Scientists discover major Jurassic fossil site in Argentina

[Judi Lynn]

Scientists discover major Jurassic fossil site in Argentina

By AFP 3 hours ago.

Paleontologists in Argentina have announced the discovery of a major Jurassic-era fossil site four years after it was first discovered.

The site, which spans 23,000 square miles (60,000 square kilometers) in Patagonia, southern Argentina, came to light this week with the publication of a report in the journal Ameghiniana.

"No other place in the world contains the same amount and diversity of Jurassic fossils," said geologist Juan Garcia Massini of the Regional Center for Scientific Research and Technology Transfer (CRILAR).

The fossils -- between 140 and 160 million years old -- lie on the surface because they were recently exposed by erosion, said Garcia Massini, who leads the research team investigating the site.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/scientists-discover-major-jurassic-fossil-site-in-argentina/article/458784#ixzz41QOcyrgH

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[NickB79]

1. South American fossils are typically Triassic or Cretaceous

A mid-late Jurassic fossil bed is a very rare find for the continent.