Saturnalia fossil map
Where fossils of Saturnalia have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 215 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 215 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Sauropods & prosauropods |
|---|---|
| Lived | 237–227.3 million years ago (Carnian) |
| Periods | Triassic |
| Family | Saturnaliidae |
| Named by | Langer et al. 1999 |
| Fossil records | 3 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Brazil, Zimbabwe |
| Rock formations | Santa Maria, Pebbly Arkose |
About Saturnalia
Saturnalia is an extinct genus of basal sauropodomorph dinosaur known from the Late Triassic Santa Maria Formation of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. It contains one species, Saturnalia tupiniquim. It is one of the earliest known dinosaurs.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Saturnalia tupiniquim (revision 1368889492), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q878443.
