Biology:Fontainechelon
Fontainechelon is an extinct genus of testudinid from Saint Papoul, France during the Early Eocene. It is known from a single species, F. cassouleti.[1]
Fontainechelon is the oldest European testudinid, and the most basal of all testudinids.[1][2]
Etymology
It was named after Jean de La Fontaine, alluding to some of his fables in which the protagonist was a tortoise.
Taxonomy
Fontainechelon cassouleti was historically considered a species of Achilemys. The genus Achilemys is now restricted to North America.[1] Fontainechelon was found to be the most basal of all testudinids.[1][2]
Description
The species is known primarily from the holotype, which includes a partial carapace, a complete plastron, the right humerus, and the left femur. There are also several highly fragmentary referred specimens. The holotype had an estimated shell length of 37 cm.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Pérez-García, Adán; Ortega, Francisco; Jiménez Fuentes, Emiliano (July 2016). "Taxonomy, systematics, and diversity of the European oldest testudinids" (in en). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177 (3): 648–675. doi:10.1111/zoj.12381. https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/177/3/648/2468524?login=false. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chroust, Milan; Szczygielski, Tomasz; Luján, Àngel H. (2025-10-03). "Manouria morla sp. nov., the Ancient One: an Early Miocene large tortoise from the Swamps of Ahníkov, Czechia". Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 144 (1): 63. doi:10.1186/s13358-025-00400-6. ISSN 1664-2384.
Wikidata ☰ Q130416447 entry
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