Reptilia - Testudinata

(From Anquetin et al. 2017:330): Achelonia formosa is based on two specimens from the late Kimmeridgian locality of Cerin, France (Meyer 1860). The first specimen (MHNL 20015606) consists of a fragment of the anterior rim of a carapace (partial nuchal, left peripherals I–III, and partial left costal I), parts of the pectoral girdle, remains of the left forelimb, and a crushed skull. The second specimen (MHNL 20015608) consists of two manus exposed in palmar view on a slab of limestone. In a relatively ambiguous statement, Meyer (1860) noted that Victor Thiollière, who communicated this material to him, declared that the two specimens were found at the same time and belonged to the same turtle. It is rather unclear, however, whether Thiollière and Meyer were suggesting that the two remains belong to the same individual or simply pertain to the same species. Rütimeyer (1873a) referred the two specimens to the same taxon, whereas Lortet (1892) clearly stated that the aspect of the sediment suggests they belong to the same animal. However, it is difficult to confirm whether or not the two specimens belong to the same individual since there is no connection between the slabs. For clarity, we designate the first specimen (MHNL 20015606) as the lectotype of Achelonia formosa.

Full reference: H. von Meyer. 1860. Zur Fauna der Vorwelt. Reptilien aus dem lithographischen Schiefer des Jura in Deutschland und Frankreich. 1-142

Belongs to Achelonia according to W. G. Joyce and M. Mäuser 2020

See also Anquetin et al. 2017, Rütimeyer 1873 and von Meyer 1860

Sister taxa: none

Type specimen: MHNL 20015606, a partial skeleton (fragment of the anterior rim of a carapace plus associated partial left forelimb and skull). Its type locality is Cerin, Jura, which is in a Kimmeridgian terrestrial horizon in France.

Ecology:

Distribution:

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Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.