Argentina has been through the paleontological findings the promised land of the dinosaurs.
Argentina has proven to be, through the paleontological findings of Argentine dinosaurs, the promised land of scientists, paleontologists and lovers of the great saurians who once, more than 65 million years ago, absolutely dominated the planet for a period of time of more than 160 million years.
Argentina was in prehistory, a site heavily populated by dinosaurs. At present, the discovery of fossil remains has aroused the attention of paleontologists from around the world, as well as tourists from the country and abroad.
Parallel to the changes in living species, there were also great geographical and climatic changes.
There was, at that time, a unique continent on the planet, known as Pangea.
The Andes Mountains had not yet formed, allowing the sea to reach the current province of Neuquén.
Later, the waters receded leaving large lakes and lush vegetation in their path, constituting an ideal habitat for the development of dinosaur life.
Over the course of the Jurassic period, the giants lived peacefully feeding on coniferous forests and large trees such as araucarias. With the formation of the Cordillera de los Andes, in the tertiary, there was a second invasion of the waters coming from the Atlantic Ocean.
This was particularly important for the paleontologists' current work, since the sedimentation processes, after these two seawater invasions, contributed to fostering fossil remains. It is believed that sedimentation processes would be the key to the conservation of fossil remains.
The Andes Mountains did not exist, although there were active volcanoes. The Pacific Ocean reached this territory.
With this soil and geographical features, the climate that presented itself was tropical or humid subtropical.
Among the Cretaceous vegetation, there were species of araucarias, ginkos and other primitive oddities.
There were ferns under the trees, cicas and the first flowering plants made their appearance. In that period lived the largest carnivore found so far, the Giganotosaurus Carolini, whose dimensions were about 14 meters in length.
In the same environment, he lived with smaller carnivores and herbivores, highlighting the Andesaurus Delgadoi.
The aquatic turtles, predecessors of the current ones, and primitive small mammals, as well as flying reptiles, an example of this was the pterosaur, and insects like dragonflies, although larger than those existing today alongside invertebrates, they were part of the prevailing ecosystem .
Some 40 species of dinosaurs distributed in the provinces of Salta, San Juan have been identified, especially in the Valley of the Moon (Ischigualasto), San Luis, Mendoza, La Rioja, Chubut, Neuquén, Río Negro, Santa Cruz and even in the antartida.
This would represent approximately 10% of the total species found around the world, so far. Which, gives us the pattern of paleontological relevance worldwide accredited by Argentina, in terms of prehistoric findings and as a cradle and primitive dinosaur ecosystem.
Throughout Patagonia, there are numerous frolil, "stone bones"; denomination that the indigenous people of the Mapuches gave to the fossil remains.
Argentina was in prehistory, a site heavily populated by dinosaurs. At present, the discovery of fossil remains has aroused the attention of paleontologists from around the world, as well as tourists from the country and abroad.
Parallel to the changes in living species, there were also great geographical and climatic changes.
There was, at that time, a unique continent on the planet, known as Pangea.
The Andes Mountains had not yet formed, allowing the sea to reach the current province of Neuquén.
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| Argentina was in prehistory, a site heavily populated by dinosaurs. |
Prehistoric Argentina, land of dinosaurs.
Later, the waters receded leaving large lakes and lush vegetation in their path, constituting an ideal habitat for the development of dinosaur life.
Over the course of the Jurassic period, the giants lived peacefully feeding on coniferous forests and large trees such as araucarias. With the formation of the Cordillera de los Andes, in the tertiary, there was a second invasion of the waters coming from the Atlantic Ocean.
Read also: Cueva de las Manos, a Cultural Heritage Unesco in Santa Cruz province.
This was particularly important for the paleontologists' current work, since the sedimentation processes, after these two seawater invasions, contributed to fostering fossil remains. It is believed that sedimentation processes would be the key to the conservation of fossil remains.
100 million years ago, the Patagonian territory consisted of meadows populated by forests cut by rivers and streams.
The Andes Mountains did not exist, although there were active volcanoes. The Pacific Ocean reached this territory.
With this soil and geographical features, the climate that presented itself was tropical or humid subtropical.
 |
| With the formation of the Cordillera de los Andes, in the tertiary, there was a second invasion of the waters coming from the Atlantic Ocean. |
There were ferns under the trees, cicas and the first flowering plants made their appearance. In that period lived the largest carnivore found so far, the Giganotosaurus Carolini, whose dimensions were about 14 meters in length.
In the same environment, he lived with smaller carnivores and herbivores, highlighting the Andesaurus Delgadoi.
The aquatic turtles, predecessors of the current ones, and primitive small mammals, as well as flying reptiles, an example of this was the pterosaur, and insects like dragonflies, although larger than those existing today alongside invertebrates, they were part of the prevailing ecosystem .
About 30 sites with fossil remains were found in the Neuquén province.
Some 40 species of dinosaurs distributed in the provinces of Salta, San Juan have been identified, especially in the Valley of the Moon (Ischigualasto), San Luis, Mendoza, La Rioja, Chubut, Neuquén, Río Negro, Santa Cruz and even in the antartida.
Read also: Argentavis is the largest flying bird ever discovered.
This would represent approximately 10% of the total species found around the world, so far. Which, gives us the pattern of paleontological relevance worldwide accredited by Argentina, in terms of prehistoric findings and as a cradle and primitive dinosaur ecosystem.
Throughout Patagonia, there are numerous frolil, "stone bones"; denomination that the indigenous people of the Mapuches gave to the fossil remains.
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| In the province of Neuquén, for example, some 30 sites with fossil remains were found over the past three decades. |
They found the "Patagotitan", the largest dinosaur in the world ... and it is Argentine. Argentine paleontologists presented Patagotitan, a megadinosaur that lived 101 million years ago in Patagonia, where the gigantic Argentinosaurus and Puertasaurus also inhabited.
ReplyDeleteIn Argentine Patagonia, great discoveries have been made in the field of paleontology.
DeleteFor example, the Carolinii, considered the largest carnivorous dinosaur in the world, exceeds the famous Tyranosaurus Rex in size. It was discovered in July 1993 by Rubén Darío Carolini, current Director of the Municipal Museum of Villa El Chocón, in an old lagoon located 18 km. south of Villa El Chocón.
80% of the specimen's fossil material has been rescued, which is preserved in optimal condition. It is a carnivore with reduced forelimbs, bipedal gait and three toes on each leg. He was 13.5 m long and his hips could reach 4.6 m. It is estimated that in life he weighed around 9500 kg. His head was 2 m. and its longest tooth, 21 cm. This specimen belongs to the Middle Cretaceous of the Mesozoic Era and inhabited the Plaza Huincul area 90 million years ago.