Reptilia - Testudines - Podocnemidoidae
Derivation of name. The Latin word caelestis is the root of the Spanish word celeste, meaning light blue. This name refers to the characteristic light blue colour of the fossil specimens from the Baal locality.
https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DB3A8AA5-5AF1-48DD-9F87-52884AB539BF
Full reference: M. Sarda and I. J. Maniel. 2025. A new species of Elkanemys (Pleurodira: Pelomedusoides) from the Portezuelo Formation (Turonian–Coniacian) of Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 23(1):20
Belongs to Elkanemys according to M. Sarda and I. J. Maniel 2025
Sister taxon: Elkanemys pritchardi
Type specimen: MUC-Pv 2218, a partial skeleton. Its type locality is Baal Quarry, Lago Barreales [MUCP], which is in a Turonian/Coniacian terrestrial conglomerate in the Portezuelo Formation of Argentina.
Ecology: amphibious omnivore
Distribution: found only at Baal Quarry, Lago Barreales [MUCP]
Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.
Click image to enlarge. Click to access iDigBio record.