Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Cheloniidae

Reptilia - Testudines - Cheloniidae

Taxonomy
Cheloniidae was named by Bonaparte (1832). It is extant. It is the type family of Chelonioidea. It was considered monophyletic by Matzke (2007) and Karl et al. (2012).

It was corrected as Chelonidae by Lydekker (1889), Perrier (1928) and Kuhn (1966); it was misspelled as Chelonidae by Zittel (1890), Baur (1893), Gadow (1898), Hay (1902), Stefano (1903), Case (1904), Andrews (1906), Hay (1930), Kuhn (1946), Mlynarski (1959), Zangerl (1960), Gaffney (1975), Thurmond and Jones (1981), Weems (1988), Carroll (1988), Dodd and Morgan (1992), Frank and Ramus (1996), Hirayama (1998), Karl and Tichy (1999), Parris et al. (2000), Lynch and Parham (2003), Joyce et al. (2004), Parmley et al. (2006), Karl (2007), Matzke (2007), Grant-Mackie et al. (2011), Cadena et al. (2012), Karl et al. (2012), de Lapparent de Broin et al. (2014), van Dijk et al. (2014), Rhodin et al. (2017), Haidr and Acosta Hospitaleche (2017) and Myers et al. (2018).

It was assigned to Chelonia by Owen (1842); to Cryptodira by Hay (1902); to Cryptodiri by Perrier (1928); to Chelonioidae by Hay (1930); to Cryptodira by Cope (1871), Cope (1875), Zittel (1890), Gadow (1898), Stefano (1903), Case (1904) and Kuhn (1946); to Chelonioidea by Mlynarski (1959); to Cryptodira by Andrews (1906) and Thurmond and Jones (1981); to Testudines by Dodd and Morgan (1992), Frank and Ramus (1996) and Parris et al. (2000); to Cryptodira by Lydekker (1889), Lynch and Parham (2003) and Cadena et al. (2012); to Chelonoidea by Zangerl (1960), Gaffney (1975), Matzke (2007) and Haidr and Acosta Hospitaleche (2017); and to Chelonioidea by Baur (1893), Kuhn (1966), Weems (1988), Carroll (1988), Hirayama (1998), Karl and Tichy (1999), Joyce et al. (2004), Parmley et al. (2006), Karl (2007), Grant-Mackie et al. (2011), Karl et al. (2012), de Lapparent de Broin et al. (2014), van Dijk et al. (2014), Rhodin et al. (2017) and Myers et al. (2018).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1832Cheloniidae Bonaparte
1842Chelonidae Owen p. 168
1871Cheloniidae Cope p. 235
1875Cheloniidae Cope p. 16
1879Chelone gastaldii Portis p. 115 figs. Figs. 1-3, Plate 1
1879Chelone sismondai Portis p. 117 figs. Plate 2
1889Chelonidae Lydekker pp. 25-27
1890Pliochelys derelicta Portis
1890Progonosaurus pertinax Portis
1890Chelonidae Zittel p. 521
1893Cheloniidae Baur p. 673
1898Chelonidae Gadow p. 21
1898Chelone simonellii Porta
1898Chelone sordellii Porta
1898Chelone strobeli Porta
1902Cheloniidae Hay p. 443
1903Cheloniidae Stefano p. 68
1904Chelonidae Case p. 63
1905Chelone murua de Vis
1906Chelonidae Andrews p. 287
1928Chelonidae Perrier p. 3114
1930Cheloniidae Hay p. 79
1946Chelonidae Kuhn p. 58
1954Chelone bellunensis Bergounioux
1954Chelone acuticostata Bergounioux p. 85 figs. Plate XVII, 2, fig. 34
1959Cheloniidae Mlynarski p. 185
1960Cheloniidae Zangerl p. 285
1966Chelonidae Kuhn p. 28
1975Cheloniidae Gaffney p. 429
1981Cheloniidae Thurmond and Jones p. 136
1988Cheloniidae Carroll
1988Cheloniidae Weems p. 141 figs. Table 2
1992Cheloniidae Dodd, Jr. and Morgan p. 3
1996Cheloniidae Frank and Ramus
1998Cheloniidae Hirayama
1999Cheloniidae Karl and Tichy p. 63
2000Cheloniidae Parris et al. p. 230
2003Cheloniidae Lynch and Parham p. 22
2004Cheloniidae Joyce et al.
2006Cheloniidae Parmley et al. p. 344
2007Cheloniidae Karl p. 36
2007Cheloniidae Matzke
2011Cheloniidae Grant-Mackie et al.
2012Cheloniidae Cadena et al. p. 548
2012Cheloniidae Karl et al.
2014Cheloniidae de Lapparent de Broin et al.
2014Cheloniidae van Dijk et al.
2017Cheloniidae Haidr and Acosta Hospitaleche p. 2
2017Cheloniidae Rhodin et al.
2018Cheloniidae Myers et al.

