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Natemys peruvianus

Osteichthyes - Testudines - Dermochelyidae

Taxonomy
Natemys peruvianus was named by Wood et al. (1996). Its type specimen is Museo de Historia Natural de Lima, uncatalogued, a partial shell (partial carapace and plastron), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is near Las Tres Pyramides, which is in a Serravallian/Tortonian marine horizon in the Pisco Formation of Peru.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1996Natemys peruvianus Wood et al. p. 271
2025Natemys peruvianus 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
Anthracosauria
RankNameAuthor
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
suborderCryptodira
superfamilyChelonioidea
familyDermochelyidaeLydekker 1889
subfamilyDermochelyinae
Uelocini
genusNatemys
speciesperuvianus

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.

Natemys peruvianus Wood et al. 1996
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
R. C. Wood et al. 1996Differs from all other known decrmochelyid taxa in having both carapace and plastron comprised of a mosaic of large numbers of bony ossicles varying considerably in size and shape. Anteroposterior ridges are absent on both carapace and plastron, both of which appear to have been smooth-surfaced. Scute sulci are absent. Carapace has at least two parallel rows of irregularly spaced, greatly enlarged and elongated ossicles with deeply scalloped borders, largely ringed by clusters of smaller, more or less oval ossicles; together, this assemblage forms a distinctive "sunflower" pattern. Clusters of ossicles forming "sunflower" patterns in adjacent rows are offset from one another. A third row of moderately elongated, uniformly sized ossicles is also present on the carapace; no readily definable clusters of smaller ossicles are associated with these. All the rows of enlarged ossicles are presumably aligned with the anteroposterior axis of the shell. Three to five generally smaller ossicles intervene between the parallel rows of enlarged ossicles. Only one row of enlarged, roughly equidimensional ossicles is preserved on the plastron, oriented in the same direction as the prominent carapace rows. In this row, larger ossicles with scalIoped edges alternate regularly with somewhat smaller, oblong ossicles with straight sides. A feebly developed "sunflower" pattern is associated with only some of the scallop-edged ossiccles of this row. No well-defined lateral rows of enlarged ossicles are present on either side of this row. Many plastral ossicles are elongated transversely, including one isolated, enlarged, scallop-edged ossicle surrounded by smaller satellite ossicles which form a "sunflower" pattern.
A. D. Gentry et al. 2025Natemys can be diagnosed by the presence of smooth, unridged ossicles connected by deeply interdigitating sutures and the presence of well-developed floriform ossicle patterns where the central ossicle is elongate with deeply scalloped margins and the associated “petal” ossicles are joined to the central ossicle by narrow V-shaped sutures.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: marinef
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: aquaticf
Diet: durophagef
Diet 2: piscivoref
Reproduction: oviparousf
Created: 2005-08-26 14:29:38
Modified: 2005-08-26 16:29:38
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Kiessling 2004, Carroll 1988, Uetz 2005

Age range: base of the Serravallian to the top of the Tortonian or 13.82000 to 7.24600 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Serravallian - Tortonian13.82 - 7.246Peru (Ica) Natemys peruvianus (type locality: 189536)