Lot 776
Virtually Complete Turtle. Turtles are unique in the animal world having their entire torso embedded in a bony shell casing. There still is no consensus about their origins. Turtle fossils are usually just the carapace without the head and limbs. This 125 million year old fossil 9.5 x 4.75 inch Mancherochelys sp. from Liaoning, China is the rare exception having an excellent skull and parts of all four limbs with one foot still having 4 toes preserved. and even the tail. This turtle had a soft shell which does not fossilize but the bones of the webbed plastron (underside shell) are nearly complete. The medium brown color is nicely contrasted against the lighter 10 x 6.75 inch stone matrix. Mancherochelys was a Crytodira turtle that could not withdraw its head and limbs inside like modern turtles. A rare spectacular and well detailed fossil turtle.
Add $25 for domestic shipping. Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,500
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