In Depth Shihtienfenia is one of the first pareiasaurs known from China, and one that raised a few eyebrows. Most known pareiasaurs have four sacral vertebrae (the vertebrae that are housed within the pelvis), but Shihtienfenia has six. Unfortunately the skull of Shihtienfenia is still unknown, so it is still uncertain what other differences may … Read more
In Depth Originally named as a species of Shweboemys, Brontochelys is a little known genus of side-necked turtle that lived in Pakistan during the early Miocene. The type species is named in honour of Eugene Gaffney for his work on turtles. Further Reading - A review of the fossil Pelomedusidae (Testudines, Pleurodira) of Asia. Breviora … Read more
In Depth Shweboemys is a genus of turtle that is known to have lived in Asia during the late Cretaceous. A former species of Shweboemys, S. gaffneyi, has now been renamed as a distinct genus called Brontochelys. Further Reading – A new fossil fresh-water tortoise from Burma. – Records of the Geological Survey of India … Read more
In Depth Stupendemys was a genus of pleurodiran turtle, a type better known as a side-necked turtle. Side necked turtles acquired their name because their necks are so long that the only way they could fit under the shell was to fold their necks into one side. The preserved length of the largest known Stupendemys … Read more
In Depth Odontochelys translates to English as ‘toothed turtle with a half-shell’, and this is in reference to the fact that only the plastron (bottom half) of the shell is developed. How the shell formed though is a matter of debate amongst palaeontologists as some consider Odontochelys to be a transitory form in the evolution … Read more
In Depth Cerrejonemys is a genus of side-necked turtle that lived in South America during the Paleocene. Cerrejonemys is noted for growing fairly large, probably as a defence against predators. This was for good reason, as not only did Cerrejonemys share the same ecosystems as crocodiles such as Cerrejonisuchus, but the giant snake Titanoboa was … Read more