Laño facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laño
Lañu
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 Laño
Location in Spain
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| Country | Spain |
| Province | Burgos |
| Municipality | Condado de Treviño |
| Concejo | Laño |
| Population | c. 15 |
| Time zone | UTC + 1 |
Laño (which is Lañu in the Basque language) is a very small village, also known as a concejo. It's located in an interesting part of Spain called Condado de Treviño. This area is officially part of the province of Burgos, but it's completely surrounded by another region, the Basque Country, specifically the province of Álava.
Laño is most famous for something super old: fossils! Scientists have found fossils of extinct animals here that are about 70 million years old. These ancient creatures lived long before humans existed.
Just north of the village, you can find Las Gobas. This is a cool site with old artificial caves. People used these caves between the 7th and 13th centuries CE.
Discovering Ancient Life: Laño's Fossils
Scientists, including those from the Paleontology Unit of the University of the Basque Country, have spent a lot of time studying the amazing fossils found at Laño. These fossils come from a time called the late Cretaceous period. This was a very long time ago, roughly between 70 and 80 million years ago.
From studying the fossils and rocks, experts believe that Laño used to look very different. There was likely a braided river flowing through the area, which means a river with many small channels weaving together. The sea was also nearby, and the climate was warm, like a tropical or sub-tropical place today.
Scientists have identified many different types of ancient animals from the fossils at Laño. Here are some of the cool creatures that once lived there:
- Arcovenator sp.: This was a type of meat-eating dinosaur called an abelisaurid.
- Acynodon iberoccitanus: A species of ancient crocodile.
- Dortoka vasconica: A type of turtle.
- Gargantuavis: A genus of very large, ancient bird.
- Herensugea caristiorum: An ancient snake, part of a group called Madtsoiidae.
- Lainodon orueetxebarriai: A small, early mammal.
- Lirainosaurus astibiae: A type of long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur called a sauropod.
- Menarana laurasiae: Another species of ancient snake.
- Musturzabalsuchus buffetauti: Another type of ancient crocodile.
- Polysternon atlanticum: Another species of turtle.
- Solemys vermiculata: Yet another species of turtle.
- Rhabdodon: A plant-eating dinosaur known as an ornithopod.
- Struthiosaurus: A type of armored dinosaur called an ankylosaur.
- Taveirosaurus: A genus of ornithischian dinosaur, which includes many plant-eaters.
- Tarascosaurus: Another type of meat-eating abelisaurid dinosaur.
- ?Pyroraptor: Possibly a type of dromaeosaurid dinosaur, known for its sharp claws.
Gallery
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The church in Laño village.
See also
In Spanish: Laño para niños
