7.4" Fossil Tortoise (Stylemys) - Wyoming

This is an Oligocene aged, fossil tortoise of the genus Stylemys collected from a private ranch near Torrington, Wyoming. Most of the shell is present, just missing a section at the front,. There are a couple of repaired cracks but no restoration. The shell has a slight green tint to it.

Stylemys ("pillar turtle") is the first fossil genus of dry land tortoise discovered in the United States. The genus lived in temperate to subtropical areas of North America, Europe, and Asia
These extinct 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.
SOLD
DETAILS
SPECIES
Stylemys
LOCATION
Ranch near Torrington, Wyoming
SIZE
7.4" long, 6.3" wide
ITEM
#22793
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our
specimens. Read more about our
Authenticity Guarantee.