Gamerabaena

Gamerabaena
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Testudines
Suborder: Cryptodira
Infraorder: Paracryptodira
Family: Baenidae
Genus: Gamerabaena
Lyson and Joyce, 2010
Species
  • G. sonsalla Lyson and Joyce, 2010 (type)

Gamerabaena is an extinct genus of baenid turtle which existed in North Dakota during the late Cretaceous period. It is known from a single fragmentary skull that was found in the Maastrichtian-age Hell Creek Formation. It contains the species Gamerabaena sonsalla.[1] Gamerabaena is similar to the genus Palatobaena, but it differs in its lack of a posterior expansion of the triturating (or chewing) surface, a somewhat rectangular skull, and a wide angle between the maxillae. Gamerabaena also has a lingual ridge on the inner side of the jaw that is not seen in Palatobaena.[1]

Gamerabaena is considered the sister taxon of Palatobaena and shares features with both Palatobaena and Plesiobaena. These features, which include slightly upturned eye sockets, are seen as intermediate between the two other genera. While Gamerabaena is known only from the skull, it may belong to the same species as "Baena" hayi, which is known primarily from the shell.[1]

Phylogeny

Cladogram after Tyler R. Lyson and Walter G. Joyce (2009).[2]



Pleurosternon bullockii



Glyptops plicatulus


 Baenidae 
 Neurankylinae 

Neurankylus eximius



Trinitichelys hiatti



 Eubaeninae 

Hayemys latifrons


 Baenodda
 Plesiobaenini

Plesiobaena antiqua




Peckemys brinkman




Cedrobaena putorius




Gamerabaena sonsalla




Palatobaena cohen




Palatobaena bairdi



Palatobaena gaffneyi








 Eubaenini


Boremys pulchra



Boremys grandis



Eubaena cephalica





Goleremys mckennai




Stygiochelys estesi




Baena arenosa



Chisternon undatum










References

  1. 1 2 3 Lyson, T.R. and Joyce, W,G. (2010). "A new baenid turtle from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Hell Creek Formation of North Dakota and a preliminary taxonomic review of Cretaceous Baenidae". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30 (2): 394–402. doi:10.1080/02724631003618389.
  2. Tyler R. Lyson and Walter G. Joyce (2009). "A Revision of Plesiobaena (Testudines: Baenidae) and an Assessment of Baenid Ecology Across the K/T Boundary". Journal of Paleontology 83 (6): 833–853. doi:10.1666/09-035.1.

External links

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