Santanachelys

Santanachelys form one of Chelonioidea . This taxon was invented after the discovery of fossil in the east of the old Brésil of the Albien, there are roughly 110 My. The species discovered was named Santanachelys gaffneyi .

These fossils give us accurate informations on the evolution of the Dermochelyoidea and the Cheloniidae .

Discovered

The fossils were discovered on the rich person site of Santana Formation . This site delivered many other fish fossils and tortoises like Araripemys , Cearachelys .

One discovered an almost complete skeleton and preserved well. The fossil is 20 cm long and the carapace 14,5 cm. This tortoise has of fin and bones of cranium rather similar to those of the current species. The inter-orbital slits between the eyes let think that it had glands of Excrétion of salt like the current tortoises (see Osmorégulation), even if it lived in a lagunaire medium like that of Santana, i.e. a partially marine medium.

Taxonomy

Santanachelys gaffneyi was invented by the biologist Ren Hirayama who classified it in Protostegidae which contained already a species of the Crétacé of North America, the Archelon . The name of the kind derives from the name of the site of the discovery. The name of Espèce is a homage to Eugene Gaffney.

Systematic

--O Cryptodira : : `--O Chelonioidea marine tortoises |--O Cheloniidae `--O Dermochelyoidea |--O Dermochelyidae (tortoise lute) `--O Protostegidae |--O Santanachelys (extinct) `--O Advanced Protostegidae |--O Notochelone `--O Advanced Protostegidae |--O Desmatochelys `--O Protosteginae |--O Chelosphargis (extinct) |--O Protostega `--O Archelon

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