[[Alienochelys]] is an extinct genus of [[marine turtle]] belonging to the family [[Protostegidae]]. It lived during the [[Late Cretaceous]] period, specifically the [[Maastrichtian]] stage.
Etymology
The name Alienochelys is derived from Ancient Greek, combining alienos (ἀλλήνος), meaning "strange" or "foreign," and chelys (χέλῠς), meaning "turtle." The name refers to the unusual combination of morphological features found in the genus, which distinguish it from other known protostegids. The species epithet selloumi honors the Selloum family, who own the phosphate mine where the fossil was discovered.Discovery
Alienochelys was first described in 2017 by Stéphane Adnet, Nathalie Bardet, Lionel Cavin, and Alexandra Houssaye. The type species, Alienochelys selloumi, is known from fossil remains discovered in the Ouled Abdoun Basin of Morocco. The discovery provided new insights into the diversity and evolutionary history of Late Cretaceous marine turtles.Paleobiology and Description
As a member of the Protostegidae, Alienochelys was an obligate marine turtle, well-adapted for life in the open ocean. While it was smaller than some of its gigantic relatives like [[Archelon]], it was still a substantial turtle. Its fossil remains, primarily consisting of skull fragments and parts of the shell, reveal a unique mosaic of primitive and derived features. These characteristics, particularly in the cranium, led to its "strange" designation and its placement within its own genus. Like other protostegids, Alienochelys likely possessed a lightened, fenestrated carapace (shell) to aid buoyancy and powerful front flippers for propulsion through water. Its diet probably consisted of soft-bodied marine invertebrates such as jellyfish and cephalopods, common prey for many marine turtles.Classification
- [[Kingdom]]: [[Animalia]]
- [[Phylum]]: [[Chordata]]
- [[Class]]: [[Reptilia]]
- [[Order]]: [[Testudines]]
- [[Suborder]]: [[Cryptodira]]
- [[Clade]]: [[Chelonioidea]] (marine turtles)
- [[Family]]: [[Protostegidae]]
- [[Genus]]: Alienochelys
- [[Species]]: Alienochelys selloumi (type species)