Remarkable Carapace Morphology of <i>Nanhsiungchelys</i> (Testudines: Nanhsiungchelyidae) Revealed by New Material from Ganzhou Basin, Jiangxi Province, China

Abstract

Two nanhsiungchelyid carapaces from the Upper Cretaceous of Ganzhou Basin, Jiangxi Province, Southern China, are reported and assigned to Nanhsiungchelys sp. The new material reveals an unusual carapace morphology that was either not or poorly preserved in previously known Nanhsiungchelys specimens, including differentiated neurals, alternating costals, significantly modified scutes with vertebrals 4–5 contacting each other at a point, reduced pleurals 2–4 and greatly expanded lateral and posterior marginals. The discovery extends the geographical distribution of Nanhsiungchelys to the Ganzhou Basin.

Keywords

• turtle
• nanhsiungchelyids
• Late Cretaceous
• Ganzhou Basin
• China
• morphology