Publication details
Fossil turtle remains from the Lower Miocene (MN4) localities of Mokrá-Western Quarry (Czech Republic).
| Title in English | Fossil turtle remains from the Lower Miocene (MN4) localities of Mokra´-Western Quarry (Czech Republic). |
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| Citation | |
| Description | The two fossiliferous karst localities of Mokra´-Western Quarry, Czech Republic (MWQ, 1/2001 Turtle Joint and MWQ, 2/2003 Reptile Joint) have provided a rich herpetofauna (amphibians and squamates) from the upper part of the Early Miocene (MN 4b). Here, we describe the unpublished turtle material recovered from the above-mentioned sites, as well as two other localities of equal age including the Turtle Cave (MWQ) and a karstic fissure no. 3/2005 (Mokrá Central Quarry, MCQ), which yielded two taxa attributed to Ptychogaster (Ptychogaster) cf. buechelbergense and Testudo (Chersine) cf. angustihyoplastralis. It is noteworthy that the presence of this ptychogasterid species was recently reported from several localities of NW Bohemia in Schaffer’s PhD, but unfortunately, it has never been studied in detail. In turn, Testudo cf. angustihyoplastralis represents the second known record of this taxon in Czech Republic (apart from the Austrian type-locality). Regarding the taxonomical adscription of the later, our revision of the holotype of T. angustihyoplastralis further indicates that this taxon should not be attributed to the subgenus Paleotestudo. The presence of this testudinoid fauna confirms various ecological environments as a dry karst landscape with open to dense steppe vegetation inferred for the heliophile testudinid, as well as a wooded and close to freshwater environment (stagnant or flowing) to the semi-aquatic ptychogasterid. Finally, the turtle remains reported from the Mokrá Quarry expand our knowledge on the composition of the fossil turtle assemblages within the territory of the Carpathian Foredeep (Central Paratehys) during the Early Miocene Climatic Optimum. |