Project 3167: J. C. Mallon, D. B. Brinkman. 2018. Basilemys morrinensis, a new species of nanhsiungchelyid turtle from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Alberta, Canada. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 38 (2):e1431922.
Specimen: † Basilemys gaffneyi (usnm/paleobiology:v11084)
View: shell

Abstract

We describe a new species of nanhsiungchelyid turtle, Basilemys morrinensis, based on a nearly complete shell from the Horsethief Member (lower Maastrichtian) of the Horseshoe Canyon Formation of Alberta. The species is intermediate in age between the Campanian forms B. variolosa and B. gaffneyi and the upper Maastrichtian forms B. sinuosa and B. praeclara. It is also intermediate in its morphology, possessing a unique suite of both plesiomorphic (e.g., divided extragulars) and derived (e.g., square epiplastral beak, pygal wider than long) traits. It is further characterized by an autapomorphic square cervical scale. Phylogenetic analysis assuming parsimony recovers B. morrinensis in a polytomy with B. variolosa and B. gaffneyi, outside the clade formed by the upper Maastrichtian forms B. sinuosa and B. praeclara. The holotype of Basilemys morrinensis provides the first evidence that this genus reached large size (?1 m long) in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation and was not diminutive as previously thought based on less complete shell material. Although Basilemys is usually regarded as terrestrial in habit based on its skull and limb morphology, we note that the low profile of its shell is a derived feature usually indicative of an aquatic mode of life. This suggests that there is yet much to learn about the life habits of this interesting turtle.


Read the article »

Article DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1431922

Project DOI: 10.7934/P3167, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P3167
This project containsMatrices
  • 1 Media
  • 1 Matrix
  • 15 Taxa
  • 2 Specimens
  • 47 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 874.6k

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 440
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 47
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 98
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:47/0
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 3167

    Authors' Institutions

    • Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller

    • Canada Museum of Nature



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
    media
    labels
    cell scorings
    (scored, NPA, "-")
    cell
    medialabels
    rules
    MorphoBank Curator
    Project Administrator
    15214700440
    (440, 0, 0)
    000
    MorphoBank Curator
    Full membership
    0000000
    (0, 0, 0)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M25408' (15 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
    cells
    scored
    cells
    no cell
    support
    NPA
    cells
    "-" cellscell images labels on
    cell images
    member
    access
    [1] † Adocus sp.
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    1464600002
    [2] † Zangerlia testudinimorph
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    26212100002
    [3] † 'Zangerlia' neimongolensis
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    3444400002
    [4] † 'Zangerlia' ukhaachelys
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    25222200002
    [5] † Basilemys variolosa
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    4454300002
    [6] † Basilemys gaffneyi
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    15343200002
    [7] † Basilemys sinuosa
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    18292900002
    [8] † Basilemys praeclara
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    26212100002
    [9] † Hanbogdemys orientalis
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    12353500002
    [10] † Anomalochelys angulata
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    29181800002
    [11] † Nanhsiungchelys wuchingensis
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    14333300002
    [12] † Kharakhutulia kalandadzei
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    24232300002
    [13] † Jianxichelys ganzhouensis
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    28191900002
    [14] † 'Zangerlia' dzamynchondi
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    25222200002
    [15] † Basilemys morrinensis
    Last Modified in 05/09/18
    19282800002


    Project views

    type number of views Individual items viewed (where applicable)
    Total project views13895
    Project overview1479
    Media views3021Media search (2519 views); M508408 (502 views);
    Matrix views1129Matrix landing page (943 views); Mallon Brinkman nexus file (186 views);
    Bibliography645
    Taxon list4800
    Specimen list1862
    Views for media list951
    Documents list8




    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project168
    Project downloads165
    Matrix downloads3Mallon Brinkman nexus file (3 downloads);