A New Extinct Emydid Turtle from the Lower Pliocene of Oklahoma — John Shaqi
A New Extinct Emydid Turtle from the Lower Pliocene of OklahomaGalbreath, Edwin C. (Edwin Carter)
Science
A New Extinct Emydid Turtle from the Lower Pliocene of Oklahoma
Galbreath, Edwin C. (Edwin Carter)
Turtles, Fossil -- Oklahoma
_Diagnosis._--Size large (see measurements) and differing from
other species of _Chrysemys_ in having: The anterior end of the
carapace broadly concave, the posterolateral marginals not greatly
flared, the posterior end of the plastron broadly indented, the
carapace more sculptured and relatively wider.
_Description of type._--The specimen had been badly damaged before
preservation, and had suffered further damage from exposure before
discovery. The anterior and posterior lobes of the plastron had been
folded over the bridge, forming a three-ply thickness of bone. Of the
carapace, only the following parts are known: Fragment of the nuchal;
right 1st, 7th, 8th, and 9th marginals, left 1st, 2d, 7th, 8th, 9th, and
11th marginals; costals 1-5 on the right side; costals 1-4 on the left
side; and 1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th neurals. The left half of the plastron is
relatively complete, lacking only the epiplastron and entoplastron. The
left 7th, 8th, and 9th marginals are joined to the plastron at the
inguinal buttress, and the right 7th, 8th, and 9th marginals are
attached to the fifth costal. The carapace has smooth contours with no
keel present, but on the lower half of the costals there are seven or
eight ridges, and the remaining surface of the costals and neurals are
rugose. The marginals lack ridges, and the posterolateral marginals are
not serrated. The anterior end of the carapace has a broad shallow
notch. The first neural is rounded, and the 2d, 3d, and 4th are
hexagonal, with the broad ends forward. Anterior margins of the 2d and
3d neurals are concave, and the anterior margin of the 4th neural is
straight.
The sulci bounding the scutes are moderately impressed. The width of the
first vertebral scute, anteriorly and posteriorly, is less than the
width of the second vertebral scute. The costal scutes join the marginal
scutes on the marginal plates.
The plastron, broadly indented at the posterior end, does not have the
posterior lobe flared laterally as it is in Recent species of
_Chrysemys_, and lacks any pronounced notch at the femoro-anal suture.
The humero-pectoral sulcus crosses the plastron behind the entoplastron
in a straight line, and reaches the border anterior to the axillary
notch. The pectoro-abdominal suture is anteriorly convex at the sides
and concave at the midline.
A comparison of this carapace and plastron with a series of specimens of
Recent _Chrysemys picta_ and _Pseudemys scripta_ of approximately the
same size reveals characters indicated in the following chart:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account