Origin, Evolution and Biogeographic History of South American Turtles

DE LA FUENTE, M.S.; STERLI, J.; MANIEL, I

Springer

Lugar: Dordrecht; Año: 2014 p. 168

978-3319-00517-1

The continental cheloniofauna of South America is integrated by almost 46 extant species assigned to seven different clades (Emydidae, Geoemydidae, Chelydridae, Kinosternidae, Testudinidae, Chelidae, and Podocnemididae) and 48 extinct species referred to ten different clades (Emydidae, Trionychidae, Testudinidae, Chelidae, Podocnemididae, Podocnemidinura, Bothremydidae, Meiolaniformes, Platychelyidae, and Australochelyidae). The cheloniofauna of South America has been exposed to multiple and different processes since the Late Triassic (e.g., origin, dispersion, vicariance, and extinction) that shaped their modern distribution in the continent. The fossil record of turtles shows a different timing in the integration of each clade to South America.