Name:
Odontochelys (Greek for "toothed shell"); pronounced oh-DON-toe-KELL-iss
Habitat:
Shallow waters of eastern Asia
Historical Period:
Late Triassic (220 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 16 inches long and a few pounds
Diet:
Small marine animals
Distinguishing Features:
Small size; toothed beak; soft shell
About Odontochelys:
When it was announced to the world in 2008, Odontochelys caused a sensation: a prehistoric turtle that preceded the earliest known turtle ancestor, Proganochelys, by 10 million years. As you might expect in such an ancient turtle, the late Triassic Odontochelys possessed some "transitional" features intermediate between later turtles and the obscure prehistoric reptiles of the Permian period from which it evolved. Most notably, Odontochelys had a well-toothed beak (hence its name, Greek for "toothed shell") and a semi-soft carapace, analysis of which has provided valuable clues about the evolution of turtle shells in general. Judging by its anatomy, this turtle probably spent most of its time in the water, a sign that it may have evolved from a marine ancestor.
