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Latisternon microsulcae

Reptilia - Testudines - Pelomedusidae

Taxonomy
Latisternon microsulcae was named by Auffenberg (1981). Its type specimen is Kenya National Museum F3532, a partial shell (left epiplastron), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is DKI II/7, which is in a Gelasian lacustrine horizon in the Olduvai Formation of Tanzania. It is the type species of Latisternon.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1981Latisternon microsulcae Auffenberg p. 511

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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
suborderPleurodira
Pelomedusoides(Broin 1988)
Pelomedusera
familyPelomedusidae
genusLatisternon
speciesmicrosulcae

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.

Latisternon microsulcae Auffenberg 1981
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
W. Auffenberg 1981A medium-sized pelomedusid turtle referred to this family on the basis of having an intergular scale. It differs from all other genera and species in the family by having, in combination, 1) an anterior lobe that is very wide for its median length, with the outer edge forming an obtuse angle near the epi-hyoplastral suture; 2) a thick, well-defined, but truncated epiplastral projection; 3) the inner dorsal surface of the plastral scutes (=plastral overlap) not paralleling the lateral contour of the epiplastron; 4) the humero-pectoral sulcus not crossing the epiplastron; 5) gular scutes not encroaching onto the entoplastron; 6) very faint, shallow plastral sulci. On the basis of the referred specimen, there is no nuchal scute, and at least the anterior part of the carapace is provided with a high, narrow vertebral keel.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: freshwaterf
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: amphibiousf
Diet: carnivoref
Reproduction: oviparousf
Created: 2005-08-26 14:34:13
Modified: 2005-08-26 16:34:13
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009, Uetz 2005

Age range: Gelasian or 2.58800 to 1.80600 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Gelasian2.588 - 1.806Tanzania Latisternon microsulcae (type locality: 213537)