First fossil turtle from Hainan Island, China

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Published: Jun 30, 2015
Keywords:
Mauremys sinensis Geoemydidae cave deposits Middle Pleistocene Hainan Island

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Lu Li
Key Laboratory of Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrate, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Science Beijing 100044, China
Jinyou Mo
Natural History Museum of Guangxi, Nanning 530012, China
Zhaoxue Huang
Museum of Changjiang Li Autonomous County, Changjiang 575700, China
Haiyan Tong
Palaeontological Research and Education Centre, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai, Mahasarakham 44150, Thailand

Abstract

Although Hainan Island is one of the richest regions for living turtle species in China, no fossil turtle had hitherto been discovered there. In this paper we report on a partial turtle shell from the Middle Pleistocene of Xinchong Cave, Changjing, Hainan, which is the first fossil turtle from that island. The specimen is identified as belonging to an extant geoemydid, Mauremys sinensis. This discovery indicates that the species, as a component of the extant turtle fauna in Hainan, had already reached the island by the Middle Pleistocene.

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Vol. 1 No. 1 (2015): JANUARY - JUNE
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