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Pelomedusoides and Chelidae are groups of pleurodiran turtles that have evolved from the Cretaceous period to the present. In this study, we carried out thin sections in shell elements (including costal, neural, peripheral and xiphiplastron bones) from Bauruemys elegans , an undetermined Podocnemididae taxon, and shell fragments of other pelomedusoids from Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene sedimentary deposits. We explored and discussed shell microstructures and microanatomy data of these extinct pelomedusoids alongside two extant pleurodires, Podocnemis unifilis and Phrynops sp. Our study of costo-neural bones reinforces the hypothesis that the turtle carapace originated endoskeletally from ribs and vertebral arches. Our osteohistological examination of these shell bones suggests an aquatic to semi-aquatic lifestyle for the studied extinct Pelomedusoides. Notably, all examined bones show high bone compactness, a feature often associated with terrestrial life, although it is not exclusive to such a lifestyle. Additionally, our comparative analysis reveals greater shell compactness in Podocnemididae compared to the other specimens sampled. These findings contribute to our understanding of the environmental interactions of these pleurodires. • The turtle carapace originated endoskeletally from ribs and vertebral arches. • Comparative analysis reveals greater shell compactness in Podocnemididae than in Chelidae. • The first record of Testudines from the Late Cretaceous graben of Mato Grosso State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently the Atlantic Forest hotspot has less than 11% of its original coverage. However approximately 300 species of reptiles are known to inhabit this ecoregion, of which 34% are endemic. The creation of protected areas represents a strategy for preserving ecosystems and managing land use, and for attaining the proper management of these protected areas, information on local biodiversity is essential. Herein we provide the first list of reptile species for the Estação Ecológica and Área de Proteção Ambiental de Murici, two overlapping protected areas located in the state of Alagoas, one of the most important sets of forest remnants for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest in the northeast of Brazil. The species list was constructed based on expeditions and occasional encounters in the area between 1994 and2022. A total of 89 reptile species were obtained during the 28 years of collection, being two species of Crocodylia, three species of Testudines and 84 species of Squamata. This richness is by far one of the greatest ever documented for the Atlantic Forest. Additionally, two species registered in the area are considered threatened according to the national list (Amerotyphlops paucisquamus and Bothrops muriciensis) and six are defined as data deficient for the assessment of their conservation status. Three species are recorded for the first time in the Atlantic Forest north of the São Francisco River: Dipsas indica, Trilepida salgueiroi and Cercophis auratus. We claim that the species list provided here will serve as a starting point for further studies in this rich reptile "hotspot" within the Atlantic Forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report the trauma suffered by a green turtle (Chelonia mydas), caused by a collision with a motorboat, and describe the case ante and post-mortem. An adult female green turtle was rescued alive on December 2, 2016 at Ponta Negra beach, municipality of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The rescued animal was sent to the Marine Fauna Rehabilitation Center (PCCB-UERN), municipality of Areia Branca (RN), in Brazil. Physical examination revealed an excellent body score, noisy breathing, moderate dehydration, absence of hind limb and cloacal reflexes when stimulated by pressure, and two traumatic injuries characteristic of a collision with a motorboat. After three days of supportive treatment, the animal died and was immediately sent for necropsy. The animal had a complete fracture of the vertebral bodies (dorsal elements D9 and D10) and spinal cord section. The entire gastrointestinal tract had food content, in addition to sharp injuries in the colon caused by the bone fragments of the fractured carapace. The lungs were congested, hemorrhagic with frothy and bloody secretion, and interstitial bronchiole fibrosis. There was also present some fibrin and a large number of leukocyte cells, consisting mainly of macrophages. The liver was enlarged, with rounded edges and thickening of the capsule, multifocal areas of hepatocellular necrosis, and dissociation of the hepatocyte cords. The collision resulted in the exposure of the coelomic cavity and spinal cord, causing the animal intense pain, paralysis of the hind limbs and cloaca, speticemia, and consequently, death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of