Carolinochelys wilsoni Hay 1923

Robert & Weems, E., 2014, Paleogene chelonians from Maryland and Virginia, PaleoBios 31 (1), pp. 1-32 : 26

Carolinochelys wilsoni Hay 1923

( Figs. 18C–D)

Specimen —CMM-V-4783, neural found by Ron Ison; CMM-V-4784, neural found by Jason Osborne.

Locality, horizon, and age —Along the banks of the Pamunkey River where it forms the boundary between New Kent and King William counties, Virginia; Old Church Formation; late early Oligocene (late Rupelian, lower nannofossil zone NP24).

Description —Neurals hexagonal in shape, flat and without a medial longitudinal keel, bearing sculpture characteristic of Carolinochelys .

Remarks —These isolated neurals are quite similar in shape, size, thickness and pattern of sculpturing to neurals of Carolinochelys wilsoni , known from the Late Rupelian Ashley and early Chattian Chandler Bridge formations near Charleston, South Carolina. The lack of a medial longitudinal keel precludes their assignment to Ashleychelys , which has a somewhat different pattern of sculpturing, and their hexagonal shape and the presence of sculpturing precludes assignment to Procolpochelys .