| Basic info | Taxonomic history | Classification | Included Taxa |
| Morphology | Ecology and taphonomy | External Literature Search | Age range and collections |
Dermochelyidae (leatherback)
Taxonomy
Dermochelyidae was named by Lydekker (1889) [also attributed to Fitzinger 1843]. It is extant. Its type is Dermochelys.
It was corrected as Dermochelydidae by Jaekel (1911).
It was assigned to Athecata by Lydekker (1889); to Chelonii by Jaekel (1911); to Athecae by Hay (1902) and Hay (1930); to Dermochelyoidea by Kuhn (1966) and Weems (1988); to Cryptodira by Zittel (1890), Thurmond and Jones (1981) and Köhler (1995); to Testudines by Dodd and Morgan (1992), Hirayama (1995) and Frank and Ramus (1996); to Dermochelyoidae by Hirayama (1998); to Chelonoidea by Gaffney (1975), Hirayama and Hikida (1998) and Karl (2007); to Chelonioidea by Otero et al. (2012) and Fallon and Boessenecker (2020); and to Chelonioidea by Baur (1893), Carroll (1988), de la Fuente et al. (1995), Hirayama and Chitoku (1996), Joyce et al. (2004), Parmley et al. (2006), Karl and Tichy (2007), van Dijk et al. (2014), Rhodin et al. (2017) and Bona et al. (2024).
It was corrected as Dermochelydidae by Jaekel (1911).
It was assigned to Athecata by Lydekker (1889); to Chelonii by Jaekel (1911); to Athecae by Hay (1902) and Hay (1930); to Dermochelyoidea by Kuhn (1966) and Weems (1988); to Cryptodira by Zittel (1890), Thurmond and Jones (1981) and Köhler (1995); to Testudines by Dodd and Morgan (1992), Hirayama (1995) and Frank and Ramus (1996); to Dermochelyoidae by Hirayama (1998); to Chelonoidea by Gaffney (1975), Hirayama and Hikida (1998) and Karl (2007); to Chelonioidea by Otero et al. (2012) and Fallon and Boessenecker (2020); and to Chelonioidea by Baur (1893), Carroll (1988), de la Fuente et al. (1995), Hirayama and Chitoku (1996), Joyce et al. (2004), Parmley et al. (2006), Karl and Tichy (2007), van Dijk et al. (2014), Rhodin et al. (2017) and Bona et al. (2024).
Synonyms
|
Synonymy list
| Year | Name and author |
|---|---|
| 1825 | Sphargididae Gray |
| 1871 | Sphargidae Cope p. 235 |
| 1873 | Sphargididae Leidy p. 342 |
| 1875 | Sphargididae Cope p. 16 |
| 1889 | Dermochelyidae Lydekker |
| 1890 | Dermochelydidae Zittel p. 517 |
| 1893 | Dermochelyidae Baur p. 673 |
| 1898 | Sphargidae Gadow p. 21 |
| 1899 | Psephophoridae Goette |
| 1902 | Dermochelyidae Hay p. 436 |
| 1906 | Sphargidae Andrews |
| 1911 | Dermochelydidae Jaekel p. 187 |
| 1928 | Sphargidae Perrier p. 3115 |
| 1930 | Dermochelyidae Hay p. 67 |
| 1937 | Chelonia californiensis Gilmore |
| 1966 | Dermochelyidae Kuhn p. 29 |
| 1975 | Dermochelyidae Gaffney p. 429 |
| 1981 | Dermochelidae Thurmond and Jones p. 135 |
| 1988 | Dermochelyidae Carroll |
| 1988 | Dermochelyidae Weems p. 141 figs. Table 2 |
| 1992 | Dermochelyidae Dodd, Jr. and Morgan p. 3 |
| 1995 | Dermochelyidae Hirayama p. 3 |
| 1995 | Dermochelyidae Köhler |
| 1995 | Dermochelyidae de la Fuente et al. |
| 1996 | Dermochelyidae Frank and Ramus |
| 1996 | Dermochelyidae Hirayama and Chitoku p. 598 |
| 1998 | Dermochelyidae Hirayama |
| 1998 | Dermochelyidae Hirayama and Hikida p. 70 |
| 2004 | Dermochelyidae Joyce et al. |
| 2006 | Dermochelyidae Parmley et al. p. 345 |
| 2007 | Dermochelyidae Karl p. 52 |
| 2007 | Dermochelyidae Karl and Tichy |
| 2012 | Dermochelyidae Otero et al. p. 126 |
| 2014 | Dermochelyidae van Dijk et al. |
| 2017 | Dermochelyidae Rhodin et al. |
| 2020 | Dermochelyidae Fallon and Boessenecker |
| 2024 | Dermochelyidae Bona et al. |
Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data
|
|
If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.
