Odontochelys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids OdontochelysTemporal range: Upper Triassic
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| Scientific classification | |
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†Proganochelydia
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†Odontochelyidae
Li et al., 2008
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†Odontochelys
Li et al., 2008
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| †Odontochelys semitestacea Li et al., 2008
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Odontochelys is the oldest known turtle ever found! Scientists first described it from three fossils that were 220 million years old. These amazing fossils were dug up in Upper Triassic rocks in Guizhou, China.
Odontochelys was a very early type of turtle, so it was different from modern turtles in a few ways. Today's turtles have a hard, bony beak and no teeth. But Odontochelys fossils show it had teeth in both its upper and lower jaws!
One of the coolest things about turtles is their shell. This armor protects their body. Odontochelys only had the bottom part of a turtle's shell, called the plastron. It did not have a solid top shell, or carapace, like most other turtles. Instead of a hard carapace, Odontochelys had wide ribs, similar to how modern turtle babies look before their top shells fully grow.
What Made Odontochelys Unique?
The skull of Odontochelys was much longer in front of its eyes compared to other turtles. Its tail was also longer than other turtles' tails. Plus, the bones in its tail were not joined together like they are in later turtles.
These special features mean that Odontochelys had some of the most basic traits ever seen in a turtle. Because of this, some scientists think it is a transitional fossil. This means it shows how turtles slowly changed over millions of years. However, some scientists, like Reisz and Head, have a different idea. They think Odontochelys might have come from an older turtle that lived on land. They suggest its shell might have changed in a different way. You can see similar shells on some modern turtles, like the Leatherback sea turtle.
Where Did Odontochelys Live?
It is very likely that Odontochelys lived in water. The fossils were found in places that used to be the bottom of the ocean. These areas were full of tiny sea creatures called conodonts and ammonites. This suggests that this ancient turtle swam in shallow ocean waters, probably close to the shore.
The full name of the species is Odontochelys semitestacea. This name literally means "toothed turtle with a half-shell." This is a perfect description of its most interesting features!
Images for kids
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A drawing of what Odontochelys might have looked like as a marine reptile.
See also
In Spanish: Odontochelys para niños
