Abstract
A new species of Sinemys (Testudines: Cryptodira: Sinemydidae), S. brevispinus n. sp. is described on the basis of three skeletons from the Early Cretaceous Luohandong Formation, Chabu Sumu, Ordos Basin, Inner Mongolia. The new taxon is characterised by an elongate carapace with a pair of distinct but short lateral spines, a sculptured shell surface, closed lateral carapacial fontanelles and an open incisura columellae auris. A nearly complete turtle skeleton from the Early Cretaceous of Hedaochuan, Huanxian, Gansu Province which was previously referred to S. lens is revised and assigned to S. cf. brevispinus. The systematics of Sinemydidae is discussed and the family is restricted to the genus Sinemys. S. brevispinus likely lived in a fluvial environment with the spines acting as a stabiliser to limit the rolling of the carapace, as in S. gamera, but the difference in the shape of the shell suggests that these two species were adapted to different hydrodynamic regimes. The distribution of Sinemys adds to the evidence for biogeographically distinct aquatic communities in eastern and western China during the Early Cretaceous.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anquetin J (2011) Reassessement of the phylogenetic interrelationships of basal turtles (testudinata). J Syst Palaeontol 1:3–45. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.558928
Brinkman D (2001) New material of Dracochelys (Eucryptodira: Sinemydidae) from the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China. Can J Earth Sci 38:1645–1651
Brinkman D, Dong Z-M (1993) New material of Ikechosaurus sunailinae (Reptilia: Choristodira) from the Early Cretaceous Laohongdong Formation, Ordos Basin, Inner Mongolia, and the interrelationships of the genus. Can J Earth Sci 30:2153–2162
Brinkman D, Peng J-H (1993a) New material of Sinemys (Testudines, Sinemydidae) from the Early Cretaceous of China. Can J Earth Sci 30:2139–2152
Brinkman D, Peng J-H (1993b) Ordosemys leios n. gen., n. sp., a new turtle from the Early Cretaceous of the Ordos Basin, Inner Mongolia. Can J Earth Sci 30:2128–2138
Brinkman D, Wu X-C (1999) The skull of Ordosemys, an Early Cretaceous turtle from the Inner Mongolia, People’s Republic of China, and the interrelationships of Eucryptodira (Chelonia, Cryptodira). Paludicola 2:134–147
Brinkman D, Li J-L, Ye X-K (2008) Order Testudines. In: Li J-L, Wu X-C, Zhang F-C (eds) The Chinese fossil reptiles and their kin. Science Press, Beijing, pp 35–102
Brinkman D, Eberth DA, Xu X, Wu X-C (2012) Turtles from the Jurassic Shishugou Formation of the Junggar Basin, People’s Republic of China, with comments on the basicranial region of basal Eucryptodires. In: Brinkman D, Holroyd PA, Gardner JD (eds) Morphology and evolution of turtles. Springer, Heidelberg Berlin, pp 147-172
Chang MM, Miao DS (2004) An overview of Mesozoic fishes in Asia. In: Arratia G, Tintori A (eds) Meozoic fishes 3—systematics, paleoenvironments, and biodiversity. Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, Munich, pp 535–563
Chkhikvadze VM (1976) The fossil turtles of the family Sinemydidae. Akad Nauk Gruz SSR, Izv, Ser Biol 3:265–270
Danilov IG, Sukhanov VB (2006) A basal eucryptodiran turtle “Sinemys” efremovi (=Wuguia efremovi) from the Early Cretaceous of China. Acta Palaeontol Pol 51:105–110
Danilov IG, Averianov AO, Skutchas PP, Rezvyi AS (2006) Kirgizemys (Testudines, ‘Macrobaenidae’): new material from the Lower Cretaceous of Buryatia (Russia) and taxonomic revision. Fossil Turtles Res, vol. 1. Russ J Herpetol 13 [Suppl]:46–62
Dong Z-M (1993) The field activities of the Sino-Canadian dinosaur project in China, 1987–1990. Can J Earth Sci 30:1997–2001
