Reptilia - Testudines - Dermochelyidae
Registration number: 1091. Definition: The largest clade containing Ueloca colemanorum n. gen. n. sp., but not Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761). Reference phylogeny: See Fig. 10. Composition: Uelocini currently includes four named species of fossil leatherback turtles (C. rupeliensis, N. peruvianus, U. colemanorum, and Z. terrypratchetti), although material from South Carolina represents additional records (Wood et al. 2009; Fallon & Boessenecker 2020).
Full reference: A. D. Gentry, M. E. Burns, J. A. Ebersole, K. A. Gregson, E. C. Martinez and J. E. Parham. 2025. A new leatherback marine turtle from the lower Oligocene of North America and a phylogenetic nomenclature for Dermochelyidae. Palaeodiversity 18(1):127-149
Parent taxon: Dermochelyinae according to A. D. Gentry et al. 2025
Sister taxon: Dermochelyini
Subtaxa: Cardiochelys Natemys Ueloca Zealosphargis
Type: Ueloca
Ecology: aquatic durophage-piscivore
Distribution:
• Miocene of Peru (1 collection)
• Oligocene of Belgium (2), Germany (1), United States (5: Alabama, South Carolina)
• Eocene of New Zealand (3)
Total: 12 collections each including a single occurrence