Brontochelys
| Brontochelys Temporal range:Lower Miocene
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Pleurodira |
| Family: | Podocnemididae |
| Genus: | †Brontochelys Gaffney, Meylan, Wood, Simons & Campos, 2011 |
| Species: | †B. gaffneyi
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| Binomial name | |
| †Brontochelys gaffneyi Wood, 1970
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| Synonyms | |
|
Shweboemys gaffneyiWood, 1970 | |
Brontochelysis anextinctgenusofpodocnemididfrom theMioceneofPakistan.The only species known,B. gaffneyiwas classified before in the genusShweboemys,which is known from thePlioceneofBurma.[1]Brontochelysis represented only by itstype specimenBMNH R.8570, a nearly complete skull, which exact locality is unknown but probably comes from the Lower Miocene sediments in theBugti Hills,inBaluchistan,Pakistan. This skull is different from its relatives likeShweboemys,LemurchelysandStereogenysby its large, forward-faced orbits, a large frontal bone that composes most of the dorsal orbit margin and a palatal curved. The name ofBrontochelysis formed by the Greek wordsbronte,"thunder" andchelys,"turtle", in reference to the large size of the skull.[2]
References
[edit]- ^Wood, R.C. 1970. A review of the fossil Pelomedusidae (Testudines, Pleurodira) of Asia.Breviora 357: 1–24
- ^Gaffney, E.S.; Meylan, P.A.; Wood, R.C.; Simons, E.L.; Campos, D.A. 2011.Evolution of the side-necked turtles: the family Podocnemididae.Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History350: 1–237.