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
RankNameAuthor
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
—Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
suborderCryptodira
superfamilyChelonioidea
familyCheloniidaeBonaparte 1832
familyCheloniidaeBonaparte 1832

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.

Fm. Cheloniidae Bonaparte 1832
show all | hide all
Subfm. †Allopleuroninae
+
G. †Allopleuron Baur 1888
+
†Allopleuron qazaqstanense Karl et al. 2012
G. †Glyptochelone Dollo 1903
+
G. †Protosphargis Capellini 1884
+
†Protosphargis veronensis Capellini 1884
G. †Ashleychelys Weems and Sanders 2014
+
†Ashleychelys palmeri Weems and Sanders 2014
G. †Cabindachelys Myers et al. 2018
+
†Cabindachelys landanensis Myers et al. 2018
Subfm. Carettinae Gray 1825
+
G. Caretta Rafinesque 1814 [loggerhead]
+
Caretta caretta Linnaeus 1758 [loggerhead sea turtle]
+
Invalid names: Caouana elongata Gray 1844 [synonym], Caretta atra Merrem 1820 [synonym], Caretta gigas Deraniyagala 1933 [synonym], Caretta nasuta Rafinesque 1814 [synonym], Chelonia pelasgica Bibron and Bory de Saint-Vincent 1833 [synonym], Chelonia pelasgorum Valenciennes in Bory de Saint-Vincent 1833 [synonym], Testudo caouana Lacepède 1788 [synonym], Testudo cephalo Schneider 1783 [synonym], Testudo corianna Gray 1831 [synonym], Testudo lauanna Meyer 1790 [synonym], Testudo marina Garsault 1764 [synonym], Testudo nasicornis Lacepède 1788 [synonym], Thalassochelys corticata Girard 1858 [synonym]
†Caretta patriciae Zug 2001
Invalid names: Caouana Cocteau and Bibron 1838 [synonym], Halichelys Fitzinger 1843 [synonym], Thalassochelys Fitzinger 1835 [synonym]
G. Eretmochelys Fitzinger 1843
+
Eretmochelys imbricata Linnaeus 1766 [hawksbill turtle]
+
Invalid names: Caretta bissa Ruppell 1835 [synonym], Caretta rostrata Girard 1858 [synonym], Caretta squamosa Girard 1858 [synonym], Chelonia pseudocaretta Lesson 1831 [synonym], Chelonia pseudomydas Lesson 1831 [synonym], Chelonia radiata Cuvier 1829 [synonym], Eretmochelys squamata Agassiz 1857 [synonym], Onychochelys kraussi Gray 1873 [synonym]
Invalid names: Herpysmostes Gistel 1868 [synonym], Onychochelys Gray 1873 [synonym]
G. Chelone Linnaeus 1758
+
†Chelone costata Owen 1853
†Chelone girundica Delfortrie 1869
†Chelone jessoni Lydekker 1889
†Chelone vanbenedeni Smets 1886
Subfm. Cheloniinae Oppel 1811
+
G. Chelonia Brongniart 1800 [green sea turtle]
+
†Chelonia cuvieri Gray 1831
†Chelonia girundica Delfortrie 1869
†Chelonia gwinneri Wegner 1917
†Chelonia harvicensis Woodward 1830
†Chelonia hoffmanni Gray 1831
+
Invalid names: Chelone camperi Owen 1851 [synonym]
†Chelonia hofmanni Gray 1831
Chelonia mydas Linnaeus 1758 [green turtle]
+
Invalid names: Caretta cepedii Merrem 1820 [synonym], Caretta esculenta Merrem 1820 [synonym], Caretta thunbergii Merrem 1820 [synonym], Chelonia agassizii Bocourt 1868 [synonym], Chelonia albiventer Nardo 1864 [synonym], Chelonia bicarinata Lesson 1831 [synonym], Chelonia formosa Girard 1858 [synonym], Chelonia grisea Eschscholtz 1829 [synonym], Chelonia lachrymata Cuvier 1829 [synonym], Chelonia lata Philippi 1887 [synonym], Chelonia maculosa Cuvier 1829 [synonym], Chelonia marmorata Dumeril and Bibron 1835 [synonym], Chelonia tenuis Girard 1858 [synonym], Chelonia virgata Schweigger 1812 [synonym], Testudo cepediana Daudin 1801 [synonym], Testudo chloronotus Bechstein 1800 [synonym], Testudo japonica Thunberg 1787 [synonym], Testudo macropus Gmelin 1789 [synonym], Testudo viridis Schneider 1783 [synonym]
†Chelonia oligocena Ciobanu 1977
†Chelonia parvitecta Cope 1870
Invalid names: Chelona Brongniart 1805 [synonym], Chelonia castanea Eschscholtz 1829 [nomen oblitum], Euchelys Girard 1858 [synonym], Megemys Gistel 1848 [synonym], Mydasea Gervais 1843 [synonym]
Tr. Cheloniini Zangerl and Turnball 1955
+
G. †Arabemys Tong et al. 1999
+
†Arabemys crassiscutata Tong et al. 1999
G. †Glarichelys Zangerl 1958
+
†Glarichelys knorri Gray 1831
G. Natator McCulloch 1908
+
Natator depressus Garman 1880 [Flatback turtle]
+
Invalid names: Natator tessellatus McCulloch 1908 [synonym]
Tr. †Rupelchelyini Karl and Tichy 1999
+
G. †Rupelchelys Karl and Tichy 1999
+
†Rupelchelys breitkreutzi Karl and Tichy 1999
Invalid names: Carettini Zangerl and Turnbull 1955 [empty]
G. †Chelyopsis Smets 1887
+
†Chelyopsis halleri Karl 1989
†Chelyopsis holsaticus Dames 1894
†Chelyopsis littoreus Van Beneden 1886
†Chelyopsis raabei Karl and Schleich 1994
G. †Dollochelys Zangerl 1971
+
†Dollochelys rogovichi Averianov 2002
G. †Eochelone Dollo 1903
+
†Eochelone athersuchi Moody 1980
†Eochelone brabantica Dollo 1903
