Some of the oldest dinosaurs who ever lived can be found in Ischigualasto National Park in northwest Argentina, a.k.a Valley of the Moon. It is a deposit of sandstone and mudstone that first appeared approximately 225 million years ago. During this time, Valley of the Moon was a floodplain located at the edge of the supercontinent Pangea. Today, Valley of the Moon is an arid desert covering 156,000 acres or 63,000 hectares and is north of Mendoza.
More than 100 species of plant have been discovered in Valley of the Moon.
Here are some of the dinosaurs who lived in Valley of the Moon:
- Eoraptor, a small dinosaur that was one of the first carnovious dinosaurs. It fed on lizards and minuscule mammal-like creatures.
- Pisanosaurus, an herbivorous dinosaur who was approximately the same size as a sheep.
- Herrerasaurus, who was one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs of it's time. It was named after Victorino Herrera, who was a farmer from Argentina who discovered it in 1958.
- Staurikosaurus, an agile carnivorous dinosaur with a long tail, sharp claws, and numerous small teeth.
