Naomichelys
Appearance
Naomichelys Temporal range: Early Cretaceous
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Fossil carapace of N. speciosa, Field Museum of Natural History | |
Scientific 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
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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]
- Kootenai Formation, Montana, Early Cretaceous (Aptian)
- Arundel Formation, Maryland, Aptian
- Cloverly Formation, Montana and Wyoming, Aptian
- Trinity Group, Texas, Aptian-Albian
- Willow Tank Formation, Nevada, Albian
- Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, Albian-Cenomanian
- Kaskapau Formation, British Columbia, Turonian
- Straight Cliffs Formation, Utah, Turonian-Santonian
- Tropic Shale, Utah, Turonian-Santonian
- Mooreville Chalk, Alabama, Santonian-Campanian
- Milk River Formation, Alberta, Santonian-Campanian
- Foremost Formation, Campanian
- Two Medicine Formation, Montana, Campanian
- Mesaverde Formation, Wyoming, Campanian
- Wahweap Formation, Utah, Campanian
- Menefee Formation, New Mexico Campanian
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
- ^ 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.
- ^ Hay, O.P. 1908. The Fossil Turtles of North America. Carnegie Institute of Washington, Washington DC. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.1250
- ^ 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