| Pacifichelys | |
|---|---|
| Skull ofPacifichelys urbinai | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Cheloniidae |
| Genus: | †Pacifichelys |
| Type species | |
| Pacifichelys urbinai Parham and Pyenson,2010 | |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Pacifichelys is an extinct genus ofsea turtle from theMiddle Miocene ofPeru (Pisco Formation) andCalifornia (Temblor Formation).[1][2] It was first named byJames F. Parham andNicholas D. Pyenson in 2010, and thetype species isPacifichelys urbinai from Peru.[2] A second species,P. hutchisoni, was reassigned from the genusEuclastes. It is known from the Miocene of California. Like the livingRidley andloggerhead sea turtles,Pacifichelys wasdurophagous, consuming hard-shelled organisms with crushing jaws.[2]
Cladogram based on Lynch and Parham (2003)[3] and Parham and Pyenson (2010):[2]
| Cheloniidae sensu lato | |