The remains of an ancient and gigantic species of Turtle Marina of the Cretaceous have recently been discovered in Spain by effectively decreasing the confirmation of one of the largest species of testuggins ever existed: the overall length of the body is in fact estimated at around 3.74 meters. To date, it is the greatest discovery turtle in Europe!
The sea turtles were common in the subtropical epicontinental seas of the upper Cretaceous that once wet the coasts of the ancient European archipelago. But unlike the contemporary faunas of North America, in Europe no taxon exceeded the length of the shell of 1.5 m. The remains of a new large marine turtle are described here, Leviathanochelys aenigmatica gen. et sp. Nov., of the middle Campanian of the southern Pyrenees.
In fact, unlike the specimens of North America, the species of sea turtles discovered so far, both living and already extinct, reached the maximum of the shell length of about 1.5 meters. The remains found for some years in the city of Cal Torradesin the north-east of Spain, of this extraordinary specimen called Levianhamanochelys Aenigmatica they mark a new record in the old continent.
The fossils, which include the fragmented but complete basin and parts of the carapace (i.e. the upper shell characteristic of turtles) I was the found between 2016 and 2021 and About 83.6/72.1 million years ago date back to the Campania age.
The characteristic of the new discovery species is the presence of a particular bone prominence that stands forward from the front of the basin.
This peculiarity gives the name Levianhamanochelys To the species, indicating the presence of a new taxon, or a new group of sea turtles, distinguishing it from all other species.
According to scientists, this particular bone protrusion could somehow be connected to the conformation of the animal respiratory system.
Making an estimate on the actual measures of this animal species, on the basis of the remains found, this gigantic European turtle could have achieved a length of the body of about 3.74 meters.
The maximum width of the pelvis was 88.9 centimeters, about 7 centimeters larger than the well -known archelon specimen.
These data and reconstructions of scientists following the bone findings make the turtle Levianhamanochelys The largest marine turtle ever discovered in Europe, as well as one of the largest turtles discovered all over the world.
The revolutionary discovery suggests that the phenomenon of gigantism in sea turtles It developed independently involving several specimens with their descendant both in North America and in Europe.
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