1980 in paleontology

Newly named dinosaurs
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

''Note: the name Lancangosaurus is mistakenly treated as a nomen nudum synonymous with Datousaurus (because Dong et al. 1983 believed it to be conspecific with Datousaurus). However, it is actually an early spelling variant of another nomen nudum, Lancangjiangosaurus.''

Plesiosaurs

 * Plesiosaur gastroliths documented.