amphibian and reptile species that occur in open and forested areas of the Atlantic Forest in the municipality of Cruz das Almas, in the Recôncavo Baiano, eastern Brazil is presented. Field sampling occurred between January 2015 to March 2019, totalling 117 samples distributed in three areas: Parque Florestal Mata de Cazuzinha, Mata da Cascalheira, and Riacho do Machado. A total of 1,848 individuals of 69 species (31 anurans, 14 lizards, 19 snakes, two amphisbaenians, and three testudines) was recorded. Additionally, one individual of Ophiodes striatus was found in Mata da Cascalheira after the end of sampling, totalling 15 lizard species and 70 herpetofaunal species. The prevalence of open-area species and the presence of Phyllopezus lutzae, Diploglossus lessonae, and Dryadosaura nordestina in interior forest patches are discussed. Additionally, a new record of the invasive terrapin Trachemys dorbigni in the State of Bahia is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standardisation of protocols and discussion of therapeutic procedures in the rehabilitation of turtles affected by oil spills are necessary to optimise the recovery time and increase the chances of survival of these animals. This study aimed at reporting the processes adopted for the stabilisation, decontamination, rehabilitation and release of an oiled olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), rescued alive on September 23, 2019, at Santa Rita Beach, Extremoz municipality, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Its entire body was covered by oil. At first, the animal was mechanically dry cleaned using a gauze soaked in mineral oil in the keratinised regions (carapace and plastron) and a gauze soaked in vegetable oil was used on the oral, nasal, ocular, and cloacal mucous membranes. The second stage of the oil removal consisted of washing the animal with heated pressurised water (39 °C) and a neutral detergent using a soft foam sponge. The animal received treatment with antitoxins, antibiotics, analgesics, gastrointestinal protectors, and fluid therapy. After 7 days of treatment, the blood count showed that all the parameters were within the normal range. The oil cleaning process and the therapeutic protocol used in the rehabilitation of the olive ridley sea turtle were efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of parasite fauna can contribute to the assessment of the health status of sea turtles, and thus make it possible to develop effective management and treatment strategies aimed at conserving these animals. The present study aimed to investigate the parasite fauna in sea turtles rescued in six sections of the coast of Santa Catarina and Paraná (Brazil) from January 2020 to December 2022 through the recording of exam reports available in the Information System of Aquatic Biota Monitoring. In total, records of 334 sea turtles were analyzed during this period, of which 219 (65.6 %) were infected with at least one parasite. Chelonia mydas was the most frequent species with 86.5 % of rescues and presented the highest species richness. At least 43 species belonging to 36 different genera have been recorded parasitizing sea turtles. The most common helminths were Cricocephalus albus, Metacetabulum invaginatum, Pronocephalus obliquus, with 12.3 %, 8.7 % and 8.4 %, respectively, while protozoa of the genus Entamoeba were the most prevalent in the turtles analyzed (8.1 %). An interesting finding was the unprecedented finding of Hymenolepis sp. eggs in faeces of some turtle species. The results showed that the parasite fauna was quite diverse, with several species known to be capable of harming the physical health and well-being of sea turtles. In view of this, it is necessary to adopt strategies for monitoring the health of the different rescued species with a view to conserving sea turtles in Brazilian territory., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Overkill of large mammals is recognized as a key driver of Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions in the Americas and Australia. While this phenomenon primarily affected mega-mammals, its impact on large Quaternary reptiles has been debated. Freshwater turtles, due to the scarcity of giant forms in the Quaternary record, have been largely neglected in such discussions. Here we present a new giant podocnemidid turtle, Peltocephalus maturin sp. nov., from the Late Pleistocene Rio Madeira Formation in the Brazilian Amazon, that challenges this assumption. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses of the holotype, a massive partial lower jaw, reveal close affinities to extant Amazonian species and suggest an omnivorous diet. Body size regressions indicate Pe. maturin possibly reached about 180 cm in carapace length and is among the largest freshwater turtles ever found. This finding presents the latest known occurrence of giant freshwater turtles, hinting at coexistence with early human inhabitants in the Amazon.

