Ischigualasto Formation

A Late Triassic rock formation in northwestern Argentina that preserves a diverse fossil record of terrestrial vertebrates, plants, and their environments.

Eoraptor: A small, early dinosaur known from Late Triassic rocks of Argentina. Its fossils are among the formation’s best-known early dinosaur discoveries.
Triassic: A geologic period lasting from about 252 to 201 million years ago. The formation records terrestrial life during the latter part of this period.
Fluvial system: A network of rivers and streams that transports and deposits sediment. River channels and floodplains deposited much of the formation’s sediment.
Dinosaur: A member of the archosaur group that includes the birds and their extinct relatives. The formation provides evidence about dinosaurs near the beginning of their history.
Herrerasaurus: A large, carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Triassic of Argentina. Its remains document an early predatory dinosaur in the formation’s fauna.
Late Triassic: The final epoch of the Triassic Period, approximately 237 to 201 million years ago. The formation’s rocks and fossils date chiefly to this interval.
Floodplain: Flat land beside a river that is periodically covered by floodwater and sediment. Floodplain deposits preserve fossils and plant material across the formation.
Dinosaur evolution: The evolutionary history of dinosaurs from their Triassic origins to their living descendants, birds. The formation’s fossils help test when early dinosaur groups appeared and diversified.
Eodromaeus: A small-bodied Late Triassic dinosaur discovered in Argentina. This early dinosaur adds to the formation’s record of dinosaur diversity.
Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin: A sedimentary basin in northwestern Argentina containing Triassic continental deposits. The formation is part of the basin’s record of changing landscapes and sedimentation.

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