†Eochelone monstigris Grant-Mackie et al. 2011
†Eochelone voltregana de Lapparent de Broin et al. 2018
G. †Erquelinnesia Dollo 1887
+
G. †Gigantatypus Kaddumi 2006
+
†Gigantatypus salahi Kaddumi 2006
G. †Itilochelys Danilov et al. 2010
+
†Itilochelys rasstrigin Danilov et al. 2010
G. †Lembonax Cope 1870
+
†Lembonax polemicus Cope 1870
†Lembonax propylaeus Cope 1872
G. Lepidochelys Fitzinger 1843 [Ridley sea turtle]
+
Lepidochelys kempii Garman 1880 [Kemp's Ridley turtle]
+
Invalid names: Testudo viridisquamosa Lacepède 1788 [synonym]
Lepidochelys olivacea Eschscholtz 1829
+
Invalid names: Caretta remivaga Hay 1908 [synonym], Cephalochelys oceanica Gray 1873 [synonym], Chelonia dussumierii Dumeril and Bibron 1835 [synonym], Thalassochelys controversa Philippi 1899 [synonym], Thalassochelys tarapacona Philippi 1887 [synonym]
Invalid names: Caouana ruppellii Gray 1844 [nomen nudum], Cephalochelys Gray 1873 [synonym], Chelonia dubia Bleeker in Gray 1864 [nomen nudum], Chelonia polyaspis Bleeker 1857 [nomen nudum], Testudo bomarii Meyer 1790 [nomen oblitum]
G. †Lusochelys Pérez-García and Antunes 2024
+
†Lusochelys emilianoi Pérez-García and Antunes 2024
G. †Lytoloma Cope 1870
+
†Lytoloma bruxelliensis Dollo 1909
†Lytoloma cantabrigiense Lydekker 1889
†Lytoloma crassa Bergounioux 1952
†Lytoloma elegans Bergounioux 1952
†Lytoloma wemmeliensis Dollo 1909
G. †Miocaretta Deraniyagala 1967
+
†Miocaretta lankae Deraniyagala 1967
G. †Osonachelus de Lapparent de Broin et al. 2014
+
†Osonachelus decorata de Lapparent de Broin et al. 2014
G. †Pacifichelys Parham and Pyenson 2010
+
†Pacifichelys hutchisoni Lynch and Parham 2003
†Pacifichelys urbinai Parham and Pyenson 2010
G. †Procolpochelys Hay 1908
+
†Procolpochelys charlestonensis Weems and Sanders 2014
†Procolpochelys susensis Shikama and Suyama 1976
G. †Protrachyaspis Zvonok et al. 2024
+
†Protrachyaspis shorymensis Zvonok et al. 2024
G. †Puppigerus Cope 1870
+
†Puppigerus breviceps Owen 1841
†Puppigerus camperi Gray 1831
+
Invalid names: Lytoloma trigoniceps Owen 1849 [synonym], Puppigerus longiceps Owen 1841 [synonym], Puppigerus nessovi Averianov 2005 [synonym]
+
Invalid names: Puppigerus latiscutatus Owen 1841 [synonym]
†Puppigerus grandaevus Leidy 1861
†Puppigerus parvisecta Cope 1870
Invalid names: Eochelys Moody 1968 [objective synonym]
Subfm. †Syllominae
+
G. †Bryochelys van Beneden 1871
+
†Bryochelys waterkeyni van Beneden 1871
G. †Kurobechelys Shikama 1956
+
†Kurobechelys tricarinata Shikama 1956
G. †Syllomus Cope 1896
+
†Syllomus aegyptiacus Lydekker 1899
+
Invalid names: Chelonia marylandica Collins and Lynn 1936 [synonym], Peritresius virginianus Berry and Lynn 1936 [synonym]
†Syllomus crispatus Cope 1896
G. †Tasbacka Nesov 1986
+
†Tasbacka aldabergeni Nessov 1987
†Tasbacka danica Karl and Madsen 2012
†Tasbacka ouledabdounensis Tong and Hirayama 2002
†Tasbacka ruhoffi Weems 1988
G. †Trachyaspis von Meyer 1843
+
†Trachyaspis aegyptiaca Lydekker 1889
†Trachyaspis hantoniensis Lydekker 1889
†Trachyaspis lardyi Meyer 1873
+
Invalid names: Testudo varicosa Costa 1851 [synonym], Trionyx bellunensis Misuri 1911 [synonym]
Invalid names: Trionyx melitensis Lydekker 1891 [nomen dubium]
G. Zangerlchelys Hirayama 2006
+
†Zangerlchelys arkansaw Schmidt 1944
Invalid names: Chelone acuticostata Bergounioux 1954 [nomen vanum], Chelone bellunensis Bergounioux 1954 [nomen vanum], Chelone gastaldii Portis 1879 [nomen vanum], Chelone murua de Vis 1905 [nomen dubium], Chelone simonellii Porta 1898 [nomen vanum], Chelone sismondai Portis 1879 [nomen vanum], Chelone sordellii Porta 1898 [nomen vanum], Chelone strobeli Porta 1898 [nomen vanum], Eocheloniinae [empty], Eochelyinae Moody 1967 [empty], Eretmochelyinae Deranyiagala 1953 [empty], Pliochelys derelicta Portis 1890 [nomen vanum], Progonosaurus pertinax Portis 1890 [nomen vanum]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
E. Perrier 1928Tortues marines. Carapace recouverte de plaques cornées typiques. Pattes en forme de rames, ayant seulement 1 ou 2 ongles; phalanges non articulées.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: marinesuperf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: aquaticsubo
Diet: omnivoresubo
Reproduction: oviparoussubo
Created: 2017-04-17 10:37:12
Modified: 2017-04-17 10:37:12
Source: superf = superfamily, subo = suborder, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Carroll 1988, Uetz 2005, Bush and Bambach 2015, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Late/Upper Valanginian to the top of the Holocene or 140.20000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 136.4 Ma