Temperature-dependent sex determination occurs in many species of turtles. Because substrates differ in their heat retention capacities, a relatively small change in ambient temperature can exert great influence on sex ratios of hatchlings from clutches deposited in different substrates even within the same geographical area. Since Podocnemis unifilis is one of the Amazonian turtle species (Podocnemididae) with high behavioural plasticity in the use of nesting sites, we tested the influence of soil types on hatchling sex ratios in the Piagaçu Purus Sustainable Development Reserve along the lower Purus River, Brazil. During the 2013 and 2014 nesting seasons, we evaluated 26 nests on a sand bank (n = 14) and clay banks (n = 12). Approximately half of the hatchlings that emerged from each nest were sexed via gonad histological analysis (n = 341). We found a higher incidence of females in nests from the sandy substrate and more males in nests from the clayey substrate (= 40.466, df = 1, P < 0.0001). Ratios of 1 male to 2.28 females were recorded from sand bank nests, and 1.9 males to 1 female from clay banks. Overall, however, the hatchling sex ratio approximated to 1:1. Due to the gradual increase in global temperatures, it has been suggested for species with Temperature Sex Determination (TSD) that some turtle populations become increasingly female-dominated. However, it is likely that the use of different nesting substrates may help to mitigate the effects of global warming on hatchling sex ratio, especially in species with greater behavioural plasticity, such as P. unifilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is expected to impact animals that are heavily reliant on environmental factors, such as sea turtles, since the incubation of their eggs, hatching success and sex ratio are influenced by the environment in which eggs incubate. As climate change progresses it is therefore important to understand how climatic conditions influence their reproductive output and the ramifications to population stability. Here, we examined the influences of five climatic variables (air temperature, accumulated and average precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed) at different temporal scales on hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) hatchling production at ten nesting beaches within two regions of Brazil (five nesting beaches in Rio Grande do Norte and five in Bahia). Air temperature and accumulated precipitation were the main climatic drivers of hawksbill hatching success (number of eggs hatched within a nest) across Brazil and in Rio Grande do Norte, while air temperature and average precipitation were the main climatic drivers of hatching success at Bahia. Solar radiation was the main climatic driver of emergence success (number of hatchlings that emerged from total hatched eggs within a nest) at both regions. Warmer temperatures and higher solar radiation had negative effects on hatchling production, while wetter conditions had a positive effect. Conservative and extreme climate scenarios show air temperatures are projected to increase at this site, while precipitation projections vary between scenarios and regions throughout the 21st century. We predicted hatching success of undisturbed nests (no recorded depredation or storm-related impacts) will decrease in Brazil by 2100 as a result of how this population is influenced by local climate. This study shows the determining effects of different climate variables and their combinations on an important and critically endangered marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the Kinosternon scorpioides, Mesoclemmys tuberculata and Phrynops geoffroanus freshwater turtles collected in the Cariús River, State of Ceará, were analysed as to their diet composition and presence of helminths. Among the 63 examined turtles 55 (87.3%) were parasitized. We found three Nematoda species (Physaloptera retusa, Serpinema monospiculatus and Spiroxys figueiredoi) and one Trematoda species (Gorgoderina sp.). Phrynops geoffroanus had the highest indexes of prevalence (97.56%) and mean intensity of infection (33.5), followed by M. tuberculata (70% and 12.64, respectively) and K. scorpioides (50% and three, respectively). Host body size was positively related to helminths abundance in both male and female Chelidae species. A significant difference in helminths abundance between the sexes was found only in P. geoffroanus, where females had more parasites than males. Regarding diet, the main food items ingested by M. tuberculata were Odonata nymphs (Aeshnidae and Libellulidae), whilst P. geoffroanus feeds mainly on Diptera larvae (Chironomidae), Odonata nymph (Aeshnidae) and Notonectidae, and only seeds were found in the stomach contents of K. scorpioides. Here, we present the first record of S. monospiculatus parasitizing K. scorpioides, Gorgoderina sp. and P. retusa were reported for the first time in P. geoffroanus, and M. tuberculata represents a new host to P. retusa and S. figueiredoi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a neoplastic disease that affects marine turtles worldwide, especially green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP tumors can develop on the body surface of marine turtles and also internally in the oral cavity and viscera. Depending on their quantity, size and anatomical distribution, these tumors can interfere with hydrodynamics and the ability to feed, hence scoring systems have been proposed in an attempt to quantify the clinical manifestation of FP. In