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Peltocephalus maturin
Discussion
Maturin refers to the giant turtle that vomited out the universe in Stephen Kings stories, which in turn was inspired by the character Stephen Maturin who, in the book H.M.S. Surprise of Patrick OBrians Aubrey-Maturin series, names a giant tortoise.
Taxonomy
Peltocephalus maturin was named by Ferreira et al. (2024). Its type specimen is MERO.PV.H 007, a mandible, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Taquaras Quarry, which is in a Pleistocene terrestrial conglomerate in the Rio Madeira Formation of Brazil.
Synonymy list
| Year | Name and author |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Peltocephalus maturin Ferreira et al. |
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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.
†Peltocephalus maturin Ferreira et al. 2024
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Diagnosis
| Reference | Diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|
| G. S. Ferreira et al. 2024 | Peltocephalus maturin is assigned to Pelomedusoides based on its fused dentaries and to Peltocephalus by the symphyseal hook higher than the coronoid process, the lingual platform and a small fossa with two pits on the posterior surface of the symphysis. It differs from Podocnemis spp. in its straight, instead of curved, labial and lingual ridges, U-shaped midline outline of the lingual ridges, well-developed symphyseal hook, transverse posterior (lingual) platform ventral to the triturating surface and the symphyseal fossa; from Erymnochelys madagascariensis by two pits in the symphyseal fossa, instead of one; from both Podocnemis spp. and E. madagascariensis in its dorsoventrally—instead of posteroventrally—sloping posterior limit of the rhamphotheca. Peltocephalus maturin can be distinguished from Pe. dumerilianus based on its much greater size, labial ridge higher than the lingual, symphyseal ridge separating left and right triturating surfaces (all these shared with Stupendemys geographica), and secondary ridge orthogonal to the long axis of the triturating surface, separating anterior and posterior triturating areas (autapomorphy). Peltocephalus maturin can be differentiated from S. geographica by narrow instead of expanded triturating surfaces, upcurved pointed symphyseal hook and sharp but not protruding and anteriorly V-shaped lingual ridges, instead of protruding and U-shaped. |
Measurements
No measurements are available
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| Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum | |||||
| References: Uetz 2005, Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988 | |||||
Age range: Late/Upper Pleistocene or 0.12900 to 0.01170 Ma
Collections: one only
| Time interval | Ma | Country or state | Original ID and collection number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late/Upper Pleistocene | Brazil (Rondonia) | Peltocephalus maturin (type locality: 234042) |