Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell association
Abstract Saxochelys gilberti is a baenid turtle from the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of the United States of America known from cranial, shell, and other postcranial material. Baenid turtles are taxonomically diverse and common fossil elements within Late Cretaceous through Eocene faunas. D...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00301-6 |
| _version_ | 1797276334431404032 |
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| author | Gaël E. Spicher Tyler R. Lyson Serjoscha W. Evers |
| author_facet | Gaël E. Spicher Tyler R. Lyson Serjoscha W. Evers |
| author_sort | Gaël E. Spicher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Saxochelys gilberti is a baenid turtle from the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of the United States of America known from cranial, shell, and other postcranial material. Baenid turtles are taxonomically diverse and common fossil elements within Late Cretaceous through Eocene faunas. Detailed anatomical knowledge is critical to understanding the systematics and morphological evolution of the group. This is particularly important as baenids represent an important group of continental vertebrates that survived the mass extinction event associated with the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary. High-resolution micro-computed tomography scanning of the holotype skull reveals additional anatomical details for the already well-known Saxochelys gilberti. This includes the revision of some anatomical statements from the original description, but also detailed knowledge on internal anatomical features of the braincase and the description of a well-preserved axis (cervical vertebra 2). Our new detailed description and previous work on the shell and postcrania make Saxochelys one of the best-described, nearly complete baenid turtles, which are often only known from either isolated shell or cranial material. A revised phylogenetic analysis confirms the position of Saxochelys gilberti as a derived baenid (Eubaeninae) more closely related to Baena arenosa than to Eubaena cephalica. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:26:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7360d457a8df438e9f88b4a358abb8b7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2376 1664-2384 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:26:47Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
| spelling | doaj.art-7360d457a8df438e9f88b4a358abb8b72024-03-05T16:41:23ZengSpringerOpenSwiss Journal of Palaeontology1664-23761664-23842024-01-01143112810.1186/s13358-023-00301-6Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell associationGaël E. Spicher0Tyler R. Lyson1Serjoscha W. Evers2Departement of Geosciences, University of FribourgDepartment of Earth Sciences, Denver Museum of Nature & ScienceDepartement of Geosciences, University of FribourgAbstract Saxochelys gilberti is a baenid turtle from the Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of the United States of America known from cranial, shell, and other postcranial material. Baenid turtles are taxonomically diverse and common fossil elements within Late Cretaceous through Eocene faunas. Detailed anatomical knowledge is critical to understanding the systematics and morphological evolution of the group. This is particularly important as baenids represent an important group of continental vertebrates that survived the mass extinction event associated with the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary. High-resolution micro-computed tomography scanning of the holotype skull reveals additional anatomical details for the already well-known Saxochelys gilberti. This includes the revision of some anatomical statements from the original description, but also detailed knowledge on internal anatomical features of the braincase and the description of a well-preserved axis (cervical vertebra 2). Our new detailed description and previous work on the shell and postcrania make Saxochelys one of the best-described, nearly complete baenid turtles, which are often only known from either isolated shell or cranial material. A revised phylogenetic analysis confirms the position of Saxochelys gilberti as a derived baenid (Eubaeninae) more closely related to Baena arenosa than to Eubaena cephalica.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00301-6Late CretaceousHell Creek FormationTestudinataParacryptodiraBaenidaeDigital anatomy |
| spellingShingle | Gaël E. Spicher Tyler R. Lyson Serjoscha W. Evers Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell association Swiss Journal of Palaeontology Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation Testudinata Paracryptodira Baenidae Digital anatomy |
| title | Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell association |
| title_full | Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell association |
| title_fullStr | Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell association |
| title_full_unstemmed | Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell association |
| title_short | Updated cranial and mandibular description of the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) baenid turtle Saxochelys gilberti based on micro-computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype-shell association |
| title_sort | updated cranial and mandibular description of the late cretaceous maastrichtian baenid turtle saxochelys gilberti based on micro computed tomography scans and new information on the holotype shell association |
| topic | Late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation Testudinata Paracryptodira Baenidae Digital anatomy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00301-6 |
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