What is Odontochelys?
Q: What is Odontochelys?
A: Odontochelys is the oldest known turtle to have been discovered. It was first described from three 220 million year-old specimens excavated in Upper Triassic rocks in Guizhou, China.
Q: How does Odontochelys differ from modern turtles?
A: Modern turtles possess a horny beak without any teeth in their mouth, while Odontochelys fossils had teeth in their upper and lower jaws. Additionally, modern turtles have a solid carapace over their body for protection, but Odontochelys only had the bottom portion of a turtle's armor - the plastron - and did not yet have a solid carapace like other turtles do.
Q: What are some other features that distinguish Odontochelys from other turtles?
A: In comparison of skull proportions, the skull of Odontochelys is far more elongated in front of the eyes compared to other turtles. The tail of this prehistoric turtle was also longer in proportion to its body than other turtles, and its transverse processes found in the tail were not fused as they are with later turtles.
Q: What does the species' name mean?
A: The species' name, Odontochelys semitestacea literally means "toothed turtle with a half-shell" - an apt description of its most striking physical characteristics.
Q: Where were these fossil specimens found?
A: These fossil specimens were found in marine deposits full of conodonts and ammonites located close to shore.
Q: Was it likely that this primitive turtle lived on land or water?
A: It is likely that Odontochelys was aquatic since it was found near marine deposits full of conodonts and ammonites close to shore.
Q: Do all scientists agree on what type of animal this represents?
A:No, some scientists are skeptical about whether or not this represents a transitional fossil between primitive and modern forms of life; Reisz and Head suggest that it may be descendant from an older land–living turtle instead whose shell became reversed over time like leatherback sea turtles (the genus Dermochely).
