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Podocnemis brasiliensis

Osteichthyes - Testudines - Podocnemididae

Discussion

TYPE SPECIMEN: DGM 214-R in Price (1953: 12) but DGM 2980 in Candeiro et al. (2006: 927). Correct number is MCT 214-R (G.R. Oliveira, personal commun.). Partial plastron figured in Staesche (1937: fig. 1 [restored], pls. 16, 17) and Price (1953: figs. 1, 2.).

Taxonomy
Podocnemis brasiliensis was named by Staesche (1937). Its type specimen is MCT 214-R, a partial shell (partial plastron), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Between Jupiá and Araçatuba (Km 101-104), which is in a Campanian/Maastrichtian terrestrial horizon in the Adamantina Formation of Brazil.

It was recombined as Bauruemys brasiliensis by Kischlat (1994), Romano and Azevedo (2007); it was considered a nomen dubium by Romano et al. (2013).

Sister species lacking formal opinion data

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1937Podocnemis brasiliensis Staesche
1981Podocnemis brasiliensis Campos and de Broin
1994Bauruemys brasiliensis Kischlat
2007Bauruemys brasiliensis Romano and Azevedo
2025Podocnemis brasiliensis Bogado et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
RankNameAuthor
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
suborderPleurodira
superfamilyPelomedusoidesBroin 1988
familyPodocnemididae
subfamilyPodocnemidinae
genusPodocnemisWagler 1830
speciesbrasiliensis

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.

Podocnemis brasiliensis Staesche 1937
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
J. P. Bogado et al. 2025“Podocnemis” brasiliensis can be diagnosed as a member of the Pleurodira because its plastron bears an anal notch and sutural attachments with the pelvic girdle. It is recognized as a member of the Pelomedusoides due to the presence of rounded paired mesoplastra that do not meet in the midline, and as a representative of the Pan-Podocnemididae owing to its elongated plastral bridge.

“Podocnemis” brasiliensis can be distinguished from other Pan-Podocnemididae due to the combination of the following characteristics: (1) shell surface with ornamentation composed of dichotomously branching shallow grooves, which may locally anastomose into an interconnected network (“pelomedusoid ornamentation” sensu Broin, 1977); (2) extragular scutes restricted to the epiplastra; (3) gular scute relatively narrow; (4) long midline contact between humeral scutes; (5) humero-pectoral sulcus departs from the midline at a posterior position, but progresses antero-laterally so as to nearly contact or slightly overlap the epiplastra; (6) pectorals reach entoplastra but not mesoplastra.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: freshwaterf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: aquaticf
Diet: herbivoref
Diet 2: carnivoref
Reproduction: oviparousf
Created: 2005-08-26 14:35:35
Modified: 2005-08-26 16:35:35
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Uetz 2005, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009, Kiessling 2004

Age range: base of the Late/Upper Campanian to the top of the Danian or 83.60000 to 61.66000 Ma

Collections (3 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Late/Upper Santonian - Early/Lower Campanian85.7 - 72.2Brazil (São Paulo) Podocnemis brasiliensis (232270)
Late/Upper Campanian - Early/Lower Maastrichtian83.6 - 66.0Brazil (São Paulo) Podocnemis brasiliensis (type locality: 189029)
Danian66.0 - 61.66Bolivia (Mizque) Podocnemis brasiliensis (13501)