Terlinguachelys

Terlinguachelys Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 80 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	†Protostegidae
Genus:	†Terlinguachelys Lehman and Tomlinson, 2004
Species:	†T. fischbecki
Binomial name
†Terlinguachelys fischbecki Lehman and Tomlinson, 2004

Terlinguachelys fischbecki is an extinct sea turtle that existed during the Late Cretaceous period some 80 million years ago. It is the sole species in the genus Terlinguachelys and is classified in the family Protostegidae along with other extinct marine turtles.^[1]

As an early sea turtle, Terlinguachelys already showed several characteristics typical of modern sea turtles. These included a dorsoventrally-flattened body, a comparatively large head with a short neck and the iconic flattened paddle-like arms that sea turtles distinctly possess. However, some anatomical differences identify the turtle as a more basal member of the sea turtle superfamily. The posterior portion of Terlinguachelys' mandible for example has several elements that are reduced in later forms. Whereas the posterior portions of modern sea turtles' mandibles are smoother and streamlined, that of Terlinguachelys has prominent fossae. The plates that comprise the carapace of the lone specimen exhumed were analyzed and somewhat indicated that they were not completely ossified, suggesting that this taxon is closer in relation to the leatherbacks rather than other modern marine turtles. Also, this particular species has a comparatively longer femur in proportion to its humerus than other species of marine turtle, extant and otherwise.^[1]

The species was discovered in 1987. A lone specimen was unearthed from rocks located in the Aguja Formation of Texas, dated to be from Campanian deposits of the Late Cretaceous period. The type specimen, labeled as TMM 43072-1, consists of an incomplete turtle skeleton including parts of the skull, carapace and limbs.^[1]

The turtle was named for the nearby town of Terlingua, Texas, just kilometers away from where the specimen was discovered. Roughly translated, Terlinguachelys fischbecki means "Fischbeck's turtle from Terlingua". The species itself was named in honor of a local teacher, George R. Fischbeck who was popular in the 1960s.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lehman, Thomas M.; Susan L. Tomlinson (2004). "Terlinguachelys fischbecki, a new genus and species of sea turtle (Chelonioidea: Protostegidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Texas". Journal of Paleontology. The Paleontological Society. 78 (6): 1163–1178. doi:10.1666/0022-3360(2004)078<1163:TFANGA>2.0.CO;2. S2CID 54755373.

Testudines

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines

Genus

Chelonioidea
(Sea turtles)

Cheloniidae	†Allopleuron Caretta †Carolinochelys Chelonia †Eochelone Eretmochelys †Gigantatypus †Glarichelys †Itilochelys Lepidochelys †Mexichelys †Miocaretta Natator †Pacifichelys †Syllomus †Tasbacka
Dermochelyidae	†Arabemys †Bouliachelys †Corsochelys †Cosmochelys Dermochelys †Eosphargis †Mesodermochelys †Psephophorus
	†Alienochelys †Berruchelus †Euclastes †Peritresius †Procolpochelys †Protosphargis †Puppigerus

Kinosternoidea

Dermatemydidae	Dermatemys
Kinosternidae	Claudius †Hoplochelys Kinosternon Staurotypus Sternotherus

Testudinoidea

Emydidae	Chrysemys Clemmys Deirochelys Emys Actinemys Emydoidea Glyptemys Graptemys Malaclemys Pseudemys Terrapene Trachemys
Geoemydidae	Batagur †Banhxeochelys Cuora Cyclemys Geoclemys Geoemyda Hardella Heosemys Leucocephalon Malayemys Mauremys Melanochelys Morenia Notochelys Orlitia Pangshura Rhinoclemmys Sacalia Siebenrockiella Vijayachelys
Platysternidae	Platysternon
Tortoises	Aldabrachelys Astrochelys Centrochelys Chelonoidis Chersina Cylindraspis Geochelone Gopherus †Hadrianus †Hesperotestudo Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria †Megalochelys Psammobates Pyxis †Solitudo Stigmochelys †Stylemys Testudo

