A pelomedusoid turtle from the paleocene-eocene of colombia exhibiting preservation of blood vessels and osteocytes

Edwin A. Cadena, Mary H. Schweitzer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

We describe a Paleocene-Eocene pelomedusoid turtle from tropical South America in a new fossiliferous locality, from Los Cuervos Formation, at the Calenturitas Coal Mine, Colombia. Although no further systematic precision beyond Pelomedusoides incertae sedis can be supported, the presence of an ischial scar positioned far anteriorly to the anal notch, and a strongly decorated ventral surface of the plastron, indicate that this specimen is potentially related to the bothremydid clade formed by Puentemys-Foxemys. We also demonstrate the potential organic preservation of osteocytes and blood vessels for this specimen, indicating that preservation of soft tissue such as vessels and bone cells in the fossil record is independent of bone type, fossil site, or locality; occurring in different lineages of vertebrates; and that it is even possible to occur in tropical depositional environments during a period of maximum global warming such as the Paleocene-Eocene.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)461-465
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Herpetology
Volume48
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2014
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Animal Science and Zoology

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