This is a fossilized tortoise carapace (top) and plastron (bottom) of a tortoise that lived in the region 17.5 million years ago, in the early Miocene. At this time the mammalian fauna was considerably different from the animals that were recovered from the Plio-Pleistocene, going back to 5 million years. This complete tortoise specimen was recovered from a site called Buluk, to the north east of the Turkana Basin. This site is rich in petrified wood and has an abundance of early elephants, hyraxes, and rhino, as well as crocodiles, turtles and tortoises. This is a site that has been little studied due to its remoteness but that is one of the more important Miocene sites in northern Kenya.
Unknown Unknown
KNMER 14376 Age approx. 17.50 Million Years
Digital Capture: Photogrammetry 0 Comments Order: Unknown Family: Unknown Genus: Unknown Species: Unknown Element: Carapace and Plastron Locality: Buluk, East Turkana Year of Discovery: Unknown Other Fossils to View |