Gaffney ES (1996) The postcranial morphology of Meiolania platyceps and a review of the Meiolaniidae. Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 229:1–166
Gaffney ES, Ye X (1992) Dracochelys, a new Cryptodiran turtle from the Early Cretaceous of China. Am Mus Novit 3048:1–13
Gaffney ES, Rich TH, Vickers-Rich P, Constantine A, Vacca P, Kool L (2007) Chubutemys, a new Eucryptodiran turtle from the Early Cretaceous of Argentina, and the relationships of the Meiolaniidae. Am Mus Novit 3599:1–35
Joyce WG (2007) Phylogenetic relationships of Mesozoic turtles. Bull Peabody Mus Nat Hist 48:3–102
Khosatzky LI, Nessov LA (1979) Large turtles from the Late Cretaceous of Soviet Middle Asia. Akad Nauk SSSR, Zool Inst 89:98–107
Li J-L, Liu J (1999) The skull of Manchurochelys laoxiensis (Testudines: Sinemydidae) from the Yixian Formation of Beipiao, Liaoning and phylogenetic position of this taxon. In: Chen P-J, Jin F (eds) Palaeoworld II, Jehol Biota. Press of University of Sciences and Technology of China, Hefei, pp 281–295
Parham JF, Hutchison JH (2003) A new eucryptodiran turtle from the Late Cretaceous of North America (Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada). J Vertebr Paleontol 23:783–798
Sukhanov VB (2000) Mesozoic turtles of Middle and Central Aisa. In: Benton MJ, Shishkin MA, Unwin DM, Kurochkin EN (eds) The Age of Dinosaurs in Russia and Mongolia. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 309–367
Tong H, Ji S-A, Ji Q (2004) Ordosemys (Testudines: Cryptodira) from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, Northeastern China: New specimens and systematic revision. Am Mus Novit 3438:1–20
Tong H, Claude J, Naksri W, Suteethorn V, Buffetaut E, Khansubha S, Wongko K, Yuangdetkla P (2009) Basilochelys macrobios n. gen. and n. sp., a large cryptodiran turtle from the Phu Kradung Formation (terminal Jurassic-basal Cretaceous) of the Khorat Plateau, NE Thailand. In: Buffetaut E, Cuny G, Le Loeuff J, Suteethorn V (eds) Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic continental ecosystems of Southeast Asia. Geological Society, London, pp 153–174
Vandermark D, Tarduno JA, Brinkman DB, Cottrell RD, Mason S (2009) New Late Cretaceous macrobaenid turtle with Asian affinities from the High Canadian Arctic. Geology 37:183–186
Wiman C (1930) Fossile Schildkröten aus China. Palaeontol Sinica Ser C 6:5–53
Ye X-K (1963) Fossil turtles of China. Palaeontol Sin 150, New Ser C 18:1–112
Zhou C-F (2010a) A new eucryptodiran turtle from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China. Zootaxa 2676:45–56
Zhou C-F (2010b) A second specimen of Manchurochelys manchoukuoensis Ento and Shikama, 1942 (Testudines: Eucryptodira) from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China. Zootaxa 2534:57–66
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Fang Zheng (IVPP, Beijing) for access the studied specimens and comparative material in the IVPP collection in her care, Z.-M. Dong (IVPP, Beijing) and other colleagues who took part in the field work, Walter Joyce (Tübingen) and Ren Hirayama (Tokyo) for reviewing the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This article is registered in Zoobank under urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:28836E5A-75F9-42C2-9B3B-DCB6E311A152
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tong, H., Brinkman, D. A new species of Sinemys (Testudines: Cryptodira: Sinemydidae) from the Early Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China. Palaeobio Palaeoenv 93, 355–366 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-012-0110-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-012-0110-8