In Depth
Euclastes is a genus of marine cryptodiran turtle that lived from the late cretaceous to the early Paleocene. Euclastes is noted for having a partial secondary palate, and a mouth suited for crushing the shells of armoured animals such as crustaceans and shelled molluscs. A former species, E. hutchisoni, has now been reassigned to Pacifichelys, while another species, E. coahuilaensis, has now been moved to Mexichelys.
Further Reading
- Un nuevo osteopigino (Chelonii: Cryptodira) de la Formaci�n Roca (Paleoceno inferior) de Cerros Bayos, provincia de La Pampa, Argentina. - Ameghiniana 37(2):235-246. - M. de la Fuente & S. Casadio - 2000. - Euclastes acutirostris, a new species of littoral turtle (Cryptodira, Cheloniidae) from the Palaeocene phosphates of Morocco (Oulad Abdoun Basin, Danian-Thanetian) [Euclastes acutirostris, une nouvelle esp�ce de tortue littorale (Cryptodira, Cheloniidae) des phosphates pal�oc�nes du Maroc (Bassin des Oulad Abdoun, Danien-Than�tien)] - Nour-Eddine Jalila, France de Lapparent de Broinb, Nathalie Bardetb, Renaud Vacantb, Ba�di Bouyac, Mbarek Amaghzazc & Sa�d Meslouhd - 2009.