Late Miocene turtles from southern Costa Rica
Weems, R.E.; Lucas, S.G.; Sequeira, C.; Chesnel, V.; Rodrìguez, D.; Alvarado, G.E.; Ramírez, T.; Vargas, A.; Vargas, C. (2025). Late Miocene turtles from southern Costa Rica. Revista Geológica de América Central 72: 1-19. https://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rgac.2025.65017
In: Revista Geológica de América Central. Universidad de Costa Rica: San José. ISSN 0256-7024, meer
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| Trefwoorden |
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| Author keywords |
fossil turtles; Apalone; Bairdemys; Dermatemys; Hesperotestudo; Pseudemys. |
| Auteurs | | Top |
- Weems, R.E.
- Lucas, S.G.
- Sequeira, C.
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- Chesnel, V.
- Rodrìguez, D.
- Alvarado, G.E.
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- Ramírez, T.
- Vargas, A.
- Vargas, C.
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| Abstract |
Recent vertebrate fossil collections in southern Costa Rica have uncovered fragmentary remains of five fossil turtle taxa. These remains were recovered from deltaic sedimentary deposits of the Upper Miocene San Gerardo unit, which unconformably overlies the Early–Middle Miocene Térraba Formation. Most of these remains belong to the highly aquatic living turtle genera Dermatemys and Apalone. Other taxa, which are less frequently found, include Bairdemys and Pseudemys, as well as the extinct terrestrial tortoise Hesperotestudo. Except for the marine-tolerant Bairdemys, all genera exhibit North American affinities, suggesting that this assemblage likely predates the formation of the Central American land bridge and the subsequent biotic interchange with South America. |
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