Fossil Tortoise. Testudo thomsoni. Oligocene. White River Badlands. South Dakota, USA. ...

Description

Fossil Tortoise
Testudo thomsoni
Oligocene
White River Badlands
South Dakota, USA

Representing the more uncommon of the two prevalent genera of fossil turtles or, more accurately, fossil tortoises out of the famous White River Badlands, this incredible Testudo measures nearly 12 inches (30.5 cm) in length, making it a rather large example of the variety. Both the top shell (carapace) and bottom shell (plastron) are well preserved, and the entire fossil has been expertly "prepped" to maximize display potential. While still fairly neutral in overall coloration, this example does have an amount of color in the preserved shell featuring hues of tan, cream, and even green in spots, which is something, given that many such fossil Testudines have bleached out and show very little, if any, color. Obviously, the top and bottom shells are what remained of the terrestrial reptile, which has a "core" filled with sediment, resulting in the piece being relatively solid and feeling rather heavy. This is not only a rarer Testudo but also a superlative example of the type. There is a pronounced curved concavity to the underside of this sculptural 'Badlands' fossil, indicative that it is a male of the type, and this specimen with well-preserved scutes on top and bottom once belonged to a top collector.
Measurements: 11.81 x 8.66 x 3.94 inches (30.00 x 22.00 x 10.00 cm)

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