order to establish a new scoring system adapted to geographic regions, we examined 214 juvenile green sea turtles with FP caught or rescued at Brazilian feeding areas, counted their 7466 tumors and classified them in relation to their size and anatomical distribution. The patterns in quantity, size and distribution of tumors revealed interesting aspects in the clinical manifestation of FP in specimens studied in Brazil, and that FP scoring systems developed for other areas might not perform adequately when applied to sea turtles on the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. We therefore propose a novel method to evaluate the clinical manifestation of FP: fibropapillomatosis index (FPI) that provides the Southwest Atlantic fibropapillomatosis score (FPSSWA). In combination, these indexing and scoring systems allow for a more objective, rapid and detailed evaluation of the severity of FP in green sea turtles. While primarily designed for the clinical manifestation of FP currently witnessed in our dataset, this index and the score system can be adapted for other areas and compare the characteristics of the disease across regions. In conclusion, scoring systems to classify the severity of FP can assist our understanding on the environmental factors that modulate its development and its impacts on the individual and population health of green sea turtles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate metal exposure through the concentration of essential and toxic micro-minerals in biological samples of Phrynops geoffroanus from an anthropized river. The work was carried out in four areas with different flow characteristics and uses of the river, where individuals of both sexes were captured during the dry and rainy seasons. The elements Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were quantified in samples of serum (168), muscle (62), liver (61), and kidney (61) by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The concentration of the elements varied according to the sample type, being higher in the liver and the kidney. In the serum, many elements were below the limit of quantification, but it was possible to determine Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn. The liver showed high levels of Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn, and muscle for Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn, with most of the elements accumulated in the kidney (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, and Ni) relative to other tissues. There was no significant difference between the sexes in the accumulation of elements. Between seasons, Cu was higher in serum and Mn in muscle and liver in the dry period, while in the kidney, almost all the elements were higher in the rainy period. The concentrations of the elements in the samples indicated a high degree of environmental contamination, representing risk in the use of the river and consumption of food from local fisheries., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

We analyzed 410 nest locations from 150 individual nesting hawksbill turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata) on the northeastern Brazilian coast during 8 nesting seasons from 2006 to 2014 to evaluate individual nesting preferences. We determined the consistency of nest site choice within and between nesting seasons for open sand and vegetation nest microhabitats and also for nest site distances from the current waterline, highest spring tide, vegetation line, and position along the beach. We found that behavioral consistency within seasons was more robust than between seasons. This suggests that a decrease in the consistency of nest site choice may be related to progressive landscape changes in the nesting environment, driving behavioral flexibility in nesting preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the specimens of amphibians and reptiles in Araripe bioregion in Northeastern Brazil between 2004 and 2012. The study recognized three different geomorphological zones such as plateau zone, pediplain zone, and slope zone and collected specimens through active research, pitfall traps, and visual and auditory census. Result showed 31 anurans species, which include nine new records of amphibians including Dendropsophus minutus, Scinax gr. ruber, and physalaemus sp. Meanwhile, 78 reptile species are found that includes 14 new records. It mentions the first record of Mabuya frenata in the State of Ceará.

We studied reproductive parameters and noted predation of Phrynops geoffroanus nests along the Guaporé River of the Brazilian and Bolivian Amazon during the beginning of the falling water level season (vazante) in July 1989 and 2008. We searched for nests on the banks of the Guaporé River every morning navigating by outboard along the Guaporé River between Divisa sector state of Rondônia in Brazil and Versalles village, Department El Beni in Bolivia. We found 10 nests in 1989 and 46 nests in 2008. Clutch size ranged from 7 to 16 eggs and was larger in 2008. There was no relationship between egg size and nest size or the size of eggs between year 1989 and year 2008. The predation rate in 2008 was 89.1%, all depredated by the lizard Tupinambis teguxin. Habitat loss for the lizard may be creating habitat utilization shifting and increased turtle nest depredation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimated demographic parameters for Acanthochelys spixii in Parque Nacional de Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil, based on 4 years of data