Turtles
Diversity of life
Reading shells and their histories
A shell reveals a turtle’s anatomy, identity and sometimes way of life. Its fragments are valuable objects of study even when no complete skeleton is preserved.
The method in practice
Researchers examine the carapace, plastron, sutures, ornamentation and other available bones. Comparisons help assess groups and lifestyles. Marks on shell plates can also be studied with taphonomists.
Reconstructing to understand
Imagining Pleurosternon
Shells and bones allow fossil turtle comparisons. Mazan’s reconstruction brings the animal to life alongside the Pleurosternon fossils below. It complements anatomical plates without replacing their diagnostic characters.
At Angeac and in regional comparisons
Pleurosternids are well represented at Angeac. An almost complete carapace, nicknamed “Gisèle”, was discovered in 2014. Tooth marks on turtle remains document interactions with crocodiles, though they do not always distinguish predation from scavenging.
What this research reveals
Turtles from the three Charente sites provide ecological comparisons. Chassiron’s marine species must be distinguished from Angeac’s fauna. Taxonomic identification relies on preserved characters and specimen comparison, for which provenance remains essential.
2019 · Published research
A turtle shell and crocodile traces
The study of a Pleurosternon shell analyses marks attributed to a crocodyliform, probably Goniopholis.
Specimens and data
Observing turtle diversity
Shell plates, humeri, carapaces and plastra allow several groups to be compared. Letters and identifiers connect each view with the specimen studied.
Enlarge each plate to examine labels, specimen identifiers and scale bars.
People and expertise
Jérémy Anquetin and Renaud Bourgeais contribute expertise in turtles. Anatomical analysis builds on the work of excavators, preparators and the teams conserving specimens.
Further reading
Overview reference: Dinosaures, les géants du vignoble (2017), p. 170–185.
Publications and results → · The book and its authors →
Scientific research on this topic
- 2018 · Turtle shell: first taphonomic results (conference contribution)
- 2018 · Taphonomic study of a pleurosternid turtle shell (conference contribution)
- 2022 · Vertebrate diversity across the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition (article)
- 2019 · A turtle shell and crocodile traces (article)