Collections (241 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Valanginian140.2 - 136.4Switzerland Trachyaspis sanctae-crucis (2225)
Late/Upper Valanginian140.2 - 136.4United Kingdom (England) Chelone costata (52258)
Early/Lower Barremian130.0 - 125.45Portugal (Lisboa) Cheloniidae indet. (189306)
Late/Upper Albian105.3 - 99.6United Kingdom (England) Chelone jessoni, Lytoloma cantabrigiense (94210)
Late/Upper Albian - Cenomanian105.3 - 93.9Russian Federation (Belgorod) Cheloniidae indet. (32314)
Cenomanian - Turonian100.5 - 89.8United Kingdom (England) Chelone sp. (92427) Puppigerus camperi (92426)
Late/Upper Cretaceous100.5 - 66.0Italy (Verona) Protosphargis veronensis (191630) Protostega sp. (191628)
Senonian - Maastrichtian100.5 - 66.0Jordan Cheloniidae indet. (36256)
Turonian93.9 - 89.8Germany (Lower Saxony) Allopleuron hofmanni (138297)
Middle Turonian93.5 - 89.3USA (New Mexico) Cheloniidae indet. (52360)
Early/Lower Turonian - Early/Lower Coniacian93.5 - 85.8Germany (Lower Saxony) Cheloniidae indet. (136745)
Late/Upper Santonian - Middle Campanian85.8 - 70.6USA (Georgia) Cheloniidae indet. (35289)
Campanian83.6 - 72.1USA (California) Testudines indet. (94632)
Campanian - Maastrichtian83.6 - 66.0Chile Chelonioidea indet. (190521)
Early/Lower Campanian83.5 - 70.6Germany (Niedersachsen) Allopleuron hofmanni (31992)
Early/Lower Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (California) Cheloniidae indet. (137837)
Early/Lower Campanian83.5 - 70.6Germany (Lower Saxony) Allopleuron hofmanni (138298)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Arkansas) Catapleura arkansaw (167231)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6USA (Utah) Chelonia indet. (231039)
Late/Upper Campanian83.5 - 70.6Germany (Niedersachsen) Allopleuron hofmanni (31993)