Paleontological Sites of Santa Maria

Paleontological Sites
of Santa Maria
Paleontological Sites; of Santa Maria
Location	Paleorrota Geopark; Santa Maria,; Rio Grande do Sul,; Brazil
Coordinates	29°41′42″S53°47′43″W / 29.69500°S 53.79528°W

Last updated July 27, 2025

The Paleontological Sites of Santa Maria are located in the city of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and dating from the Triassic. Are in the Santa Maria Formation and Caturrita Formation.^[1]

History

In 1901 the first fossils were found in the town of Santa Maria, which began the Geopark Paleorrota. Since then many sites have been discovered in the city, especially near the Hill Cerrito , with outstanding attention to Sanga da Alemoa that have rich history.

Tourism

The city of Santa Maria is a major road junction, with several highways across the city. The Hill Cerrito is surrounded by highways BR-287, BR-158 and RS-509. You should be prepared to receive tourists.

Museums

Santa Maria has two museums that contain fossils of the region:

Museum Vincente Pallotti
Educational Museum Gama D'Eça

Description of sites

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

class=notpageimage|

Paleontological Sites of Santa Maria:

1) Arroio Cancela
2) Cabeceira do Raimundo
3) Arroio Passo das Tropas
4) Olaria Campus UFSM
5) Colégio Militar
6) Largo Padre Cargnin
7) Cerrito I
8) Cerrito II
9) Cerrito III
10) Sanga of Alemoa
11) Jazigo 5
12) Sanga do Armário
13) Vila dos Sargentos
14) Cidade dos Meninos
15) Vila Kennedy
16) Vila Caturrita
17) Bela Vista
18) Jardim Berleze
19) Esc. Xavier da Rocha
20) Silva Jardim

Seq.	Sitio	Coordinates	Formation	Description
1	Arroio Cancela	29°41′42″S53°47′43″W / 29.695°S 53.79527°W / -29.695; -53.79527	Santa Maria Formation	See: Paleontological Site Arroio Cancela.
2	Cabeceira do Raimundo	29°43′00″S53°53′59″W / 29.71677°S 53.89963°W / -29.71677; -53.89963	Sanga do Cabral Formation	Disarticulated from Procolophon pricei .
3	Arroio Passo das Tropas	29°44′32″S53°47′34″W / 29.74227°S 53.79280°W / -29.74227; -53.79280	Santa Maria Formation	Vegetables prints Dicroidium flora, fish scales and wings of insects.
4	Olaria Campus UFSM	29°43′38″S53°42′26″W / 29.72717°S 53.70725°W / -29.72717; -53.70725	Santa Maria Formation	Vegetables prints Dicroidium flora.
5	Colégio Militar	29°40′49″S53°50′34″W / 29.68027°S 53.84264°W / -29.68027; -53.84264	Santa Maria Formation	Hyperodapedon .
6	Largo Padre Cargnin	29°41′58″S53°47′27″W / 29.69934°S 53.79084°W / -29.69934; -53.79084	Santa Maria Formation	Therioherpeton cargnini .
7	Cerrito I	29°42′05″S53°47′28″W / 29.70129°S 53.79101°W / -29.70129; -53.79101	Santa Maria Formation and Caturrita Formation	Hyperodapedon , Stagonolepis and undetermined Cynodonts.
8	Cerrito II	29°42′16″S53°47′17″W / 29.70434°S 53.78809°W / -29.70434; -53.78809	Santa Maria Formation and Caturrita Formation	Hyperodapedon .
9	Cerrito III	29°42′22″S53°47′09″W / 29.70600°S 53.78597°W / -29.70600; -53.78597	Santa Maria Formation and Caturrita Formation	Hyperodapedon .
10	Sanga Alemoa	29°41′52″S53°46′10″W / 29.69777°S 53.76944°W / -29.69777; -53.76944	Santa Maria Formation and Caturrita Formation	See: Paleontological Site Sanga of Alemoa
11	Jazigo Cinco	29°41′53″S53°46′07″W / 29.69807°S 53.76851°W / -29.69807; -53.76851	Santa Maria Formation	See: Paleontological Site Jazigo Cinco.
12	Sanga do Armário	29°41′47″S53°45′31″W / 29.69629°S 53.75854°W / -29.69629; -53.75854	Santa Maria Formation	Hyperodapedon .
13	Vila dos Sargentos	29°41′50″S53°44′22″W / 29.69711°S 53.73936°W / -29.69711; -53.73936	Santa Maria Formation	Bioturbation Verticalized.
14	Cidade dos Meninos	29°40′56″S53°43′14″W / 29.68212°S 53.72047°W / -29.68212; -53.72047	Santa Maria Formation	Hyperodapedon , osteoderms of Stagonolepis and undetermined Cynodonts.
15	Vila Kennedy	29°40′07″S53°49′32″W / 29.66868°S 53.82553°W / -29.66868; -53.82553	Santa Maria Formation	Hyperodapedon .
16	Vila Caturrita	29°39′56″S53°50′33″W / 29.66561°S 53.84249°W / -29.66561; -53.84249	Santa Maria Formation and Caturrita Formation	Hyperodapedon .
17	Bela Vista	29°41′34″S53°47′02″W / 29.69286°S 53.78393°W / -29.69286; -53.78393	Caturrita Formation	Fragments of indeterminate skulls.
18	Jardim Berleze	29°42′50″S53°46′45″W / 29.71402°S 53.77921°W / -29.71402; -53.77921	Caturrita Formation	Petrified wood.
19	Esc. Xavier da Rocha	29°40′36″S53°47′48″W / 29.67678°S 53.79680°W / -29.67678; -53.79680	Caturrita Formation	Petrified wood.
20	Silva Jardim	29°40′52″S53°48′02″W / 29.68099°S 53.80042°W / -29.68099; -53.80042	Caturrita Formation	Petrified wood.

Notes and references

Young Exaeretodon, collected by Sergio Kaminski, in the Paleontological Site Arroio Cancela FotocranioX.jpg — Young Exaeretodon, collected by Sergio Kaminski, in the Paleontological Site Arroio Cancela

↑ "SÍTIOS FOSSILÍFEROS DE SANTA MARIA, RS, BRASIL". Archived from the original on 2014-01-10. Retrieved 2014-01-10.