Turtle remains (Testudines, Chelonioidea) from the Middle Turonian of northwest Germany

Abstract

Turtle remains ascribed to the family Cheloniidae (Testudines, Cryptodira, Chelonioidea), collected from the lamarcki zone (Middle Turonian) at Wüllen (NW Germany) are described. The material consists of a right humerus, a scapula, a complete costalia, and costalia fragments of a single individual with the humerus indicating a primitive cheloniid of the ‘toxochelyid grade’. The present material, as well as previously recorded chelonioid humeri from the Cenomanian and Turonian of Germany illustrate a progressive diversification of chelonioids during the early Late Cretaceous.