Paleontological Site Arroio Cancela, Paleontological site in Santa Maria, Brazil

The Paleontological Site Arroio Cancela lies in the Nossa Senhora de Lourdes neighbourhood of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, at about 110 metres above sea level. It covers 9 hectares crossed by the Cancela stream, which flows from Osvaldo Aranha Street toward Fernando Ferrari Avenue. Exposed red mudstone of the Santa Maria Formation extends over 925 square metres along a 185-metre stretch, with a height difference of more than 3 metres between collection points 1 and 3.

Scientists discovered a juvenile dinosaur in 1974 with well-preserved trunk bones in the red layers. The site gained recognition as an important research location for studying prehistoric life.

The site lies in the Nossa Senhora de Lourdes neighbourhood, and its name comes from the Cancela stream, which crosses the 9-hectare study area from Osvaldo Aranha Street toward Fernando Ferrari Avenue. Fossils are found in the exposed red mudstone along the stream banks, and the main collection points lie 185 metres apart.

The location is easily accessible and situated near schools and public transit in Santa Maria. Visitors should wear comfortable clothing and prepare for uneven ground, as the surface is natural and somewhat rustic.

The 925 m² of exposed mudstone between points 1 and 3, a strip 185 m long and about 5 m wide, has yielded roughly one fossil per 185 m², suggesting about 50 fossils per hectare. Extending this estimate to the 340 m-diameter circle around point 3 gives around 490 fossils, and up to 2,000 per metre of depth.