Carbonemys

Carbonemys
Temporal range: Danian
Live restoration of Carbonemys
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Pleurodira
Family: Podocnemididae
Genus: Carbonemys
Cadena et al., 2012
Type species
Carbonemys cofrinii
Cadena et al., 2012

Carbonemys cofrinii is an extinct podocnemidid turtle known from the early Paleocene Cerrejón Formation of Colombia, 60 million years ago, about five million years after the KT extinction event.[1]

In 2005, the holotype specimen was discovered in a Colombian coal mine by a North Carolina State doctoral student named Edwin Cadena. It had a shell that measured about 1.72 metres (5 ft 8 in), making it one of the world's largest turtles.[2][3]

Carbonemys' jaws were massive and would be powerful enough to eat a crocodile.[4] This turtle coexisted with the giant boid, Titanoboa

References

  1. Cadena, E. A.; Ksepka, D. T.; Jaramillo, C. A.; Bloch, J. I. (2012). "New pelomedusoid turtles from the late Palaeocene Cerrejón Formation of Colombia and their implications for phylogeny and body size evolution". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 10 (2): 313. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.569031.
  2. "Researchers reveal ancient giant turtle fossil". Phys.Org. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  3. Maugh II, Thomas H. (18 May 2012). "Researchers find fossil of a turtle that was size of a Smart car". LA Times. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  4. "Car-sized Turtle Found in Colombian Coal Mine : Discovery News". News.discovery.com. 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-06-14.


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