Sinosaurosphargis was first described and named by Chun Li, Olivier Rieppel, Xiao-Chun Wu, Li-Jun Zhao and Li-Ting Wang in
leatherback turtle, (in reference to the many similarities Sinosaurosphargis shares with Saurosphargis, a taxon whose holotype was lost and was thus considered a mystery), following the pattern of Sinosauropteryx. Like the name of Saurosphargis itself, it also refers to Sinosaurosphargis' dorsal osteoderm "body armor" and broadened ribs forming a closed chest rib basket - traits which are seemingly transitional between turtles and other reptiles. The specific nameyunguiensis is derived from the names of the neighboring Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces, where the fossils were found.[1]
Description
Sinosaurosphargis was a small reptile, measuring 70–80 cm (2.3–2.6 ft) long without the missing tail.
saurosphargids, while others are exclusive to Saurosphargis and Sinosaurosphargis. These genera have broader and flatter rib baskets than basal saurosphargids like Largocephalosaurus, and also transverse projections of back vertebrae and proximal portions of chest ribs that are much more robust, being much wider than the spacing between them.[4]
