Dinosaur fossils in Chile
The Paleobiology Database records 70 non-avian dinosaur finds in Chile, from 5 genera. The oldest is Chilesaurus diegosuarezi from the Tithonian age, about 149.2 million years old. The youngest is Gonkoken nanoi from the Early Maastrichtian age, as young as about 66 million years. Ages are the range the database gives for the rocks, so a find can be tens of millions of years across.
- 70finds
- 5genera
- 149.2oldest, million years ago
- 66youngest, million years ago
It ranks 33rd of 93 countries on the map by number of finds. The most recorded dinosaurs are Arackar (1), Atacamatitan (1) and Chilesaurus (1). The rock formation with the most finds is called Dorotea, with 13.
Which dinosaurs were found in Chile?
The genera with the most finds here:
| Dinosaur | Finds |
|---|---|
| Arackar | 1 |
| Atacamatitan | 1 |
| Chilesaurus | 1 |
| Gonkoken | 1 |
| Stegouros | 1 |
Rock formations with dinosaur finds in Chile
| Formation | Finds |
|---|---|
| Dorotea | 13 |
| Chacarilla | 9 |
| Baños del Flaco | 5 |
| Hornitos | 5 |
| San Salvador | 5 |
| Toqui | 5 |
| Majala | 4 |
| Quebrada Monardes | 4 |
| Viñita | 4 |
| Tolar | 2 |
Other countries to explore
See the sea floor where marine reptiles swam: oceanfloormap.com →
Before you go fossil hunting. A dot shows where a find was recorded, not where you may dig. Many fossil sites are on private or protected land and collecting rules differ by country. Check the rules before collecting and never dig on protected sites.