Prehistoric turtle the size of a small car discovered in Spain

[Prehistory Resurrection]

Meet Leviathanochelys aenigmatica. Image credit: ICRA_Arts.

-Researchers have discovered a new species of gigantic marine prehistoric turtle in Northern Spain. Its name is Leviathanochelys aenigmatica. Its name is as such because "Leviathan" is a nod to the animal's large size and "chelys" means turtle. "Aenigmatica" translates to enigma, in reference to the creature's strange characteristics. The strange characteristics include an "exceedingly large pelvis and shell reduction in the carapace". The large pelvis is explained by an unique bone bulging out from the side of the pelvis; which hasn't been observed in any modern-day and other extinct species of marine turtle before. The structure appears to have connected to muscles, so the researchers believe it may have helped L. aenigmatica breathe in deep waters. In other words, this structure bulging out from the side of the pelvis may have helped Leviathanochelys to compress its stomach area to expel air from its body and descend into deeper waters.

-Its weight is about 2 tons and its length is 12 feet long. Researchers estimate the animal lived during the Campanian Age of the Late Cretaceous period, making it at least 72 million years old. On the other hand, another prehistoric giant marine turtle; Archelon, lived about some 70 million years ago and weighed about 3.5 tons and grew to be about 15 feet long, making Leviathanochelys slightly smaller and Archelon remaining the largest prehistoric marine turtle on record. "Leviathanochelys was as long as a Mini Cooper, while Archelon was as long as a Toyota Corolla." In comparison, the biggest turtle alive today; the leatherback turtle, weighs an average of 600-1,100 pounds and measures just 4-6 feet.

-Previously, prehistoric giant marine turtles such as Archelon and Protostega were discovered only in North America, but the discovery of Leviathanochelys in Europe proves otherwise.

- The discovery was completely accidental. A hiker stumbled across some bone fragments in 2016 while walking in the Pyrenees mountains; Northern Spain. After that, a local museum and the Catalonian Department of Culture collected the remains, but no one studied them until 2021. Then recently, researchers began new excavations at the Pyrenees site and uncovered other pieces of the fossil; fragments of the turtle's pelvis and carapace-the part of the shell that covered the creature's back. The remains were then compared to those of other giant prehistoric sea turtles and the researchers found that the fossils were different. They concluded that the shell and the pelvis were different in Leviathanochelys.

[Halichoeres]

Turtles are good.

[Fembrogon]

Another giant turtle is cool in my book. Now what do we need to do to get this genus made into a toy within the next 2-3 years?

[DinoToyForum]

Turtles are good.

I always welcome the opportunity to share this oldie:

[Halichoeres]

That kid is all of us.

Another giant turtle is cool in my book. Now what do we need to do to get this genus made into a toy within the next 2-3 years?

I think the answer is 'quit buying the 25th version of stock dinosaur X.' Not aimed at anyone in particular, but as a community, reward variety and risk-taking.

[dyno77]

The oddest thing as a collector is that no company even bother with making some prehistoric turtles..now i know that there was some small figures from long ago as well as some mini figures ,both which are so rare..and they weren't just a larger version of the Galapagos tortoise either or a big leather-back...some had horns and tail clubs as well ...