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ULTRA RARE 1.1 MILLION YEAR IRVINGTONIAN PERIOD 10.4 INCH FOSSIL TRACHEMYS TURTLE SHELL WITH INTACT PLASTRON Spring Deposit - Gilchrist County, Florida, U.S.A. EARLY PLEISTOCENE PERIOD (IRVINGTONIAN ERA): 1.1 Million years ago This is truly one of the most impressive and rare turtle specimens we have had the pleasure to offer. It is a remarkably well-preserved carapace of a 1.1 million year old Pond Turtle of the species Trachemys. The amazing condition and completeness of this specimen lends itself to the unique deposit in which it was discovered - an undisturbed fissure in a freshwater spring deposit that has been dated to the Irvingtonian Period of the Pleistocene, at 1.1 million years ago. In this fissure and period were also found several fossil alligators of a rare degree of completeness we have NEVER seen. It was literally a 1 million year time capsule and because of this, it has produced this incredibly rare specimen of this turtle fossil. Typical fossil deposits where these are found are rivers that fragment and scatter the shell so that all that is usually found are individual pieces of the carapace. Any time spent in the southeastern part of the United States collecting fossils will aptly demonstrate just how rare an occurrence of a find like this is! The shell was found in a pocket in pieces and has been carefully reassembled. There was only a few small portions of the carapace missing that amounted to approximately 1% of the total surface of the shell requiring restoration. The entire array of delicate fringe scutes on the posterior are 100% original and any missing portions were left as they were found. We performed all of the restoration and work to the carapace in our on-site lab facility so we can accurately attest to the degree and nature of the work done on this superb specimen.
Remember, this is not a
borderline Holocene specimen or similar to the many fake "Pleistocene"
fossils you see on the market made up of modern animal remains soaked in
dye. This is a true fossil carapace with a definitive dating to
this period of the Early Pleistocene, Irvingtonian Age. Specimens
like this are a once-in-a-lifetime discovery when this complete and in
this state of preservation. The color is natural and ranges from a
mottle caramel brown to incredible accents of mottle bright orange,
red-brown, and light cream brown. This will be one of our most
memorable specimens of any turtle fossils we will ever offer. The oldest fossil turtles found date back to the Triassic Period in Germany with Progaochelys and Proterocheris. Before the end of the Cretaceous Period, most modern turtle groups existed with representatives in existence. Florida's oldest fossil ever found is a marine turtle dating to the Cretaceous. Portions of the creature were collected 9210 feet below the surface of Okeechobee County during well-drilling in 1955. Turtles have highly specialized anatomy for living in their environment. The upper carapace is formed from the fusing of individual bony elements. Thoracic vertebra are fused to the inside of the upper carapace. The underside flat portion of the shell is called the PLASTRON. The overall shape of the carapace indicates the environment in which the turtle or tortoise lived in. High-domed shells indicate land-dwelling species while low-domed shells are more hydrodynamic and indicate an aquatic life. Even though the do not possess teeth, most turtles are carnivores. The Box turtle is a partially aquatic turtle that spends most of its life on dry land near shallow fresh water. A woody grassland area with dry sandy soil on top and humid earth beneath is also needed for their survival. The American box turtle can be found today in eastern, central and southwestern United States and in the northern parts of Mexico. The majority of their life is spent foraging for food on land. To keep away from predators, they build their homes in burrows under fallen trees or rocks. When they are young, they are omnivorous but as they reach adulthood they eat mostly vegetation. The Eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina, is a woodland species found in the eastern and central United States. There are records of Box turtles living for 80 - 100 years but most live around 30 years. What makes box turtles so unique is the hinge in the plastron. This allows them to completely withdraw their legs, tail, head and neck within the shell for protection from predators hence the name, BOX TURTLE. If a predator attempts to eat a box turtle, it will not find anything to nip at. The sturdy shell protects the turtle until its enemy gets frustrated and goes away. This feature is not true of aquatic turtles. A few aquatic turtles have hinged plastrons, but most do not as they are almost always near water, which allows them a quick escape from danger. TRULY A ONE-OF-A-KIND SPECIMEN FOR THE FINEST MUSEUM EXHIBITION - ULTRA RARE CONDITION! 10.4" long x 8" across SOLD TUR002 Actual Item - One Only |
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