Alienochelys

Alienochelys; Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 70–66 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
	Skull of specimen.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	†Protostegidae
Genus:	†Alienochelys; de Lapparent de Broin, 2014
Type species
	†Alienochelys selloumi; de Lapparent de Broin, 2014

Alienochelys ("strange turtle") is an extinct genus of marine turtle known from Maastrichian-aged Cretaceous phosphates in Morocco.^[1] With a skull measuring 41.5 centimetres (1.36 ft) long, it would have been a very large turtle.^[2] It was first described as a member of the family Dermochelyidae, meaning that it is a relative of the modern leatherback turtle,^[2] though a 2018 study identifies it as a sister taxon of Ocepechelon belonging to the family Protostegidae, indicating that it may have been closer to the extinct Archelon.^[3] Unlike other sea turtles, Alienochelys' the jaws being adapted for a powerful crushing pattern well adapted for a durophagous lifestyle, as well as its unusual cranial characteristics.^[2]^[4]

References

^ "Fossilworks: Alienochelys". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c de Lapparent de Broin, France; Bardet, Nathalie; Amaghzaz, Mbarek; Meslouh, Saïd (2014). "A strange new chelonioid turtle from the Latest Cretaceous Phosphates of Morocco". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 13 (2): 87–95. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2013.07.008.
^ Scavezzoni, I.; Fischer, V. (2018). "Rhinochelys amaberti Moret (1935), a Protostegid Turtle from the Early Cretaceous of France". PeerJ. 10 (6): e4594. doi:10.7717/peerj.4594. PMC 5898427. PMID 29666758.
^ Cooper, S.L.A.; Marson, K.J.; Smith, R.E.; Martill, D. (2022). "Contrasting preservation in pycnodont fishes reveals first record of regurgitalites from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Moroccan phosphate deposits". Cretaceous Research. 131 (4). 105111. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105111.

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[1] "Fossilworks: Alienochelys". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.

[De2014-2] Lapparent de Broin, France; Bardet, Nathalie; Amaghzaz, Mbarek; Meslouh, Saïd (2014). "A strange new chelonioid turtle from the Latest Cretaceous Phosphates of Morocco". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 13 (2): 87–95. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2013.07.008.

[3] Scavezzoni, I.; Fischer, V. (2018). "Rhinochelys amaberti Moret (1935), a Protostegid Turtle from the Early Cretaceous of France". PeerJ. 10 (6): e4594. doi:10.7717/peerj.4594. PMC 5898427. PMID 29666758.

[4] Cooper, S.L.A.; Marson, K.J.; Smith, R.E.; Martill, D. (2022). "Contrasting preservation in pycnodont fishes reveals first record of regurgitalites from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Moroccan phosphate deposits". Cretaceous Research. 131 (4). 105111. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105111.

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