2007/01/01 by Eugene S. Gaffney, Eric M. Roberts, Famory Sissoko +3 · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Turtle Biology and Conservation
paper · doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2007)3549[1:aanstp]2.0.co;2
openalex publication_date 2007/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The Paleocene Teberemt Formation south of the Adrar des Iforas Mountains, between Saguirilidad and In Fargas, Mali, yielded a nearly complete skull of a new genus and species of side-necked turtle, Acleistochelys maliensis. Acleistochelys is a member of the family Bothremydidae Baur, 1891, because: 1 the fossa precolumellaris is absent, 2 the foramen stapedio-temporale faces anteriorly, 3 the eustachian tube is separated from the stapes by bone, and 4 an exoccipital-quadrate contact is present. Within the Bothremydidae, Acleistochelys belongs to the tribe Taphrosphyini because: 1 the maxilla-quadratojugal contact is absent, 2 the palate is dorsally arched, 3 there is only a small contribution of the palatine to the triturating surfaces, and 4 the septum orbitotemporale is at least partially open. Acleistochelys is most closely related to Azabbaremys because both share a narrow vomer lacking a posterior attachment to the palatines.The specimen was found in a marine limestone associated with crocodiles, echinoids, and mollusks.