Paracryptodira

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Paracryptodires
Temporal range: Late Jurassic–Eocene
Chisternon undatum
Dorsetochelys skull
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Pantestudines
Clade: Testudinata
Clade: Perichelydia
Clade: Paracryptodira
Gaffney, 1975
Subtaxa

See text

Synonyms

Pleurosternoidea

Paracryptodira is an extinct group of reptiles in the

stem-turtles, lying outside the clade formed by Cryptodira and Pleurodira.[3][4] The paracryptodires are said to have phylogenic relationships, noted as primary subclades, within the Baenidae and Pleurosternidae. Within each subclade, lies many biodiverse turtles that are continuously being investigated and added to the fossil record.[5][6] Paracryptodires are divided into three main groups, Compsemydidae, known from the Late Jurassic to Paleocene of North America and Europe, Pleurosternidae, known from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of North America and Europe, and Baenidae
, known from the Early Cretaceous to Eocene of North America. The latter two groups are more closely related to each other than to Compsemys, forming the clade Baenoidea.

Characteristics

Paracryptodires have reduced prefrontal exposure on the dorsal surface of their skulls, reduced fenestrae perilymphaticae, and secondarily reduced supraoccipital crests.

foramen for the internal carotid canal is located midway along the basisphenoid-pterygoid suture.[1]

Subtaxa

Paracryptodira includes these taxa, after Rollot et al. (2022):[7]

Dubious species:

The oldest possible record of paracryptodires is from the Forest Marble Formation of England, dating to the Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic.[9]

References

Sources

External links