Pacifichelys | |
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Skull of Pacifichelys urbinai | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Testudines |
Suborder: | Cryptodira |
Superfamily: | Chelonioidea |
Family: | Cheloniidae |
Genus: | † Pacifichelys |
Type species | |
Pacifichelys urbinai Parham and Pyenson, 2010 | |
Species | |
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Synonyms | |
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Pacifichelys is an extinct genus of sea turtle from the Middle Miocene of Peru (Pisco Formation) and California (Temblor Formation). [1] [2] It was first named by James F. Parham and Nicholas D. Pyenson in 2010, and the type species is Pacifichelys urbinai from Peru. [2] A second species, P. hutchisoni, was reassigned from the genus Euclastes . It is known from the Miocene of California. Like the living Ridley and loggerhead sea turtles, Pacifichelys was durophagous, consuming hard-shelled organisms with crushing jaws. [2]
Cladogram based on Lynch and Parham (2003) [3] and Parham and Pyenson (2010): [2]
Cheloniidae sensu lato |
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