Origin, Evolution and Biogeographic History of South American Turtles

• Main Authors: de la Fuente, Marcelo S. (Author), Sterli, Juliana (Author), Maniel, Ignacio (Author)
• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Cham : Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Springer, 2014.
• Series: Springer Earth System Sciences
• Subjects: Earth sciences.; Paleontology.; Systems biology.; Evolutionary biology.; Earth Sciences.; Evolutionary Biology.; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography.; Systems Biology.

The extended continental South American turtle record (Norian to Lujanian) allows us to follow the evolution of this reptile clade from its origins. Several significant stem turtle taxa such as: Palaeochersis talampayensis and Condorchelys antiqua provide information on the first steps of turtle evo...

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Aquatic cryptodiran turtles: the most recent island hoppers
• Tortoises: the oldest island hoppers
• South Gondwanan pleurodiran turtles
• North Gondwanan Pleurodiran Turtles
•  Meiolaniforms: an extinct lineage of turtles of Gondwanan origin
• Early differentiation of Mesozoic turtles.