A new Chengyuchelys latimarginalis record from the Upper Jurassic Shangshaximaio Formation of Sichuan Basin, China, and the intraspecific variation

ABSTRACT

A new Chengyuchelys latimarginalis (Xinjiangchelyidae) specimen is reported based on a well-preserved, nearly complete shell from the upper part of the Upper Jurassic Shangshaximiao Formation of Qijiang District, Chongqing Municipality, China. The Xinjiangchelyidae were widely distributed in Asia during the Jurassic and were the dominant turtle group in Asian freshwater ecosystems during the Late Jurassic. The Qijiang specimen adds a new element to the yet poorly known freshwater vertebrate fauna and extends the geographical distribution of C. latimarginalis. This paper discusses the intraspecific variation in C. latimarginalis for the first time. It provides a new insight for studying the evolution, habitat, and diversity of xinjiangchelyids.

KEYWORDS:

• Chengyuchelys latimarginalis
• Xinjiangchelyidae
• turtle
• Upper Jurassic
• Shangshaximiao Formation
• Sichuan Basin
• intraspecific variation

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41888101, 41790455). Thanks to the Chongzhou Tianyin Museum for restoring QJPNR 1001 studied in this paper. Thanks to Miaoyan Wang, Shengyang Yao, and Shenyuan Peng for their help in writing the paper. And we thank Igor Danilov and Márton Rabi for reviewing the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 41888101, 41790455].