''Polysternon'' is a genus of

turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...

s in the extinct family Bothremydidae. It was described by Portis in 1882, and contains the species ''P. provinciale'' (originally placed in the genus '' Pleurosternon''), which existed during the

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ...

of what is now

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and a new species, ''P. isonae'', from the Late

Maastrichtian The Maastrichtian ( ) is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) geologic timescale, the latest age (geology), age (uppermost stage (stratigraphy), stage) of the Late Cretaceous epoch (geology), Epoch or Upper Cretaceous series (s ...

of Spain. The species epithet of ''P. isonae'' refers to the municipality Isona i Conca Dellà in

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, where the type specimen was discovered in the Tremp Formation.

Species

* ''Polysternon provinciale'' Matheron, 1869 * ''Polysternon isonae'' Marmi et al., 2012

Distribution

Fossils of ''Polysternon'' have been found in:''Polysternon''
at

Fossilworks Fossilworks was a portal which provides query, download, and analysis tools to facilitate access to the Paleobiology Database, a large relational database assembled by hundreds of paleontologists from around the world. History Fossilworks was cr ...

.org * Rognacian Formation -

* Vitoria, Sierra Perenchiza and Tremp Formations -

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

References

External links

''Polysternon''
at the

Paleobiology Database The Paleobiology Database (PBDB) is an online resource for information on the distribution and classification of fossil animals, plants, and microorganisms. History The Paleobiology Database originated in the NCEAS-funded Phanerozoic Marine Pale ...

{{Testudines Prehistoric turtle genera Late Cretaceous turtles Maastrichtian life Late Cretaceous reptiles of Europe Cretaceous France Fossils of France Cretaceous Spain Fossils of Spain Tremp Formation Fossil taxa described in 1882 Extinct turtles