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6" Inflated Fossil Tortoise (Stylemys) - South Dakota
This is a 6" wide shell (carapace and plastron) of an Oligocene-aged tortoise (Stylemys nebrascensis) from the White River Formation in the Badlands of South Dakota.
The carapace underwent some crushing, requiring some minor gap fill restoration in spots. A few of the marginal scutes have been completely restored. Additional restoration can be found along the anterior and posterior edges of the plastron.
The carapace underwent some crushing, requiring some minor gap fill restoration in spots. A few of the marginal scutes have been completely restored. Additional restoration can be found along the anterior and posterior edges of the plastron.
Stylemys ("pillar turtle") is the first fossil genus of dry land tortoise discovered in the United States. They lived in temperate to subtropical areas of North America, Europe, and Asia.
These extinct tortoises had primitive jaw muscles, unlike today's tortoises that 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 weren't ideal for burrowing.
These extinct tortoises had primitive jaw muscles, unlike today's tortoises that 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 weren't ideal for burrowing.
SPECIES
Stylemys nebrascensis
LOCATION
South Dakota
FORMATION
White River Formation
SIZE
Length: 6", Width: 5.2", Height: 3"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#280782
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