Carbonemys

Carbonemys cofrinii is an extinct giant podocnemidid turtle known from the Middle Paleocene Cerrejón Formation of the Cesar-Ranchería Basin in northeastern Colombia. The formation is dated at around 60 to 57 million years ago, starting at about five million years after the KT extinction event.[1]

Carbonemys
Life restoration of Carbonemys
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
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

Discovery

In 2005, the holotype specimen was discovered in the Cerrejón coal mine by a North Carolina State University doctoral student named Edwin Cadena. It had a shell that measured about 1.72 metres (5 ft 8 in) and estimated at 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) for complete carapace,[1] making it one of the world's largest turtles.[2][3]

Paleoecology

The jaws of Carbonemys were massive and would be powerful enough to eat crocodilians and other large reptiles, that were abundant in the first neotropical forest of the Cerrejón Formation.[4] This turtle coexisted with the giant boid (constrictor), Titanoboa.[5]

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): 313–331. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.569031. S2CID 59406495.
  2. "Researchers reveal ancient giant turtle fossil". Phys.org. 17 May 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  3. Maugh II, Thomas H. (18 May 2012). "Researchers find fossil of a turtle that was size of a Smart car". LA Times. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  4. "Car-sized Turtle Found in Colombian Coal Mine : Discovery News". News.discovery.com. 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  5. Freeman, David (17 May 2012). "Turtle Fossil Found In Colombia Suggests Carbonemys Cofrinii Was Size Of Small Car". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.


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