Fm. Dermochelyidae Lydekker 1889 [leatherback]
show all | hide all
G. Dermochelys de Blainville 1816 [Leatherback sea turtle]
+
Dermochelys coriacea Vandelli 1761 [Leatherback sea turtle]
+
Invalid names: Chelonias lutaria Rafinesque 1814 [synonym], Dermatochelys porcata Wagler 1830 [synonym], Sphargis angusta Philippi 1899 [synonym], Sphargis mercurialis Merrem 1820 [synonym], Testudo arcuata Catesby 1771 [synonym], Testudo lyra Lacepede 1788 [synonym], Testudo tuberculata Pennant in Schoepff 1801 [synonym]
Invalid names: Chelonias Rafinesque 1814 [nomen oblitum], Chelyra Rafinesque 1815 [nomen nudum], Chelyra Rafinesque 1832 [synonym], Coriudo Fleming 1822 [objective synonym], Dermatochelys Wagler 1830 [synonym], Dermochelis Cuvier 1829 [synonym], Dermochelis atlantica LeSueur in Cuvier 1829 [nomen nudum], Scytina Wagler 1828 [synonym], Sphargis Merrem [synonym]
G. †Egyptemys Wood et al. 1996
+
†Egyptemys eocaenus Andrews 1901
†Egyptemys oregonensis Packard 1940
G. †Eosphargis Lydekker 1889
+
†Eosphargis breineri Nielsen 1959
†Eosphargis insularis Cope 1872
Invalid names: Anglocetus Tarlo 1963 [synonym]
G. †Mesodermochelys Hirayama and Chitoku 1996
+
†Mesodermochelys undulatus Hirayama and Chitoku 1996
G. †Psephophorus von Meyer 1847
+
†Psephophorus polygonus von Meyer 1847
+
Invalid names: Psephophorus calvertensis Palmer 1909 [synonym]
†Psephophorus pseudostracion Gervais 1849
†Psephophorus rupeliensis Van Beneden 1883
†Psephophorus scaldii van Beneden 1871
†Psephophorus terrypratchetti Köhler 1995
Invalid names: Chelonia californiensis Gilmore 1937 [invalid subgroup], Psephophoridae Goette 1899 [synonym], Sphargidae Gray 1825 [synonym]
Diagnosis
| Reference | Diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|
| E. Perrier 1928 (Sphargidae) | Tortues marines. Carapace constituée par de très nombreuses petites plaques osseuses, disposées en mosaïque, indépendantes des vertèbres et des côtes, et recouverte par un tégument ayant la consistance du cuir ; membres en forme de palette, sans ongles. Cou non rétractile. |
Measurements
No measurements are available
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
||||
| Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum | |||||
| References: Hendy et al. 2009, Uetz 2005, Carroll 1988 | |||||
Age range
Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Late/Upper Campanian to the top of the Holocene or 83.50000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 72.1 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 72.1 Ma
Collections (96 total)
| Time interval | Ma | Country or state | Original ID and collection number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campanian | Japan (Wakayama) | Mesodermochelys sp. (236691) | |
| Early/Lower Campanian | USA (California) | Dermochelyidae indet. (137837) | |
| Early/Lower Campanian | Japan (Nakagawa) | Mesodermochelys sp. (188484) | |
| Early/Lower Campanian | Japan (Hokkaido) | Mesodermochelys undulatus (152095) | |
| Late/Upper Campanian | Kazakhstan (Kustanay) | Turgaiscapha kushmurunica (154180) | |
| Early/Lower Maastrichtian | Chile (Santiago) | Dermochelyidae indet. (132352) | |
| Early/Lower Maastrichtian | Japan (Hokkaido) | Mesodermochelys undulatus (129271 129272 129273 129274 129275 129276 129277 129278) | |
| Early/Lower Maastrichtian | Japan (Hyogo) | Mesodermochelys undulatus (176812) | |
| Thanetian | USA (New Jersey) | Lembonax insularis (123512) | |
| Late/Upper Paleocene | USA (Virginia) | Eosphargis insularis (167192) | |
| Ypresian | Belgium (Brabant) | Eosphargis gigas (188444) | |
| Ypresian | Denmark | Egyptemys eocaenus (84460) Eosphargis breineri (196472) | |
| Ypresian | United Kingdom (England) | Anglocetus beatsoni (13299) Chelone gigas (167274) | |
| Ypresian | USA (Maryland ) | Eosphargis gigas (124192) | |
| Ypresian | Antarctica | Dermochelyidae indet. (61094) Psephophorus sp. (100414) | |
| Wasatchian | USA (Virginia) | Eosphargis gigas (15595) | |
| Early/Lower Eocene - Middle Eocene | Denmark | Egyptemys eocaenus (167718) | |
