A new bothremydid (Chelonia: Pleurodira) fossil assemblage from the Late Cretaceous
(Santonian) of Hungary - Additional studies in the historical paleobiogeography of
Late Cretaceous bothremydids
At the only Late Cretaceous (Santonian) dinosaur locality of Hungary in the Bakony
Mountains (Iharkút locality) turtle remains are the most abundant fossils and because,
of their preservation they are also the best represented group so far. Since 2000
three partial skulls, two isolated lower jaws, several hind limbs, two partial plastrons,
numerous shell fragments and other postcranial bones have been discovered. The skulls
and the lower jaws belong to a presently unnamed new bothremydid taxon while the identification
of the isolated postcranial material is in progress. The Iharkút bothremydid is a
new taxon and a member of the so-called Bothremys-group. According to a preliminary
cladistir analysis this is the sister taxon of Foxemys mechinorum from the Late Cretaceous
deposits of southern France. The newly discovered material suggests that members of
the Bothremys-group First appeared in the Mediterraneum and the appearance of bothmemydids
in North America at the same period can be explained by a sudden migrational event
from Europe.
