5.3" Fossil Turtle Shell Stylemys Tortoise Oligocene Age Badlands South Dakota

Location: White River Badlands, South Dakota

Weight: 3 Pounds 1.5 Ounces

Dimensions: 5.3 Inches Long, 5 Inches Wide, 2.9 Inches Thick (Matrix)

The item pictured is the one you will receive.

Stylemys, an extinct genus of tortoises, represents one of the earliest and most widespread groups of land tortoises in North America. Its fossil record provides crucial insights into the evolution and diversification of Testudinidae, the family that includes modern tortoises

Fossils of Stylemys are predominantly found in Oligocene and early Miocene deposits across the central and western United States, particularly in the Great Plains region. These fossils include well-preserved carapaces, plastrons, and occasionally limb bones, allowing for detailed morphological studies. The shell morphology of Stylemys indicates a terrestrial lifestyle, characterized by a high-domed carapace, robust limbs, and a generally large size, with some species reaching lengths of over 60 cm 

Key features distinguishing Stylemys from other extinct and extant tortoises include specific arrangements of the scutes on the carapace and plastron, as well as the structure of the skull, though skull material is less commonly preserved. The presence of Stylemys in various paleoenvironments, from semi-arid plains to woodlands, suggests its adaptability to different habitats during the Oligocene epoch. Its widespread distribution and abundance in the fossil record make Stylemys an important index fossil for dating Oligocene terrestrial strata in North America