| Lutetian - Bartonian | Argentina (Tierra del Fuego) | Dermochelyidae indet. (234571) | |
| Lutetian - Bartonian | Antarctica (Seymour Island) | Psephophorus sp., Dermochelyidae indet. (53666) | |
| Middle Eocene | Ukraine | Dermochelyidae indet. (113113) | |
| Middle Eocene | Ukraine (Crimea) | Dermochelyidae indet. (140018) | |
| Bortonian | New Zealand | Psephophorus terrypratchetti (167710 167712) | |
| Bortonian - Kaiatan | New Zealand | Psephophorus terrypratchetti (167711) | |
| Bartonian | New Zealand | Psephophorus terrypratchetti (167345) | |
| Bartonian | Western Sahara | Dermochelyidae indet. (175734) | |
| Bartonian | Nigeria | Cosmochelys dolloi (32906) | |
| Bartonian | USA (South Carolina) | Dermochelyidae indet. (134300) | |
| Bartonian | Kazakhstan | Dermochelyidae indet. (236030 236031) | |
| Bartonian - Priabonian | Antarctica | Psephophorus sp. (31173) | |
| Bartonian - Priabonian | Ukraine | Dermochelyidae indet. (49160) | |
| Priabonian | USA (South Carolina) | Dermochelyidae indet. (32908 206945) | |
| Priabonian | USA (Georgia) | Dermochelyidae indet. (45640) | |
| Priabonian | Western Sahara | Egyptemys sp. (159113) | |
| Priabonian | Egypt | Psephophorus eocenus (79700) | |
| Late/Upper Eocene | Egypt | Psephophorus eocaenus (62468) | |
| MP 22 | Germany | Psephophorus rupeliensis (46097) | |
| Rupelian | Belgium | Psephophorus rupeliensis (89429) | |
| Rupelian | USA (South Carolina) | Dermochelyidae indet. (60444) Natemys sp. (189779) Psephophorus sp. (45777) Psephophorus sp., Natemys sp. (188100) | |
| Rupelian | Belgium (Antwerpen) | Psephophorus rupeliensis (52047) | |
| Late/Upper Oligocene | Peru (Ica) | Natemys peruvianus (189536) | |
| Chattian | Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen) | Psephophorus sp. (37598) | |
| Chattian | Germany | Psephophorus sp. (57119) | |
| Chattian | USA (South Carolina) | Egyptemys sp., Natemys sp. (211540) Natemys sp. (196878) | |
| Early/Lower Miocene | Argentina (Chubut) | Dermochelyidae indet. (208497 208504) | |
| Burdigalian | USA (Oregon) | Psephophorus oregonensis (60339) | |
| Burdigalian | Peru | Dermochelyidae indet. (167732) | |
| Burdigalian | USA (Maryland) | Psephophorus calvertensis (70817) Psephophorus polygonus (71810) | |
| Burdigalian | Argentina (Chubut) | Dermochelyidae indet. (45886) | |
| Burdigalian - Messinian | Italy (Apulia) | Psephophorus polygonus (47125) | |
| Langhian | USA (California) | Chelonia californiensis (13297) Dermochelyidae sp., Chelonia californiensis (59059) | |
| Langhian | USA (Virginia) | Psephophorus calvertensis (79793) | |
| Langhian | USA (Maryland) | Psephophorus polygonus (70818) | |
| Langhian | Mexico (Baja California) | Dermochelidae sp. (52183) | |
| Langhian - Serravallian | Italy (Benevento) | Psephophorus sp. (190853) | |
| Langhian - Serravallian | USA (California) | Psephophorus indet. (46069) | |
| Serravallian | USA (Virginia) | Psephophorus sp. (57700) | |
| Serravallian | USA (Maryland) | Psephophorus polygonus (71533 97475) | |
| Serravallian | Germany | Dermochelyidae indet. (46114) | |
| Badenian | Slovakia | Psephophorus polygonus (73137) | |
| Tortonian | Denmark (Jutland) | Psephophorus sp. (34521) | |
| Tortonian | USA (California) | Dermochelys sp. (13300) Psephophorus sp. (168017) | |
| Tortonian | USA (Virginia) | Psephophorus calvertensis (152251) | |
| Tortonian | USA (Maryland) | Psephophorus polygonus (219172 221449) | |
| Tortonian | Netherlands | Psephophorus polygonus (190169) | |
| Late/Upper Miocene - Late/Upper Pliocene | Belgium (Antwerpen) | Macrochelys scaldii (47465) | |
| Late/Upper Hemphillian | USA (Florida) | Psephophorus sp. (67804) | |
| Messinian - Zanclean | USA (California) | Psephophorus sp. (55448) | |
| Zanclean | USA (California) | Psephophorus sp. (203404) | |
| Zanclean | USA (North Carolina) | Psephophorus sp. (52582) | |
| Pliocene | France (Hérault) | Psephophorus pseudostracion (181660) | |
| Holocene | Australia (Queensland) | Dermochelys coriacea (21688) | |
| Holocene | Oman | Dermochelys coriacea (198544 198545) |