Thomas L. Stubbs |author7=Emily J. Rayfield |author8=Michael J. Benton |year=2020 |title=Ontogenetic endocranial shape change in alligators and ostriches and implications for the development of the non-avian dinosaur endocranium |journal=The Anatomical Record |volume=304 |issue=8 |pages=1759–1775 |doi=10.1002/ar.24579 |pmid=33314780 |s2cid=229176577 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the evolution of metabolic rates along the bird stem lineage is published by Rezende et al. (2020).{{cite journal |author1=Enrico L. Rezende |author2=Leonardo D. Bacigalupe |author3=Roberto F. Nespolo |author4=Francisco Bozinovic |year=2020 |title=Shrinking dinosaurs and the evolution of endothermy in birds |journal=Science Advances |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=eaaw4486 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aaw4486 |pmid=31911937 |pmc=6938711 |bibcode=2020SciA....6.4486R }}
• A review of the anatomy of the respiratory systems and mechanics of breathing in living and fossil archosaurs, evaluating their physiological implications, is published by Brocklehurst et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Robert J. Brocklehurst |author2=Emma R. Schachner |author3=Jonathan R. Codd |author4=William I. Sellers |year=2020 |title=Respiratory evolution in archosaurs |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=375 |issue=1793 |pages=Article ID 20190140 |doi=10.1098/rstb.2019.0140 |pmid=31928195 |pmc=7017431 }}
• A study aiming to determine the relationship between atmospheric O₂ and CO₂ levels during the Late Triassic and the evolution of skeletal pneumaticity and respiratory systems in theropod dinosaurs and in paracrocodylomorphs is published by Hudgins, Uhen & Hinnov (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Michael Naylor Hudgins |author2=Emma R. Schachner |author3=Linda A. Hinnov |year=2020 |title=The evolution of respiratory systems in Theropoda and Paracrocodylomorpha, the end-Triassic extinction, and the role of Late Triassic atmospheric O₂ and CO₂ |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=545 |pages=Article 109638 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109638 |bibcode=2020PPP...54509638H |s2cid=214015203 }}
• A study on sexual dimorphism in the skulls of extant gharials, and on its implications for the feasibility of detecting dimorphism in non-avian dinosaurs, is published by Hone et al. (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=David Hone |author2=Jordan C. Mallon |author3=Patrick Hennessey |author4=Lawrence M. Witmer |year=2020 |title=Ontogeny of a sexually selected structure in an extant archosaur Gavialis gangeticus (Pseudosuchia: Crocodylia) with implications for sexual dimorphism in dinosaurs |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9134 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9134 |pmid=32435543 |pmc=7227661 |doi-access=free }}
• A study evaluating the impact of different sampling effects on calculations of mean von Ebner line increment width (the measure of dentin thickness divided by the mean width between von Ebner lines), tooth formation times and replacement rates in fossil archosaurs, based on data from extant American alligator, is published by Kosch & Zanno (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Jens C.D. Kosch |author2=Lindsay E. Zanno |year=2020 |title=Sampling impacts the assessment of tooth growth and replacement rates in archosaurs: implications for paleontological studies |journal=PeerJ |volume=8 |pages=e9918 |doi=10.7717/peerj.9918 |pmid=32999766 |pmc=7505082 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the microstructure of teeth of Mesozoic birds and non-avian paravian theropods is published by Li et al. (2020), who evaluate the implications of their findings for the knowledge of differences in feeding ecology of early birds and closely related paravians.{{cite journal |author1=Zhiheng Li |author2=Chun-Chieh Wang |author3=Min Wang |author4=Cheng-Cheng Chiang |author5=Yan Wang |author6=Xiaoting Zheng |author7=E-Wen Huang |author8=Kiko Hsiao |author9=Zhonghe Zhou |year=2020 |title=Ultramicrostructural reductions in teeth: implications for dietary transition from non-avian dinosaurs to birds |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=46 |doi=10.1186/s12862-020-01611-w |pmid=32316913 |pmc=7171806 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020BMCEE..20...46L }}
• A study on the phylogenetic distribution and structural diversity of medullary bone in extant birds, reevaluating the criteria proposed to allow the identification of medullary bone in fossils of avemetatarsalians, is published by Canoville, Schweitzer & Zanno (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Aurore Canoville |author2=Mary H. Schweitzer |author3=Lindsay Zanno |s2cid=210157421 |year=2020 |title=Identifying medullary bone in extinct avemetatarsalians: challenges, implications and perspectives |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |volume=375 |issue=1793 |pages=Article ID 20190133 |doi=10.1098/rstb.2019.0133 |pmid=31928189 |pmc=7017430 }}
• An archosaur egg of uncertain affinities, with eggshell containing several parallel dark bands, is reported from the Upper Cretaceous of South Korea by Choi et al. (2020), who investigate the origin of the dark bands, and name a new ootaxon Aenigmaoolithus vesicularis.{{Cite journal|author1=Seung Choi |author2=Sung Keun Lee |author3=Noe-Heon Kim |author4=Seongyeong Kim |author5=Yuong-Nam Lee |year=2020 |title=Raman spectroscopy detects amorphous carbon in an enigmatic egg from the Upper Cretaceous Wido Volcanics of South Korea |journal=Frontiers in Earth Science |volume=7 |pages=Article 349 |doi=10.3389/feart.2019.00349 |bibcode=2019FrEaS...7..349C |s2cid=210861482 |doi-access=free }}
• A study on the relationship between the curvatures of ungual bones and behaviour in extant birds and squamates, evaluating its implications for the knowledge of the lifestyle of Mesozoic birds and non-avian theropods, is published by Cobb & Sellers (2020).{{Cite journal|author1=Savannah Elizabeth Cobb |author2=William I. Sellers |year=2020 |title=Inferring lifestyle for Aves and Theropoda: A model based on curvatures of extant avian ungual bones |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=e0211173 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0211173 |pmid=32023255 |pmc=7001973 |bibcode=2020PLoSO..1511173C |doi-access=free }}
• Xing, Cockx & McKellar (2020) describe a large sample set of 150 specimens of the Cretaceous Burmese amber containing feathers most likely belonging to non-avian dinosaurs and enantiornithean birds.{{Cite journal|author1=Lida Xing |author2=Pierre Cockx |author3=Ryan C. McKellar |year=2020 |title=Disassociated feathers in Burmese amber shed new light on mid-Cretaceous dinosaurs and avifauna |journal=Gondwana Research |volume=82 |pages=241–253 |doi=10.1016/j.gr.2019.12.017 |bibcode=2020GondR..82..241X |s2cid=214148586 }}

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Category:Archosaurs

Category:2020 in paleontology