Dinosaur fossils in California
The Paleobiology Database records 13 non-avian dinosaur finds in California, from 2 genera. The oldest is Aletopelta coombsi from the Late Campanian age, about 83.6 million years old. The youngest is Augustynolophus morrisi from the Late 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.
- 13finds
- 2genera
- 83.6oldest, million years ago
- 66youngest, million years ago
It ranks 20th of 36 US states on the map by number of finds, with 0% of the finds in the United States. The most recorded dinosaurs are Augustynolophus (2) and Aletopelta (1). The rock formation with the most finds is called Moreno, with 5.
Dinosaurs are rare in California. Many rocks of the right age in the state were laid down under the sea, where a land animal was unlikely to be preserved, so the few finds here matter.
Which dinosaurs were found in California?
The genera with the most finds here:
| Dinosaur | Finds |
|---|---|
| Augustynolophus | 2 |
| Aletopelta | 1 |
Rock formations with dinosaur finds in California
| Formation | Finds |
|---|---|
| Moreno | 5 |
| Point Loma | 3 |
| Aztec Sandstone | 1 |
| Budden Canyon | 1 |
| Williams/Ladd | 1 |
Other US states to explore
- Wyoming (1,040)
- Montana (985)
- New Mexico (832)
- Utah (602)
- Colorado (484)
- Texas (448)
- North Dakota (237)
- Arizona (167)
- South Dakota (167)
- New Jersey (70)
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.