Reptilia - Testudines - Dermochelyidae

LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F0F6343B-7BCB-4299-9B89-05159B9E1AAE

Etymology. Giganto in latin means giant, chelys: turtle, aegyptiacus referring to Egypt.

Full reference: M. K. Mousa, A. A. A. Tantawy, and G. A. Abu El-Kheir. 2026. First known gigantic dermochelyid turtle (Pan-Chelonioidea) from the Upper Cretaceous deposits of Dakhla Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Cretaceous Research 184(78):106357

Parent taxon: Dermochelyidae according to M. K. Mousa et al. 2026

Sister taxa: Arabemys, Chelonia californiensis, Dermochelyinae, Dermochelys, Egyptemys, Eosphargis, Helianthochelys, Maorichelys, Mesodermochelys, Turgaiscapha

Subtaxa: Gigantochelys aegyptiacus

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Type: Gigantochelys aegyptiacus

Ecology: aquatic durophage-piscivore

Distribution: found only at Mut-Manfalout, Horizon III

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Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.