GEOSITE

Plesiosaur of Puerto Ibáñez (Plesiosaurio de Puerto Ibáñez)

Plesiosaurs were enormous marine reptiles that inhabited much of the planet around 130 million years ago. They were characterized by their broad bodies, paddle-shaped flippers, and long necks. Some species reached up to 17 meters in length.

In 2019, researchers Constanza Arraño and Matías Ormazabal discovered the first fossils of this marine animal in the Aysén Region.

The discovery consisted of four cervical vertebrae, found in black shales of the Katterfeld Formation, southeast of Arroyo Lechoso, near Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez. Today, the plesiosaur vertebrae are preserved at the Museo Regional de Aysén.

We invite you to listen to the podcast from the series «Treasures of My Territory», developed by the Museo Regional de Aysén, where you can learn more about the background of this paleontological discovery.