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220 / Paleozoic
Eunotosaurus
Eunotosaurus africanus
Nine pairs of broad, flattened ribs record an early stage in the evolution of the turtle shell.
- Time range
- About 265–255 million years ago
- Final stage
- Middle to Late Permian
- Geographic range
- Inland woodland and floodplain · Present-day South Africa
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Eunotosaurus?
Eunotosaurus (Eunotosaurus africanus) was an extinct organism known from About 265–255 million years ago, with a range in Inland woodland and floodplain · Present-day South Africa.
Life and ecology
Eunotosaurus lacked a complete shell but had widened ribs, a shortened trunk and digging forelimbs. It shows how body mechanics changed before a turtle carapace appeared.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Eunotosaurus disappear?
This early branch vanished before the Permian ended, while Triassic relatives continued shell evolution.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Eunotosaurus?
Growth series preserve widening ribs, distinctive vertebrae and shoulder anatomy; bone histology and phylogenetics place it on the turtle stem.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS