Now that really IS a mutant turtle: Archaeologists find bizarre pig snouted created once roamed Utah

Daily Mail ^ | October 21, 2015 | Mark Prigg

[SunkenCiv]

The extinct turtle was about 2 feet long from head to tail.

Its streamlined shell was adapted for living in a riverine environment.

When it was alive, 76 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, Southern Utah looked more like present-day Louisiana.

The climate was wet and hot, and the landscape was dominated by rivers, bayous and lowland flood plains.

It lived alongside tyrannosaurs, armored ankylosaurs, giant duck-billed dinosaurs such as Gryposaurus and Parasaurolophus, and other dinosaurs that left abundant fossil remains in the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation of Southern Utah.

But those fossil beds also hold the remains of many crocodilians, turtles, lizards and amphibians that don't look much different from their modern relatives.

Unlike any turtle ever found, the broad snout of the newly discovered species has two bony nasal openings.

All other turtles have just one external nasal opening in their skulls; the division between their nostrils is only fleshy.

Most ancient turtle species are represented by fossil remains that often consist of nothing more than an isolated skull or shell.

And finds that associate skulls with shells are rare.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

[cripplecreek]

I call him Bitey.

[treetopsandroofs]

"Now that really IS a mutant turtle: Archaeologists find bizarre pig snouted created once roamed Utah"

Pig Snout?!

[4yearlurker]

I believe there is a turtle that lives today with a snout like that.

[treetopsandroofs]

“Now that really IS a mutant turtle: Archaeologists find bizarre pig snouted created once roamed Utah”

Interesting use of “created” in context.

[ETL]

[a fool in paradise]

When it was alive, 76 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, Southern Utah looked more like present-day Louisiana. The climate was wet and hot, and the landscape was dominated by rivers, bayous and lowland flood plains.

Natural global climate change PING

[a fool in paradise]

[treetopsandroofs]

[ETL]

[ETL]

[a fool in paradise]

[a fool in paradise]

[Covenantor]

So ancestry.com has located the progenitors of Henry Waxman.

>

[SunkenCiv]

It was supposed to be “creature”, but the FR rule is play it as it lies. Also, the fact is, I didn’t notice until it was too late. [blush]

[a fool in paradise]

not a PING

[ETL]

[WKUHilltopper]

[Taxman]

Now, that IS a Snapper!