Fossil Tortoise. Stylemys sp. . Oligocene. White River Badlands. Wyoming, USA. ... (Total: 2 Items)

Description

Fossil Tortoise
Stylemys sp.
Oligocene
White River Badlands
Wyoming, USA

A centerpiece fossil, to be sure, this massive Fossil Turtle, technically a Fossil Tortoise, since it had a terrestrial rather than an aquatic lifestyle, measures nearly 18 inches (46 cm) across the length of the broad, shelled form. With rather minimal restoration and repairs made to the display specimen, this example of Stylemys has a well-preserved carapace (top shell) and a plastron (bottom shell) as such fossils go, but it is the rare and unusual presence of a skull and forelimbs, that are seldom seen on such fossilized specimens, which categorize this as a quite superlative representation. Mounted on a custom metal armature, to allow for dramatic presentation and overall visibility, the enormous prehistoric "pillar turtle" is one rather impressive vertebrate reptile fossil, from the renowned White River Badlands, dating back to the Oligocene Epoch some 30 million years ago. Out of Wyoming, an offering of this size and quality is uncommon and destined to be a noteworthy addition to any good collection of Badlands vertebrate fossils. A 'mosaic' of scutes provides a visually appealing pattern to the expansive ancient shell, which boasts an overall yellowish coloration but that has subtle hues of greenish and pink accents that form an interrelated mix of colors that work together, appearing as a single shade from any distance. This larger, inflated fossil is somewhat comparatively flat but still has an arching dome shape and a great amount of dimensionality. There is a single missing section towards the posterior end of the shell - which is not tremendously visible when the fossil is viewed. This is simply a sizable and superlative fossil from an iconic locality, with easily recognizable form.
Turtle Measurements: 17.72 x 14.17 x 4.13 inches (45.00 x 36.00 x 10.50 cm)

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