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.

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.

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 .

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.

In the province of Neuquén, for example, some 30 sites with fossil remains were found over the past three decades.

The logs and pine nuts found correspond to a monkey-puzzle tree species with similar features to those upholstering the mountains of Neuquén and they are the object of constant scientific research.
At Puerto Deseado, it is possible to get away from the coast towards the mountain range area and set foot on the most important fossil site in Argentina: Jaramillo Petrified Forest. Several stops can be made on the way to appreciate the attractions of the region.

1.- The Los Alerces National Park boasts lovely and simultaneously protects forests of ancient larches.

The Los Alerces National Park is located in the west of the province of Chubut. It has an area of ​​259,570 hectares belonging to the Patagonian Forests ecoregion. Decree No. 1937 105 433 set for different areas in the Andean Patagonia status reserves bound for the subsequent creation of National Parks. One of these territories was the Reserve Larches.   In April 1945, through Decree

The history of science in Argentina describes the fate of researchers and scientific institutions of the country, often exposed to the elements of its economy and its politics, but able, nevertheless, to produce enduring works and useful to know and technology.

The times of the governments of Bernardino Rivadavia and Domingo Faustino Sarmiento , or the generation of 1880 , or the luminous years 1956 to 1966 were the times of its greatest splendor.

With a wingspan estimated at seven meters across,‭ ‬Argentavis was roughly twice the size of the largest flying bird today‭ (‬Wandering Albatross‭)‬,‭ ‬and only the long extinct pterosaurs could have rivalled and exceeded it for size.‭ ‬

How such a large bird like Argentavis could fly has been the key area of study associated with this bird,‭ ‬something that has resulted in some interesting conclusions.‭ ‬The first is that the keel of the breastbone is quite small which suggests the main flight muscles were reduced when compared to other flying birds.‭ ‬This means that even though the wings were huge,‭ ‬Argentavis did not have the stamina to continuously flap them.‭

      

Argentina has proved, through the dinosaur paleontological Argentines, the promised land of scientists, paleontologists and lovers of the great dinosaurs that once, more than 65 million years, absolutely dominated the planet for a period of time over 160 million years.

Argentina was in prehistoric times, a very populated by dinosaurs. 

At present, the finding of fossils has aroused the attention of paleontologists from around the world, as well as tourists from home and abroad.

Parallel to the changes occurring in living species, there were also large geographic and climatic changes. 

There was, in those days, one continent on the planet, known as Pangea. The Andes Mountains had not yet formed, allowing the sea came up to the present province of Neuquén.
Later, the waters receded leaving behind large lakes and lush vegetation, providing a habitat for the development of the lives of dinosaurs. During the Jurassic period, the giants lived quietly feeding on coniferous forests and large trees like the pine. With the formation of the Andes, in the Tertiary, there was a second invasion of the waters from the Atlantic Ocean.
This was particularly important for the current work of paleontologists, because sedimentation processes after those two invasions of marine waters, contributed to favor the preservation of fossils. It is believed that sedimentation processes would be the key to the preservation of fossils.

100 million years ago, the territory consisted Patagonian forests populated grasslands interspersed with rivers and streams. The Andes did not exist, even if there were active volcanoes. The Pacific Ocean came to this territory. With this soil and geography, the climate was then presented humid tropical or subtropical.
Among Cretaceous vegetation, Araucaria species were observed, and other oddities ginkos primitive. There under the trees ferns, cycads and flowering plants first 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 medium, lived with smaller carnivores and herbivores, highlighting the Andesaurus Delgadoi. Aquatic turtles, predecessors of the current, and small primitive mammals and flying reptiles example was the pterosaur, and insects such as dragonflies, but larger than those existing today with invertebrates, made ​​up part of the ecosystem prevailing .
In the province of Neuquén, for example, was found about 30 fossil sites in the course of the past three decades. They have identified 40 species of dinosaurs distributed in the provinces of Salta, San Juan is-especially in the Valle de la Luna (Ischigualasto), San Luis, Mendoza, La Rioja, Chubut, Neuquen, Rio Black, Santa Cruz and even Antarctica. This would represent approximately 10% of all species that have been found around the world, so far. Which gives us the pattern of global paleontological significance attesting Argentina, on prehistoric findings and as the birthplace of dinosaurs and primitive ecosystem.
Throughout all of Patagonia, numerous frolil, "stone bone", name the Mapuche indigenous people awarded the fossil.

For indigenous peoples, the rock art was a tool for communication, a way of transferring ideas, experiences and convictions, as a way to reassert itself and involving other groups put that message in the vastness of the landscape with the intention conscious of that last in space and in time.

In turn, it was a way of intervening territorially-especially when we understand the condition of their producers nomadic referring their inter actions related to space: territorial exploration in search of material resources and the ritualization geographic spaces.

Therefore, the human figure in rock art can not be interpreted as a pictorial representation is much more than that.

The worldview of American native peoples include animate beings and inanimate elements, all part of an integrated whole that carries the sacred character.
Man fell within that whole.
That sacredness was rooted in naturalistic and mystical thought of the people also hierarchized and deeply respected characters of power within the community.

This hierarchy is reflected in all the rock art. Thus, some human figures are, the smaller sizes schematic simplicity compared with those showing power attributes, differing both in the set.

But whatever their appearance, the human figure in rock art, is always based on an idea conceived by the thought of the original peoples naturalist who considered their kind in a part of nature and not the shaft system, which is the most widespread conception in our contemporary Western thought.

Paleontology for the territory of the province has in recent years become a topic of scientific and cultural attraction which itself is of interest to the tourist who comes to the area.

In Villa El Chocón, Ernesto Bachmann Municipal Museum, located in the town center, shows paleontological and archaeological material recovered in the area.

The main findings are the remains of Giganotosaurus carolinii, its name means "giant southern lizard", which was discovered in 1993 and is so far considered the largest carnivorous dinosaur of all time, even greater than Tyrannosaurus rex.

In Huincul, Carmen Funes Municipal Museum, located at the entrance of the city, is characterized by the renewal of their showrooms and is known for the development of scientific research.

The most important discovery on display in the museum is the huinculensis Argentinosaurus, the largest herbivorous dinosaur in the world belonging to the group of sauropods, and family Titanosauridae Its name means "reptile from Argentina Huincul". This specimen was found in 1988, 8 km east of the city of Plaza Huincul.

Currently, Giganotosaurus and Argentinosaurus carolinii huinculensis are emblematic examples neuquinos fields and this region becomes the most important South American dinosaurs.