HISPANIACHELYS PREBETICA (Jurásico superior)

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Hispaniachelys prebetica (Upper Oxfordian, Upper Jurassic, approximately 155 million years old). This marine turtle specimen was found in the Sierra de Cazorla region of Jaen province. Currently on display at the Paleontology Laboratory Museum of the University of Granada. The fossil preserves most of the shell and plastron, some disarticulated cervical vertebrae, and internal bones of the carapace such as dorsal vertebrae, scapula, and several ribs. The carapace measures 43 cm in length and 34 cm in width, with a height of 17.5 cm on the dorsoventral axis. The carapace is preserved in three dimensions, not compressed or deformed, maintaining its original curvature. In contrast, the plastron has collapsed inside the carapace but remains relatively well-preserved. This specimen is the only known example of this species (holotype, ref. RGCHSP-62-52). Reolid, M., Reolid, J., 2015. Fossil Vertebrates of Jaen. University of Jaen Publishing Service. 149 pp.