Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 1, 2026

Palaeochersis

Palaeochersis is an extinct genus of rhaptochelydian turtle from the Los Colorados Formation of Argentina. It is known from one species, Palaeochersis talampayensis.

Last revised
Jul 1, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
280 w
Citations
9
Source
Palaeochersis
Temporal range: Late Triassic,
~
Carapace from the holotype
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Pantestudines
Clade: Testudinata
Clade: Rhaptochelydia
Family: Australochelyidae
Genus: Palaeochersis
Rougier, de la Fuente & Arcucci, 1995
Species:
P. talampayensis
Binomial name
Palaeochersis talampayensis
Rougier, de la Fuente & Arcucci, 1995

Palaeochersis is an extinct genus of rhaptochelydian turtle1 from the Los Colorados Formation of Argentina.2 It is known from one species, Palaeochersis talampayensis.3

Discovery and naming

Palaeochersis talampayensis is known from three specimens: PULR 68 (holotype), a skull and postcranium. PULR 69, a right tarsus and pes, and PULR 72, a skull. The three specimens were each collected together in 19922 within the Los Colorados Formation, Argentina.34

Palaeochersis talampayensis was then named and described by Rougier, de la Fuente & Arcucci (1995).3

Classification

Palaeochersis was part of the Australochelyidae, being the sister taxon to Australochelys.15

References

References

  1. Arcucci, A.B.; Marsicano, C.A.; Caselli, A.T. (2004), "Tetrapod association and palaeoenvironment of the Los Colorados Formation (Argentina): a significant sample from western Gondwana at the end of the Triassic", Geobios, 37 (5): 557–568, Bibcode:2004Geobi..37..557A, doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2003.04.008, hdl:11336/97772, retrieved 2019-03-28
  2. 2 km NE of La Esquina at Fossilworks.org
  3. Rougier, Guillermo W.; de la Fuente, Marcelo S.; Arcucci, Andrea B. (1995-05-12). "Late Triassic Turtles from South America". Science. 268 (5212): 855–858. Bibcode:1995Sci...268..855R. doi:10.1126/science.268.5212.855. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 17792180.
  4. Szczygielski, Tomasz; Dróżdż, Dawid; Chanthasit, Phornphen; Manitkoon, Sita; Ditbanjong, Pitaksit (2025-03-19). "The Triassic turtle of Thailand – revision of 'Proganochelys' ruchae". PLOS ONE. 20 (3) e0316338. Bibcode:2025PLoSO..2016338S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0316338. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 12279380.
  5. Sterli, Juliana; de la Fuente, Marcelo; Rougier, Guillermo W. (2007-11-07). "Anatomy and Relationships of Palaeochersis talampayensis, a Late Triassic Turtle from Argentina". Palaeontographica Abteilung A. 281 (1–3): 1–61. Bibcode:2007PalAA.281....1S. doi:10.1127/pala/281/2007/1. ISSN 0375-0442.