Paleogene Turtles of Crimea

Abstract

This paper describes remains of fossil turtles from five Paleogene localities of Crimea. Two are Danian (Ak-Kaya 2 and Sakharnaya Golovka) and three are Bartonian (Ak-Kaya 1, Bakhchisarai and Prolom). The best studied turtle fauna comes from the Ak-Kaya 1 locality and includes three taxa: marine Argillochelys sp. (Cheloniidae) and Cosmochelys sp. (Dermochelyidae), and an unidentified soft-shelled turtle (Trionychidae indet.). Argillochelys sp. shows similarities with Argillochelys antiqua (König, 1825) from the Eocene of Europe. The new data expands our knowledge of intraspecific variability and the distribution of turtles of the genera Argillochelys and Cosmochelys. Unidentified cheloniids (Bakhchisarai, Prolom, and Sakharnaya Golovka), dermochelyids (Bakhchisarai and Prolom) and trionychids (Ak-Kaya 2 and Prolom) are described from other Paleogene localities of Crimea.