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Uelocini

Osteichthyes - Testudines - Dermochelyidae

Discussion

Registration number: 1091. Definition: The largest clade containing Ueloca colemanorum n. gen. n. sp., but not Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761). Reference phylogeny: See Fig. 10. Composition: Uelocini currently includes four named species of fossil leatherback turtles (C. rupeliensis, N. peruvianus, U. colemanorum, and Z. terrypratchetti), although material from South Carolina represents additional records (Wood et al. 2009; Fallon & Boessenecker 2020).

Taxonomy
Uelocini was named by Gentry et al. (2025). Its type is Ueloca.

It was assigned to Dermochelyinae by Gentry et al. (2025).

Subtaxa
Cardiochelys, Natemys, Ueloca (type genus), Zealosphargis

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2025Uelocini 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
—Uelocini

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.

Unr. †Uelocini Gentry et al. 2025
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G. †Cardiochelys Moody 1993
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†Cardiochelys rupeliensis Van Beneden 1883
G. †Natemys Wood et al. 1996
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†Natemys peruvianus Wood et al. 1996
G. †Ueloca Gentry et al. 2025
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†Ueloca colemanorum Gentry et al. 2025
G. †Zealosphargis Gentry et al. 2025
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
A. D. Gentry et al. 2025Taxa belonging to Uelocini can be diagnosed relative to other members of Dermochelyinae by absence of longitudinal carapacial ridges.
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: Uetz 2005, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009, Kiessling 2004

Age range: base of the Bortonian to the top of the Tortonian or 42.60000 to 7.24600 Ma

Collections (12 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Bortonian42.6 - 39.1New Zealand Psephophorus terrypratchetti (167710 167712)
Bortonian - Kaiatan42.6 - 36.7New Zealand Psephophorus terrypratchetti (167711)
MP 2233.9 - 27.3Germany Psephophorus rupeliensis (46097)
Rupelian33.9 - 27.3USA (Alabama) Ueloca colemanorum (242289)
Rupelian33.9 - 27.3Belgium (Antwerpen) Psephophorus rupeliensis (52047)
Rupelian33.9 - 27.3Belgium Psephophorus rupeliensis (89429)
Rupelian33.9 - 27.3USA (South Carolina) Natemys sp. (188100 189779)
Chattian27.3 - 23.04USA (South Carolina) Natemys sp. (196878 211540)
Serravallian - Tortonian13.82 - 7.246Peru (Ica) Natemys peruvianus (189536)