Dinosaur fossils in Portugal
The Paleobiology Database records 310 non-avian dinosaur finds in Portugal, from 31 genera. The oldest is Compsognathus from the Kimmeridgian age, about 154.8 million years old. The youngest is Paronychodon from the 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.
- 310finds
- 31genera
- 154.8oldest, million years ago
- 66youngest, million years ago
It ranks 12th of 93 countries on the map by number of finds. The most recorded dinosaurs are Dacentrurus (12), Torvosaurus (9) and Allosaurus (8). The rock formation with the most finds is called Lourinhã, with 115.
Which dinosaurs were found in Portugal?
The genera with the most finds here:
| Dinosaur | Finds |
|---|---|
| Dacentrurus | 12 |
| Torvosaurus | 9 |
| Allosaurus | 8 |
| Ceratosaurus | 5 |
| Lourinhasaurus | 5 |
| Iguanodon | 4 |
| Aviatyrannis | 2 |
| Lourinhanosaurus | 2 |
| Lusovenator | 2 |
| Paronychodon | 2 |
Rock formations with dinosaur finds in Portugal
| Formation | Finds |
|---|---|
| Lourinhã | 115 |
| Alcobaça | 48 |
| Freixial | 20 |
| Argilas de Aveiro | 18 |
| Praia da Amoreira-Porto Novo | 18 |
| Papo Seco | 16 |
| Sobral | 6 |
| Areia do Mastro | 5 |
| Bombarral | 5 |
| Viso | 5 |
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.