Dinosaur fossils in Arizona
The Paleobiology Database records 167 non-avian dinosaur finds in Arizona, from 15 genera. The oldest is Camposaurus arizonensis from the Norian age, about 227.3 million years old. The youngest is Crittendenceratops krzyzanowskii from the Late Campanian age, as young as about 72.2 million years. Ages are the range the database gives for the rocks, so a find can be tens of millions of years across.
- 167finds
- 15genera
- 227.3oldest, million years ago
- 72.2youngest, million years ago
It ranks 8th of 36 US states on the map by number of finds, with 3% of the finds in the United States. The most recorded dinosaurs are Scutellosaurus (23), Dilophosaurus (12) and Syntarsus (7). The rock formation with the most finds is called Kayenta, with 70.
Which dinosaurs were found in Arizona?
The genera with the most finds here:
| Dinosaur | Finds |
|---|---|
| Scutellosaurus | 23 |
| Dilophosaurus | 12 |
| Syntarsus | 7 |
| Crittendenceratops | 2 |
| Krzyzanowskisaurus | 2 |
| Sarahsaurus | 2 |
| Segisaurus | 2 |
| Tenontosaurus | 2 |
| Acrocanthosaurus | 1 |
| Apatosaurus | 1 |
Rock formations with dinosaur finds in Arizona
| Formation | Finds |
|---|---|
| Kayenta | 70 |
| Chinle | 52 |
| Navajo Sandstone | 13 |
| Fort Crittenden | 9 |
| Morrison | 4 |
| Turney Ranch | 4 |
| Moenave | 3 |
| Cedar Mountain | 2 |
| Shellenberger Canyon | 2 |
| Summerville/Bluff Sandstone | 2 |
Other US states to explore
- Wyoming (1,040)
- Montana (985)
- New Mexico (832)
- Utah (602)
- Colorado (484)
- Texas (448)
- North Dakota (237)
- South Dakota (167)
- New Jersey (70)
- Oklahoma (62)
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.