''Allaeochelys'' is an extinct genus of
Carettochelyid turtle, known from the
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...
to
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
of Europe, Asia, North America and Africa.
Fossils of the species ''Allaeochelys crassesculpta'' have been found in the
Messel Pit
The Messel Formation is a Formation (geology), geologic formation in Hesse, central Germany, dating back to the Eocene Epoch (geology), epoch (about 47 Ma). Its geographic range is restricted to the Messel pit. There it unconformably overlie ...
near Darmstadt, Germany in pairs fossilised in the coital position.
It is believed to be the only example in the fossil record of vertebrates mating.
Dr Walter Joyce of the University of Tübingen said that "We've demonstrated quite clearly that each pair is a male and a female, and not, for example, just two males that might have died in combat....People had long speculated they might have died while mating, but that's quite different from actually showing it."
Taxonomy
After
* ''Allaeochelys crassesculpta'' (Harrassowitz, 1922)
Messel Pit
The Messel Formation is a Formation (geology), geologic formation in Hesse, central Germany, dating back to the Eocene Epoch (geology), epoch (about 47 Ma). Its geographic range is restricted to the Messel pit. There it unconformably overlie ...
, Germany, Early Eocene
* ''Allaeochelys delheidi'' (Dollo, 1886)
Brussels Formation, Belgium,
Zamora, Spain, Early Eocene
Headon Hill Formation, England, Late Eocene (
Priabonian
The Priabonian is, in the ICS's geologic timescale, the latest age or the upper stage of the Eocene Epoch or Series. It spans the time between . The Priabonian is preceded by the Bartonian and is followed by the Rupelian, the lowest stage ...
)
* ''Allaeochelys libyca'' Havlik et al., 2014,
Al Wahat District
Al Wahat or The Oases ( ', ), occasionally spelt ''Al Wahad'' or ''Al Wahah'' () is one of the districts of Libya.''Statesman's Yearbook 2006'' Its capital and largest city is Ajdabiya. The district is home to much of Libya's petroleum extraction ...
, Libya, middle
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
(
Langhian
The Langhian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, an age or stage in the middle Miocene Epoch/Series. It spans the time between 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma and 13.65 ± 0.05 Ma (million years ago) during the Middle Miocene.GeoWhen (2007)
The Langhian was ...
)
* ''Allaeochelys lingnanica'' (Young and Chow, 1962)
Shaoguan
Shaoguan is a prefecture-level city in northern Guangdong Province ( Yuebei), South China, bordering Hunan to the northwest and Jiangxi to the northeast. It is home to the mummified remains of the sixth Zen Buddhist patriarch Huineng. Its built-u ...
, Guangdong, China early
Paleogene
The Paleogene Period ( ; also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene) is a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Neogene Period Ma. It is the fir ...
(possibly
Paleocene
The Paleocene ( ), or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 mya (unit), million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), ...
)
* ''Allaeochelys magnifica'' (Hutchison et al., 2004)
Pandaung Formation, Myanmar, Late Eocene (
Bartonian
The Bartonian is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy's (ICS) geologic time scale, a stage or age in the middle of the Eocene Epoch or Series. The Bartonian Age spans the time between . It is preceded by the Lutetian and is follow ...
)
* ''Allaeochelys parayrei'' Noulet, 1867 Tarn (department), Tarn, Toulouse, France, Late Eocene (Bartonian)
* ''Allaeochelys liliae'' Carbot-Chanona et al. 2020 Mazantic Shale, Chiapas, Mexico, Early Miocene (Aquitaine Basin, Aquitanian)
References
External links
Carettochelyidae
Fossils of Germany
Eocene turtles
Prehistoric turtle genera
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