In Depth Megalochelys is one of the largest tortoises ever to walk the earth. Individuals of Megalochelys can vary greatly in size, though the largest species M. atlas, (formerly a distinct genus known as Colossochelys), is known to have had an upper shell size approaching just over two meters in length. This large size meant … Read more
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 … Read more
In Depth Liaochelys is a genus of cryptodiran turtle that lived in China during the early Cretaceous. Further Reading - A new eucryptodiran turtle from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China. - Zootaxa 2676:45-56. - C. -F. Zhou - 2010.
In Depth Allopleuron was a large sea turtle that swam in the late Cretaceous seas and may have had a cosmopolitan distribution at least across the Northern Hemisphere. Several species have been named in the past but today some only consider the type species A. hofmanni as valid. With remains possibly being as late as … Read more
In Depth Ocepechelon is a fascinating genus of sea turtle for two reasons. First, with a skull that was seventy centimetres long, Ocepechelon must have been huge, but unfortunately without a shell and/or post cranial skeleton we don’t know how big. Second, the mouth of Ocepechelon is formed into a pipette-like feature which suggests that … Read more
In Depth Gilmoremys is a species of turtle that lived in North America during the late Cretaceous. Further Reading - Description of two new species of turtles, from the Lance Formation of Wyoming. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 50(2137):614-646. - C. W. Gilmore - 1916. - New material of Gilmoremys lancensis nov. comb. … Read more
In Depth Adocus is a genus of freshwater cryptodiran turtle that lived in both Asia and North America. Most Canadian and American fossils are confirmed as coming from Cretaceous deposits, however some fossils are determined as coming from deposits after the Cretaceous, with some as recent as the late Oligocene. Adocus is known to have … Read more
In Depth Atlantochelys was first named in 1849 and based upon the description of half a humerus (analogous to your upper arm bone). For well over one hundred and fifty years that was it, but then in 2012 the missing half of this bone was actually matched up to the original specimen. Although Atlantochelys may … Read more
In Depth Larachelus was a pan-cryptodiran turtle, and the appearance of the genus in early Cretaceous era rocks of Spain has helped reveal the range and diversity pan-cryptodiran turtles. Further Reading - Larachelus morla, gen. Et sp. Nov., a new member of the little-known European Early Cretaceous record of stem cryptodiran turtles - Journal of … Read more
In Depth Though only known from partial remains, Cratochelone has been confirmed as being a protostegid turtle, and one that was very large in size. Though some researchers have credited Cratochelone as being only about two meters in length, the original and more recent studies have ascertained that Cratochelone may have actually reached up to … Read more