Trionychia

Carettochelyidae	†Allaeochelys †Anosteira Carettochelys
Trionychidae	Amyda Apalone †Axestemys Chitra Cyclanorbis Cycloderma †Drazinderetes Dogania †Gilmoremys †Hutchemys †Khunnuchelys Lissemys Nilssonia Palea †Palaeoamyda Pelochelys Pelodiscus Rafetus Trionyx
	†Basilochelys †Sinaspideretes

†Baenoidea

†Baenidae	†Arvinachelys †Baena †Cedrobaena †Chisternon †Denazinemys †Gamerabaena †Neurankylus †Palatobaena †Peckemys †Plesiobaena
†Pleurosternidae	†Dinochelys †Dorsetochelys †Glyptops †Pleurosternon †Selenemys

Chelydridae	†Acherontemys Chelydra †Chelydrops †Chelydropsis †Emarginachelys †Macrocephalochelys Macrochelys †Planiplastron †Protochelydra
†Eurysternidae	†Achelonia †Chelonides †Eurysternum †Hydropelta †Idiochelys †Palaeomedusa †Parachelys
†Macrobaenidae	†Anatolemys †Aurorachelys †Kirgizemys †Osteopygis †Yakemys
†Nanhsiungchelyidae	†Anomalochelys †Basilemys †Jiangxichelys
†Protostegidae	†Archelon †Atlantochelys †Atlantochelys †Calcarichelys †Cratochelone †Desmatochelys †Iserosaurus †Notochelone †Ocepechelon †Pneumatoarthrus †Protostega †Rhinochelys †Santanachelys †Terlinguachelys
†Sinemydidae	†Jeholochelys †Liaochelys †Manchurochelys †Ordosemys †Sinemys
†Thalassemydidae	†Neusticemys †Palaeomedusa †Thalassemys
	†Adocus †Angolachelys †Argillochelys †Bashuchelys †Brodiechelys †Ctenochelys †Compsemys †Hoyasemys †Larachelus †Leyvachelys †Plesiochelys †Prionochelys †Toxochelys †Uluops †Xinjiangchelys

Pleurodira

†Araripemydidae	†Araripemys
†Bothremydidae	†Araiochelys †Arenila †Azabbaremys †Bothremys †Cearachelys †Chedighaii †Chupacabrachelys †Eotaphrosphys †Foxemys †Galianemys †Ilatardia †Inaechelys †Itapecuruemys †Jainemys †Kinkonychelys †Kurmademys †Labrostochelys †Nigeremys †Phosphatochelys †Polysternon †Puentemys †Rosasia †Rhothonemys †Sankuchemys †Taphrosphys †Ummulisani †Zolhafah
Chelidae	Acanthochelys Chelodina Chelus Elseya Elusor Emydura Hydromedusa †Lomalatachelys Mesoclemmys Myuchelys Phrynops Platemys †Prochelidella Pseudemydura Rheodytes Rhinemys †Yaminuechelys
Pelomedusidae	Pelomedusa Pelusios
Podocnemididae	†Albertwoodemys †Bauruemys †Brontochelys †Caninemys †Carbonemys †Cerrejonemys †Cordichelys Erymnochelys †Lapparentemys †Latentemys Peltocephalus Podocnemis †Stupendemys
†Sahonachelyidae	†Sahonachelys †Sokatra

	†Caribemys †Caririemys †Chubutemys †Hispaniachelys †Tacuarembemys

Phylogenetic arrangement of turtles based on Turtles of the World 2017 Update: Annotated Checklist and Atlas of Taxonomy, Synonymy, Distribution, and Conservation Status. † = extinct.

See also List of Testudines families

This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 01:28

Taxon identifiers
Terlinguachelys	Wikidata: Q21447802 Wikispecies: Terlinguachelys Fossilworks: 150511 GBIF: 4818910 IRMNG: 1272302
Terlinguachelys fishbecki	Wikidata: Q3518393 Fossilworks: 150512

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

References