Skip to content
Dino Codex
TH

Fossil Hunter

Head out to real dig sites around the world, uncover each skeleton without cracking it, work out which dinosaur it is, and collect every genus.

🎖️ Dig volunteer

300 points to the next rank

0
Points
0
Genera collected
–
IDs right
–
Daily streak

📅 Preparing the quarry…

Everyone gets the same site and the same dinosaur today. One try per day.

🎲 Quick dig

A random unlocked site, straight away.

How to play
  1. Pick a dig site. Each is a real rock formation, and the buried dinosaur is a genus actually found in it.
  2. Brush away rock one layer at a time (safe), or use the pick to clear a square in one go (fast, but it cracks bone).
  3. When a dug square has no bone, the soil colour shows how close one is: orange is next to it, yellow two squares away, grey far.
  4. Then take it to the lab and name the genus for a bonus, and it goes into your museum.

  • Sao Khua Formation

    Phu Wiang, Khon Kaen · Thailand

    Cretaceous130–125 million years agoDifficulty: Easy

    Where Thailand's first dinosaur fossil was found, and home of Phuwiangosaurus, a long-necked sauropod named after Phu Wiang.

    Rock: Red-brown sandstone and siltstone laid down by ancient rivers

    0 of 5 genera found here

  • Hell Creek Formation

    Montana, USA · United States

    Cretaceous68–66 million years agoDifficulty: Easy

    The last rocks before the asteroid hit. More Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops have been found here than anywhere else.

    Rock: Tan sandstone and grey mudstone from a river floodplain

    0 of 20 genera found here

  • Morrison Formation

    Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, USA · United States

    Jurassic156–147 million years agoDifficulty: Easy

    Home of giant sauropods such as Diplodocus and Brontosaurus, plus Stegosaurus and Allosaurus.

    Rock: Banded maroon and grey mudstone with river sandstones

    0 of 20 genera found here

  • Yixian Formation

    Liaoning, China · China

    Cretaceous125–120 million years agoDifficulty: MediumFragile bones
    Unlocks at 2 genera in your museum (2 to go)

  • Dinosaur Park Formation

    Alberta, Canada · Canada

    Cretaceous77–75 million years agoDifficulty: Easy
    Unlocks at 2 genera in your museum (2 to go)

  • Khok Kruat Formation

    Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) · Thailand

    Cretaceous120–113 million years agoDifficulty: Medium
    Unlocks at 4 genera in your museum (4 to go)

  • Djadokhta Formation

    Flaming Cliffs, Mongolia · Mongolia

    Cretaceous75–71 million years agoDifficulty: Easy
    Unlocks at 4 genera in your museum (4 to go)

  • Tendaguru Formation

    Tanzania · Tanzania

    Jurassic155–145 million years agoDifficulty: Medium
    Unlocks at 6 genera in your museum (6 to go)

  • Wessex Formation

    Isle of Wight, UK · United Kingdom

    Cretaceous133–125 million years agoDifficulty: Medium
    Unlocks at 6 genera in your museum (6 to go)

  • Nemegt Formation

    Gobi Desert, Mongolia · Mongolia

    Cretaceous71–68 million years agoDifficulty: Medium
    Unlocks at 9 genera in your museum (9 to go)

  • Lourinhã Formation

    Portugal · Portugal

    Jurassic152–145 million years agoDifficulty: Medium
    Unlocks at 9 genera in your museum (9 to go)

  • Candeleros Formation

    Neuquén, Argentina · Argentina

    Cretaceous100–97 million years agoDifficulty: Hard
    Unlocks at 12 genera in your museum (12 to go)

  • Shaximiao Formation

    Zigong, Sichuan, China · China

    Jurassic168–157 million years agoDifficulty: Medium
    Unlocks at 12 genera in your museum (12 to go)

  • Phu Kradung Formation

    Phu Noi, Kalasin · Thailand

    Cretaceous150–140 million years agoDifficulty: Hard
    Unlocks at 16 genera in your museum (16 to go)

  • Kayenta Formation

    Arizona, USA · United States

    Jurassic196–183 million years agoDifficulty: Medium
    Unlocks at 16 genera in your museum (16 to go)

  • Elliot Formation

    South Africa and Lesotho · South Africa

    Jurassic205–190 million years agoDifficulty: Hard
    Unlocks at 20 genera in your museum (20 to go)

  • Ischigualasto Formation

    Valley of the Moon, Argentina · Argentina

    Triassic231–226 million years agoDifficulty: Hard
    Unlocks at 20 genera in your museum (20 to go)

The dinosaurs at each site come from fossil occurrences recorded in that formation in the Paleobiology Database. Rock colours, hardness and the skeleton outlines are simplified for the game.