Neuroanatomical Study and Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Skull of a Bothremydid Turtle (Pleurodira) Based on the European Eocene <i>Tartaruscola teodorii</i>

Bothremydidae is a successful lineage of pleurodiran turtles that lived from the Cretaceous to the Paleogene, and are found in most continents of both Laurasia and Gondwana. Despite numerous known cranial remains of this clade, no study on the complete neuroanatomical reconstruction of any of its re...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marcos Martín-Jiménez, Adán Pérez-García
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Diversity
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/7/298
Description
Summary:Bothremydidae is a successful lineage of pleurodiran turtles that lived from the Cretaceous to the Paleogene, and are found in most continents of both Laurasia and Gondwana. Despite numerous known cranial remains of this clade, no study on the complete neuroanatomical reconstruction of any of its representatives has been published so far. <i>Tartaruscola teodorii</i> is a French lower Eocene member of Foxemydina (Bothremydini), known by two skulls. It is one of the few bothremydids identified in the Cenozoic record of Europe. The present study includes the complete three-dimensional reconstruction of each of the cranial bones of both the holotype and the paratype of <i>T. teodorii</i>, increasing the anatomical information about this species. The virtual reconstruction of its neuroanatomical structures is presented here, including the cranial cavity, nerves, nasal cavity, inner ears, and carotid arteries. This analysis is the first detailed neuroanatomical study performed for a member of Bothremydidae. In addition, the virtual reconstruction of the neuroanatomical structures of some extant taxa belonging to several pleurodiran lineages (Chelidae, Pelomedusidae and Podocnemididae), are also carried out and analyzed, so that the comparative framework for Pleurodira is remarkably improved.
ISSN:1424-2818