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Aurorachelys gaffneyi

Osteichthyes - Testudines

Taxonomy
Aurorachelys gaffneyi was named by Vandermark et al. (2009). Its type specimen is UR 06.085, a partial shell (impressions of the dorsal and ventral carapacial surfaces, and impressions of posterior plastron with a single hyoplastron and both hypoplastra and xiphiplastr), and it is an impression. Its type locality is Expedition Fiord, Axel Heiberg, which is in a Cenomanian estuary/bay siltstone/shale in the Kanguk Formation of Canada.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2009Aurorachelys gaffneyi Vandermark et al.
2023Aurorachelys gaffneyi Gentry et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
RankNameAuthor
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
PancryptodiraJoyce et al. 2004
Macrobaenidae(Sukhanov 1964)
genusAurorachelys
speciesgaffneyi

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.

Aurorachelys gaffneyi Vandermark et al. 2009
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
D. Vandermark et al. 2009A macrobaenid turtle similar to Late Cretaceous and Paleocene genera, but differing from Early Cretaceous genera in havinga carapace >30 cm long and in having well-formed hexagonal neurals, and differing from all Late Cretaceous and Paleocene genera in having a more nearly circular shell. Also differing from Judithemys in having a mid-plastra fenestra, and differing from Anatolemys in that the posterior lobe of the plastron is longer and narrower.
A. D. Gentry et al. 2023Aurorachelys gaffneyi can be differentiated from J. sukhanovi and A. ebersolei by the presence of a central plastral fenestra, and from species of Osteopygis in having a nearly circular shell, a shallow nuchal emargination, and a pygal equal or greater in width than the adjacent peripherals.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialuc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Created: 2017-04-17 15:15:35
Modified: 2017-04-17 15:15:35
Source: c = class, subp = subphylum, uc = unranked clade
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Kiessling 2004, Carroll 1988

Age range: Late/Upper Cenomanian or 100.50000 to 93.90000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Cenomanian100.5 - 93.9Canada (Nunavut) Aurorachelys gaffneyi (type locality: 45559)