Naomichelys

Naomichelys
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous Aptian–Campanian
Fossil carapace of N. speciosa, Field Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Pantestudines
Clade: Testudinata
Family: †Helochelydridae
Genus: †Naomichelys
Hay, 1908
Type species
Naomichelys speciosa
Hay, 1908

Naomichelys is an extinct genus of helochelydrid stem turtle known from the Cretaceous (Aptian-Campanian) of North America. It is the only member of the family known to be native to North America.

Distribution

Naomichelys is known numerous remains from western North America, most notably the holotype partial shell from the Cloverly Formation of Montana and a complete skeleton from the Antlers Formation of Texas. Indetermiate remains are known extending up to the Campanian in the United States and Canada.[1] It is the only known North American member of Helochelydridae.[2][3]

Location

After[1]

Taxonomy

Naomichelys is a member of the family Helochelydridae, which is known from Late Jurassic to Late Cretaceous deposits in North America and Europe.

References

  1. ^ a b Gentry, Andrew D.; Ebersole, Jun A. (2021-08-10). "The first occurrence of the stem turtle Naomichelys from the Late Cretaceous of eastern North America". Historical Biology. 34 (7): 1129–1136. doi:10.1080/08912963.2021.1962855. ISSN 0891-2963. S2CID 238677455.
  2. ^ Hay, O.P. 1908. The Fossil Turtles of North America. Carnegie Institute of Washington, Washington DC. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.1250
  3. ^ W. G. Joyce, J. Sterli, and S. D. Chapman. 2014. The skeletal morphology of the solemydid turtle Naomichelys speciosa from the Early Cretaceous of Texas. Journal of Paleontology 88(6):1257-1287