collection, and also analyzed the effects of sex, temporal variation, and climatic factors on population dynamics. The adult sex ratio did not vary significantly from 1:1. By using the Akaike's information criterion, selection of candidate models constrained for climatic variables indicated that the interaction between total rainfall and average air temperature from the previous month as well as recapture probability (p) on a monthly basis explained most variation in demographic parameters, with a constant annual apparent survival (Φ) value of 0.82. Recapture rates during the study period varied from 0.01 to 0.23 and, during the dry season, from 0.01 to 0.04. The monthly average population size was 30 adult turtles, with values between 10 and 35 adults over 4 years. The annual population growth rates were 1.37 for 2005-2006 and 0.59 for 2006-2007. The small population size of Acanthochelys spixii seems characteristic of chelids in the area, and maintaining it depends on preserving natural ecosystems inside Parque Nacional de Brasília. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although turtles are well protected by laws in Brazil, the laws are not enforced in some places and ignored in others. Based on 15 years of work in the Rio Negro Basin, we describe the history of turtle exploitation in this region, comment on their current conservation status, and suggest practical conservation alternatives that are necessary to preserve stable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the diet of Acanthochelys spixii in a wild population in the Cerrado of central Brazil for 19 months, investigating ontogenetic, sexual, and interindividual variation. The diet consisted mainly of nymphs of Odonata, although other insects, amphibians, and plant material were also present. We observed no ontogenetic shifts in diet composition (e.g., no shift from carnivorous juveniles to herbivorous adults), which can be related to the high abundance of prey at the study site. There was no association between prey size and turtle carapace length, with larger animals still taking small prey. Dietary niche overlap was high, and there was no difference in niche breadth between sexes. However, differences in diet composition suggested differential habitat use, with males using more the periphery and females using more the center of ponds. Diet composition varied more among males than among females, which can result from higher diversity of prey at the pond margins, higher movement rates, or larger home range of males. The high frequency of empty stomachs (41%) reflected life-history characteristics of turtles (e.g., low metabolism, ectothermy, late sexual maturity, and great longevity). The importance of prey categories sensitive to pollution in the diet of A. spixii highlights the integrity of the study sites and the vulnerability of these populations to the rapid degradation of Cerrado biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on a study which examined sexual dimorphism and sex ratio, population structure, activity and weekly variation in recapture and survival for male, female and juvenile Trachemys (T.) dorbigni in an urban environment in southern Brazil. It notes that from a total of 377 individuals that were captured, the sex ratio did not deviate from 1:1 in the first or second sampling period. The smallest male identified by tail length, which was used to determine sex and maturity, measured 127 millimeters (mm) carapace length (CL). Researchers noted that survival and recapture probabilities for juveniles were constant among sampling occasions in the most parsimonious model.

The article provides information on a study which examined the reproductive ecology of a population of the turtle Trachemys (T.) dorbigni in southern Brazil from September 2006 to January 2007. It notes that majority of the T. dorbigni nests constructed in the marsh were placed at similar distances to those observed at another study site, with the concentration of nests suggesting that nesting areas are not selected randomly. Researchers observed the Tupinambis merianae lizard being the only predator while nests had a 3 percent predation risk in the 24 hour period after nesting. They also found that T. dorbigni eggs develop within the incubation temperatures 25 ° Celsius and 35 ° Celsius.

We studied reproductive ecology and egg survivorship of Podocnemis erythrocephala (Spix 1824) in 4 campina habitats on the Ayuanã River, Santa Isabel do Rio Negro, Amazonas, Brazil. There were 2 nesting periods, the first in early October and the other in the beginning of December, separated by a period of flash floods. A total of 117 nests were recorded, with a nest density of 19.9 nests/ha, a mean clutch size of 8.7 eggs, and a mean egg volume of 14 cm3. Females chose to nest in the most open sites, with plant cover of up to 50%. Nest loss reached 100% for the season: 70% was from flash floods, 12% was from predation by the weasel Eira barbara (Mustelidae), 9% was by the lizard Ameiva ameiva (Teiidae), 5% by humans, 2% by Crocodilurus lacertinus (Teiidae), and 1% by Daptrius ater (Falconidae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present long-term data for hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting in the 2 main rookeries in Brazil: 1) northern Bahia and Sergipe, where the estimated number of nests laid each year increased from 199 in the 1991-1992 nesting season to 1345 in the 2005-2006 season and 2) Rio Grande do Norte, where the estimated number of nests laid in the 2005-2006 season was