Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 30, 2026

Sinemys

Sinemys is an extinct genus of turtle from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of China. Three species have been named: S. lens, the type species, from the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian of Shandong; S. gamera, from the Valanginian-Albian of Nei Mongol, and S. brevispinus from Early Cretaceous of Nei Mongol. S. wuerhoensis, from the Aptian-Albian of Xinjiang, is not referrable to this genus. Specimen that may be belong to this genus were also known from Japan, although later abstract considered it as indeterminate sinemydid. The species S. gamera is noted for the presence of a pair of elongate spines projecting outwards and backwards from seventh costal of the carapace. These may have served a hydrodynamic function.

Last revised
Jun 30, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
369 w
Citations
5
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Sinemys
Temporal range: Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous
Holotype carapace and plastron (IVPP V9538) of S. brevispinus, Paleozoological Museum of China
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Pantestudines
Clade: Testudinata
Family: †Sinemydidae
Genus: †Sinemys
Wiman, 1930
Species
  • S. lens Wiman, 1930 (type)
  • S. brevispinus Tong and Brinkman, 2013
  • S. chabuensis Ji and Chen, 2018
  • S. gamera Brinkman and Peng, 1993
S. gamera fossil source ↗

Sinemys is an extinct genus of turtle from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of China. Three species have been named: S. lens, the type species, from the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian of Shandong; S. gamera (Japanese: シネミス・ガメラ) (named after the movie monster of the same name), from the Valanginian-Albian of Nei Mongol, and S. brevispinus from Early Cretaceous of Nei Mongol.1 S. wuerhoensis, from the Aptian-Albian of Xinjiang, is not referrable to this genus.2 Specimen that may be belong to this genus were also known from Japan,3 although later abstract considered it as indeterminate sinemydid.4 The species S. gamera is noted for the presence of a pair of elongate spines projecting outwards and backwards from seventh costal of the carapace. These may have served a hydrodynamic function.5

See also

See also

  • Gamerabaena – prehistoric turtle genus also named after the kaiju Gamera
References

References

  1. Tong, Haiyan; Brinkman, Donald (2013-09-01). "A new species of Sinemys (Testudines: Cryptodira: Sinemydidae) from the Early Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China". Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 93 (3): 355–366. Bibcode:2013PdPe...93..355T. doi:10.1007/s12549-012-0110-8. ISSN 1867-1608.
  2. Rabi, Márton; Joyce, Walter G.; Wings, Oliver (2010). "A review of the Mesozoic turtles of the Junggar Basin (Xinjiang, Northwest China) and the paleobiogeography of Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Asian testudinates". Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 90 (3): 259–273. Bibcode:2010PdPe...90..259R. doi:10.1007/s12549-010-0031-3. ISSN 1867-1594.
  3. Lucas, Spencer G.; Kirkland, James I.; Estep, John W. (1998). Lower and Middle Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems: Bulletin 14. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.
  4. Hirayama, Ren; Teppei, Sonoda (2015). "Review of the Cretaceous Non-marine Turtles of Japan". ASIAN DINOSAURS in Thailand 2015.
  5. Tong, Haiyan; Brinkman, Donald (September 2013). "A new species of Sinemys (Testudines: Cryptodira: Sinemydidae) from the Early Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China". Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 93 (3): 355–366. Bibcode:2013PdPe...93..355T. doi:10.1007/s12549-012-0110-8. ISSN 1867-1594.
Further reading

Further reading

  • Biology of Turtles by Jeanette Wyneken, Matthew H. Godfrey, and Vincent Bels