GnathostomataNanhsiungchelyidaeCMN 57059

Basilemys morrinensis

Basilemys morrinensis skeletal reconstruction, left lateral view, length ~1.2 m.
Scale bar = 25 centimeters
Taxon
Basilemys morrinensis Mallon & Brinkman, 2018
Specimen
CMN 57059
Reconstructed length
~1.2 m (4 feet)
View
Left lateral
Drawing
© Scott Hartman
Drawn
2010, revised 2026
Clade
  1. Gnathostomata
  2. Tetrapoda
  3. Amniota
  4. Sauropsida
  5. Testudinata
  6. Cryptodira
  7. Nanhsiungchelyidae

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A big, land-dwelling cryptodire turtle from the Late Cretaceous of North America. Reaching about a meter long, Basilemys was tortoise-like in habit, with sturdy limbs and a heavy, deeply sculptured shell suited to life on dry ground.

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