around 185-475. Adding these results, we estimate that the number of hawksbill nests laid in the 2 main Brazilian nesting grounds in 2005-2006 was between 1530 and 1820 nests. Data on the percentage of hawksbill clutches kept in situ by season in each rookery are also presented. The apparent increasing trend in hawksbill nesting in northern Brazil is encouraging and seems to reflect a range of conservation measures implemented over the past 25 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, the only area where regular leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting is known to occur is located on the northern coast of the state of Espírito Santo, around latitude 19°S. In this study, we present the field methods used by Projeto TAMAR-IBAMA (the Brazilian Sea Turtle Conservation Program) in the state of Espírito Santo and analyze data on leatherback nesting from 1988-1989 to 2003-2004. In that period, 527 nests were observed in the study area. The annual number of nests varied between 6 (in 1993-1994) and 92 (in 2002-2003). Between 1995-1996 and 2003-2004, the annual number of nests increased at about 20.4% per year on average. Among the 527 clutches observed, 358 (67.9%) were left in situ, 50 (9.5%) were relocated to another spot on the beach, 88 (16.7%) were relocated to open-air beach hatcheries. and 31 clutches (5.9%) did not have their management decision recorded. Curved carapace length of nesting females was in the range of 139-182 cm (mean = 159.8 cm). At present, there is no significant alteration of the nesting habitat in Espírito Santo, egg poaching has been reduced to very Ion levels, and there is no subsistence hunting for sea turtles of any species. The main challenges to leatherback conservation currently are the incidental capture in artisanal fisheries operating close to nesting beaches and in high seas fisheries operating in the South Atlantic, as well as activities related to the oil industry. An overview of Projeto TAMAR's actions addressing current sea turtle conservation issues in the State of Espírito Santo is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1991, Projeto TAMAR-IBAMA, the Brazilian sea turtle conservation program, has maintained a station in Ubatuba, State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, a feeding area for sea turtles where incidental capture in coastal fisheries occurs. We present an overview of the local fishing methods, explain the conservation approach and field methods employed by TAMAR in the region, present biological data collected between 1991 and 1998, and provide an assessment of the conservation status of sea turtles in the Ubatuba region. During the study period, 2,515 captures of sea turtles were recorded, comprising four species: green turtles (Chelonia mydas, 98.4% of total captures, generally juveniles), loggerheads (Caretta caretta), hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata), and leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea). Most of the data come from turtles incidentally captured in fishing gear, mainly by artisanal methods. The available data suggest that Ubatuba is a developmental habitat for juvenile green turtles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe fossil vertebrate remains from a new Solimões Formation (Eocene-Pliocene) locality, near the highway BR 364 at Sena Madureira municipality (Acre, Brazil). The findings comprise more than forty-four isolated fragments from which twenty-three specimens could be properly identified anatomically and systematically. The materials include at least three different Caimaninae genera (Caiman , Melanosuchus , and Mourasuchus), two distinct side-necked turtles (Chelus and Podocnemididae) and one mammal (Toxodontidae). The studied fossils could be systematized into two taphonomic classes based on their preservational status, indicating a sinuous fluvial meandering paleoenvironment. This new locality seems to be relevant regarding not only its fossil vertebrate diversity but also because of its geographic position: on a highway side, which allows access at any season of the year, as contrary to most common riverine outcrops from Solimões Formation, which are restricted to collections during the dry seasons. • New outcrop is described with several fossil vertebrate remains. • Increase of knowledge regarding Solimões Formation in the interfluvial regions. • Rich fossil tetrapod assemblage, presenting turtles, notoungulates, and crocodiles. • Description of the first postcranial Melanosuchus fossil from Solimões Formation. • Fossils systematized in taphonomical classes according to preservational patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a new pleurodiran turtle from the Barremian Morro do Chaves Formation, Sergipe-Alagoas Basin, Brazil. We tested the phylogenetic position of Atolchelys lepida gen. et sp. nov. by including it in a comprehensive cladistic analysis of pleurodires. The new species is a basal member of Bothremydidae and simultaneously the oldest unambiguous crown Pleurodira. The biogeographic and chronostratigraphic significance of the finding has implications for the calibration of molecular clocks studies by pushing back the minimum age of crown Pleurodira by more than 12 Ma (ca 125 Ma). The reanalysis of Pelomedusoides relationships provides evidence that the early evolution and relationships among the main lineages of side-necked turtles can be explained, at least partially, by a sequence of vicariance events., (© 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.)