Where is the Lance Formation?
The Lance Formation is a fossil-bearing rock unit exposed in Eastern Wyoming and the northern Great Plains, USA. Fossil Atlas maps selected occurrence records from this formation as modern discovery locations.
Fossil Atlas — Formation ProfileFossil hotspotCatalog FA·LANC·66
Lance FormationFossil map and formation profile
Eastern Wyoming and the northern Great Plains, USA
Quick provenance answer
Where is the Lance Formation?
The Lance Formation is represented in Fossil Atlas by 81 selected fossil records from Eastern Wyoming and the northern Great Plains, USA. Notable fossil animals mapped here include Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, Ankylosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus. These pins are modern fossil discovery locations, not a complete ancient habitat map.
This remains a formation profile: the description, timeline, notable animals, and evidence sections stay intact. The fossil-map answer is surfaced here so visitors from search can orient themselves before reading the full dossier.
- Mapped records
- 81
- Region
- Eastern Wyoming and the northern Great Plains, USA
- Notable animals
- Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, Ankylosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus
- Map caveat
- Modern fossil locations, not ancient habitat.
Formation description
A latest Cretaceous rock unit of the northern Great Plains, deposited in the final million years before the end-Cretaceous extinction. The Lance is a classic source of Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex material and is closely comparable to the neighbouring Hell Creek Formation.
When the formation was deposited
Position of this formation’s known age range across 252 million years of the Mesozoic and beyond.
252 MaToday
69-66 million years ago
Notable fossil animals
Animals with source-backed fossil records in the current dataset that are associated with the Lance Formation.
TriceratopsTyrannosaurus rexAnkylosaurusEdmontosaurusPachycephalosaurus
Lance Formation fossil discovery map
Pins show selected fossil records for the Lance Formation; use them as modern discovery evidence, not a complete range map. Modern fossil discovery map: pins show where selected fossil and specimen records were found today, not ancient Earth positions. What does this mean?
Modern Fossil Discovery Map
Shareable asset
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Turn this formation’s geologic age range, notable animals, and 81 mapped discovery records into a source-stamped 4:5 card built for Instagram, Reddit, X, Discord, and Pinterest.
Research notes
Lance Formation fossil map FAQ
Is this map where the animals lived?
No. The map shows modern fossil discovery locations from selected records in this formation. Ancient habitat and paleogeographic reconstructions are separate questions.
What fossils are found in the Lance Formation?
Notable fossil animals mapped within this formation include Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, Ankylosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus. Formation coverage depends on the selected dataset and may not be complete.
Can I make a Lance Formation expedition card?
Yes. Use the expedition card generator to turn the Lance Formation map and notable animals into a shareable card.
Caveats
Important notes
Selected fossil records from PBDB and museum biodiversity aggregators. Source labels and confidence notes help distinguish canonical paleobiology records from specimen-media records.
Formation profiles and notable animal lists reflect the current selected dataset. Fossil maps show modern discovery locations, not paleogeographic reconstructions. Age ranges are approximate and subject to revision as new stratigraphic data becomes available.
Trust note
Selected source-backed records
Maps use curated PBDB, museum, and specimen-source records with visible caveats.
Trust note
Modern discovery locations
Pins show where fossils were found or reported today, not exact ancient habitat positions.
Trust note
Reconstruction is not evidence
Artwork is labeled separately from specimen photos, maps, and source records.
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