Chanares Formation Illustration (IMAGE)

University of Utah

Chanares Formation Illustration

Caption

Animals escaping from an erupting volcano 235 million years ago in northwestern Argentina. These species, found as fossils in the Chanares Formation, include early mammal relatives (the dicynodont Dinodontosaurus in the left background, and the cynodont Massetognathus in the left foreground) and early dinosaur precursors (Lewisuchus in the right background, and Lagerpeton in the right foreground). By measuring radioactive isotopes in zircons crystals from the volcanic ash, scientists were able to determine the precise age of this fossil assemblage.

Credit

Victor Leshyk

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