Macrobaenidae is an extinct family of
turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked t ...
s, known from the
Early Cretaceous to
Paleogene of
Laurasia. Their relationships to other turtles and whether or not they form a
monophlyletic group are controversial. They are typically interpreted as stem or
crown group cryptodires, but some more recent analyses have found them to lie outside
crown group Testudines. Macrobaenids can be distinguished from other testudinatans by the presence of a carotid fenestra, cruciform plastron with strap-like
epiplastra, and a lack of extragulars.
Genera
*''
Anatolemys
''Anatolemys'' is an extinct turtle genus in the family Macrobaenidae. Two species are known, both of which lived in the Late Cretaceous. Fossils were discovered in the Yalovach Formation of Tajikistan, the Kulbikin Member and Khodzhakul and B ...
''
Central Asia, Late Cretaceous (
Khodzhakul Formation
The Khodzhakul Formation is a Cenomanian aged geologic formation in Uzbekistan. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.Weishampel, et al., 2004, "Dinosaur distribution." pp.517-607 As well as those of ...
, Uzbekistan,
Cenomanian,
Bissekty Formation
The Bissekty Formation (sometimes referred to as Bissekt) is a geologic formation and Lagerstätte which crops out in the Kyzyl Kum desert of Uzbekistan, and dates to the Late Cretaceous Period. Laid down in the mid to late Turonian, it is dated ...
, Uzbekistan,
Turonian
The Turonian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the second age in the Late Cretaceous Epoch, or a stage in the Upper Cretaceous Series. It spans the time between 93.9 ± 0.8 Ma and 89.8 ± 1 Ma (million years ago). The Turonian is preceded b ...
,
Bostobe Formation
The Bostobe Formation ( kk, Boztóbe svıtasy) is a geological formation in Qaraghandy & Qyzylorda, Kazakhastan whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous (Santonian to early Campanian stages, approximately 85 Ma).
The sandstones and claystones ...
, Kazakhstan,
Santonian
The Santonian is an age in the geologic timescale or a chronostratigraphic stage. It is a subdivision of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series. It spans the time between 86.3 ± 0.7 mya (million years ago) and 83.6 ± 0.7 mya. ...
Yalovach Formation
The Ialovachsk or Yalovach Formation is a geologic formation in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan dating to the Santonian age of the Cretaceous period. Weishampel et al., 2004, pp.517-607
Fossil content
Fossil dinosaur eggs as well as pter ...
, Tajikistan, Santonian)
*''
Appalachemys''
Mooreville Chalk
The Mooreville Chalk is a geological formation in North America, within the U.S. states of Alabama and Mississippi, which were part of the subcontinent of Appalachia. The strata date back to the early Santonian to the early Campanian stage of ...
, Alabama, Late Cretaceous (Santonian–
Campanian
The Campanian is the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous Epoch on the geologic timescale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). In chronostratigraphy, it is the fifth of six stages in the Upper Cretaceous Series. Campani ...
)
*''
Asiachelys''
, Mongolia, Early Cretaceous (
Albian
The Albian is both an age of the geologic timescale and a stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early/Lower Cretaceous Epoch/ Series. Its approximate time range is 113.0 ± 1.0 Ma to 100.5 ± 0 ...
)
*''
Aurorachelys''
, Canada,Turonian
*''
Changmachelys''
Xiagou Formation, China, Early Cretaceous (Aptian)
*''
Kirgizemys''
,
Khilok Formation,
Ilek Formation, Russia, Early Cretaceous (
Barremian
The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 129.4 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago) and 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous Epoch (or Lower Cretaceous Series). It is precede ...
-
Aptian),
Alamyshik Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Albian,
Geoncheonri Formation, South Korea, Albian Khodzhakul Formation, Uzbekistan, Cenomanian
*''
Judithemys'' North America, Late Cretaceous–
Paleocene
The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name is a combination of the Ancient Greek ''pal ...
*''
Gallica''
Paris Basin
The Paris Basin is one of the major geological regions of France. It developed since the Triassic over remnant uplands of the Variscan orogeny (Hercynian orogeny). The sedimentary basin, no longer a single drainage basin, is a large sag in th ...
, France, Paleocene
*''
Macrobaena''
, Mongolia, Paleocene
*''
Osteopygis''
Late Cretaceous-Paleocene, North America
*''
Oxemys''
Khodzhakul Formation, Uzbekistan, Cenomanian
*''
Yakemys
''Yakemys'' is an extinct genus of macrobaenid turtles from the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (Tithonian-Valanginian?) lower Phu Kradung Formation of Thailand. It is monotypic, containing a single species, ''Yakemys multiporcata''.
Discovery a ...
''
Phu Kradung Formation, Thailand, Early Cretaceous (
Berriasian
In the geological timescale, the Berriasian is an age/stage of the Early/Lower Cretaceous. It is the oldest subdivision in the entire Cretaceous. It has been taken to span the time between 145.0 ± 4.0 Ma and 139.8 ± 3.0 Ma (million years ago ...
)
''
Hongkongochelys'' from the Middle-Late Jurassic of China has sometimes been attributed to the family,
but other times has been attriuted to
Sinemydidae
Sinemydidae is an extinct family of turtles from Cretaceous to Paleocene deposits in Asia and North America. Their exact position is engimatic, they have alternatively been considered stem-group cryptodires, but also "crownward stem-turtles" alo ...
, a group which has an unresolved relationship with Macrobaenidae.
References
{{Testudines
Extinct turtles
Prehistoric reptile families