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Hesperotestudo ducateli

Reptilia - Testudines - Testudinidae

Taxonomy
Testudo ducateli was named by Collins and Lynn (1936). Its type specimen is USNM 13783, a shell (partial plastron), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Chesapeake Beach Road Cut, Zone 10, which is in a Langhian marine horizon in the Calvert Formation of Maryland.

It was recombined as Testudo (Hesperotestudo) ducatelli by Williams (1953); it was recombined as Geochelone ducateli by Zug (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Auffenberg (1963); it was recombined as Hesperotestudo ducateli by Vlachos (2018) and Weems (2023).

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1936Testudo ducateli Collins and Lynn p. 166
1953Testudo (Hesperotestudo) ducatelli Williams p. 546
2001Geochelone ducateli Zug p. 204 figs. Table 1
2018Hesperotestudo ducateli Vlachos
2023Hesperotestudo ducateli Weems

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
RankNameAuthor
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
Testudinata(Oppel 1811)
orderTestudinesBatsch 1788
suborderCryptodira
Pantestudinoidea
superfamilyTestudinoidea
familyTestudinidaeBatsch 1788
subfamilyXerobatinaeAgassiz 1857
genusHesperotestudo(Williams 1950)
speciesducateli()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Hesperotestudo ducateli Collins and Lynn 1936
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
E. Vlachos 2018Hesperotestudo ducateli can be diagnosed as a member of Hesperotestudo based on the characters listed above. Hesperotestudo ducateli differs from other Hesperotestudo in the presence of a pentagonal entoplastron.
R. E. Weems 2023Relatively small tortoise, with an estimated carapace length of about 25 cm. The only preserved neural is the second; it is wider than long, about 4 mm thick, and octagonal in outline. Anterior costals elongate, about 7 mm thick, and bear distinct sulcal grooves; peripherals also elongate in characteristic testudinid fashion; sulcal grooves on the carapace well developed except for the groove that separates the costal and marginal scutes that follows the costoperipheral suture quite closely. Carapace rather high and tumid. Plastron typically 15 to 20 mm thick but ranges up to 40 mm near the inguinal buttresses and down to 4 mm near the hyoplastral-hypoplastral suture. There is a well-developed anal notch, a slightly projecting epiplastral lip, and a firm and extended articulation with the carapace. The anterior end of the plastron is strongly curved upward, and the dorsal surface of the epiplastral lip is almost horizontal. The ventral surface of the plastron is markedly concave just in front of the inguinal notches, and the corresponding visceral surface is elevated, suggesting the type individual was a male.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: ground dwellingf
Diet: herbivoref
Diet 2: herbivoref
Reproduction: oviparousf
Created: 2005-08-26 07:16:55
Modified: 2005-09-09 16:16:46
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Ernst and Barbour 1989, Carroll 1988

Age range: Langhian or 15.97000 to 13.82000 Ma

Collections (2 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Langhian15.97 - 13.82USA (Maryland) Hesperotestudo ducateli (70819) Testudo ducateli (type locality: 100213)