«Sontiochelys cretacea» Stache, 1905 y redescripción de las familias Eurysternidae Dollo, 1886 y Thalassemydidae Rütimeyer, 1873 (Testudines: Cryptodira)

Abstract

The taxa of the family Thalassemydidae published up to now are newly described and revised taxonomically taking into account new and complete material. Here, the family Thalassemydidae Rütimeyer, 1873 is not divided in the two subfamilies Idiochelyinae Oertel, 1915 and Thalassemydinae Rütimeyer, 1878 as usual. It only contains the genera Eurysternum Fitzinger, 1836; Idiochelys Meyer, 1839; Solnhofia Gaffney, 1975, and Thalassemys Rütimeyer, 1858, so far known. The former taxa are here considered as ontogenetic stages or sexual dimorphism. A historical overview and a character analysis are also given. The holotype of Sontiochelys cretacea stache, 1905 is lost, however a cast of a mould is preserved and stored at the ‘Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Trieste’. The revision of this Sontiochelys provided a position within the family Thalassemydidae, close to Idiochelys Meyer, 1839.