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Stylemys

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Genus of turtles
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Stylemys
Temporal range: late Eocene to early Oligocene
Skeleton
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Superfamily: Testudinoidea
Family: Testudinidae
Genus: Stylemys
Leidy 1851

Stylemys (meaning "pillar turtle") is the first fossil genus of dry land tortoise belonging to the order Testudines discovered in the United States. The genus lived in temperate to subtropical areas of North America, Europe, and Asia, based on fossil distribution. The genus was first described in 1851 by Joseph Leidy. The tortoise was common in the prehistoric Badlands, especially Nebraska and South Dakota. The species has also been found in the formations in and around Badlands National Park. Fossil fragments have also been found in the Palm Park Formation of New Mexico.


The ancient tortoises had primitive jaw muscles, unlike today's tortoises, which also display the os transiliens bone, and would have been herbivorous. While Stylemys species did exhibit the same neck structure as modern tortoises, the forelimbs were unsuitable for burrowing, setting them apart from modern genera.

Species

A number of species have been described since the genus was named in 1851.

Time period

Eon: Phanerozoic Era: Cenozoic Period: Paleogene Epoch: Eocene

  • S. botti
  • S. calaverensis
  • S. canetotiana
  • S. capax
  • S. conspecta
  • S. copei
  • S. emiliae
  • S. frizaciana
  • S. karakolensis
  • S. nebrascensis (syn. S. amphithorax)
  • S. neglectus
  • S. oregonensis
  • S. pygmea
  • S. uintensis
  • S. undabuna
  • Stylemys conspecta from Tertiary in Oregon Stylemys conspecta from Tertiary in Oregon
  • Stylemys nebrascensis shell at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin Stylemys nebrascensis shell at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin

References

  1. Auffenberg, Walter (1964). "A Redefinition of the Fossil Tortoise Genus Stylemys Leidy". Journal of Paleontology. 38 (2): 316–324. JSTOR 1301552.
  2. Leidy, J. (1851). "Description of Stylemys nebrascensis". Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 5: 172–173.
  3. Lucas, Spencer G.; Williamson, Thomas E. (1993). "Eocene vertebrates and late Laramide stratigraphy of New Mexico". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 2: 145–157. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  4. The Paleobiology Database
Taxon identifiers
Stylemys
Tortoise family
Genera
Species of the tortoise family
Agrionemys
Aldabrachelys
Astrochelys
Centrochelys
Chelonoidis
Galápagos tortoise
Chelonoidis complex
Cheirogaster
Chersina
Chersobius
Cylindraspis
Geochelone
Gopherus
Hadrianus
Hesperotestudo
Homopus
Indotestudo
Kinixys
Malacochersus
Manouria
Megalochelys
Psammobates
Pyxis
Stigmochelys
Stylemys
Testudo
Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on turtles of the world 2017 update: Annotated checklist and atlas of taxonomy, synonymy, distribution, and conservation status. Key: †=extinct.
Testudines
Suborder
Superfamily
Family
Genus
Cryptodira
Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)
Cheloniidae
Dermochelyidae
 
Kinosternoidea
Dermatemydidae
Kinosternidae
Testudinoidea
Emydidae
Geoemydidae
 Platysternidae
Testudinidae
Trionychia
Carettochelyidae
Trionychidae
 
 
Chelydridae
Nanhsiungchelyidae
Protostegidae
 
Pleurodira
 
Araripemydidae
Bothremydidae
Chelidae
Pelomedusidae
Podocnemididae
Sahonachelyidae
 
 
 


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