Where was Lesothosaurus found?

Lesothosaurus fossils on the map: 9 finds in 2 countries. The dashed box outlines the area they cover.

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Age of the rocks252 to 66 million years ago
Group

Shows every find whose age range overlaps the window. To look up one dinosaur, use the search box on the map.

Key
  • Triassic 251.9 to 201.4 million years ago
  • Jurassic 201.4 to 145 million years ago
  • Cretaceous 145 to 66 million years ago
  • Spans two periods The find’s age range straddles a boundary

How to read the dots. Each dot is one find recorded in the Paleobiology Database, coloured by the period of its rocks. Finds marked approximate have only a rough position in the database, so the dot can sit some way from the real site.

About Lesothosaurus fossils

Silhouette of Lesothosaurus
Silhouette by Matt Dempsey, CC BY 4.0, from PhyloPic

Lesothosaurus is a genus of ornithischians, the horned, armoured and duck-billed group. The database records one species of it: Lesothosaurus diagnosticus.

The 9 finds on the map come from 2 countries. Lesotho has the most, with 6 (67%).

The rock formation with the most finds is called Elliot, with 9. The rocks are 201.4 to 192.9 million years ago, in the Jurassic period.

Genus of reptiles (fossil). (Description from Wikidata, CC0.)

Read about Lesothosaurus on Wikipedia.

  • 9finds
  • 2countries
  • 201.4oldest, million years ago
  • 192.9youngest, million years ago

Which countries have Lesothosaurus fossils?

CountryFindsShare
Lesotho667%
South Africa333%

Rock formations that produced Lesothosaurus

A formation is a named body of rock. These are the ones with the most Lesothosaurus finds.

FormationFinds
Elliot9

Other dinosaurs found in Lesotho

More to explore

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.

Questions about Lesothosaurus

Where was Lesothosaurus found?

Lesothosaurus fossils are recorded in the Paleobiology Database from Lesotho and South Africa. Most of the 9 finds on this map (6) are from Lesotho. The rock formation with the most finds is the Elliot (9).

How old are Lesothosaurus fossils?

Finds of Lesothosaurus on this map date from 201.4 to 192.9 million years ago, which is the Jurassic period. Ages are ranges, because rock layers are dated to a stage and not to a single year.

Where can I see Lesothosaurus fossils near me?

Open the map and press Near me to list the nearest dinosaur finds and the most notable dinosaurs found around you. Remember that a dot shows where scientists recorded a find, not where you can dig: many fossil sites are on private or protected land, so check the rules before collecting and never dig on protected sites.

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