UW2382 B - Trionychidae, Caudal Vertebrae

Description

Period/Epoch: Cenozoic/ Eocene Rock Formation: Bridger Formation State, County: Wyoming, Lincoln Taxonomy: Reptilia>Chelonia>Trionychidae These elements of a trionychid turtle are Eocene in age, and found in Wyoming. Trionychids are softshell turtles, with many extant members like the Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) and the Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox), to name a few. Softshell turtles tend to live in freshwater lakes and ponds, though some have adapted to more brackish water as well. These specimens were found alongside shells that properly identify them as belonging to the trionychid turtle group, based on how the shell bones look in cross-section. Scanned with the David SLS-2