The largest fossil turtle on the market USA, South Dakota, White River Badlands Oligocene (around 33 million years) 80 x 60 cm Provenance: Swiss private collection The term turtle is commonly used to describe both turtles and tortoises with the main difference being that turtles are aquatic whereas tortoises are terrestrial, land-dwelling creatures. Anatomically, both have hard shells protecting their bodies. The top shell is called the carapace, and the bottom shell is called the plastron. This colossal specimen is a male, as indicated by its pronounced "gular scute" (projection) extending from the front of the plastron, as well as the significant curvature of the underside of the shell. The scutes - the bony external plates - on the shell are in fine condition. This turtle is, to our knowledge, the largest ever offered for sale. The size, combined with the minimal percentage of restoration, makes this a truly museum worthy fossil. TESTUDO THOMPSONI Die gr??te fossile Schildkr?te auf dem Markt! USA, South Dakota, White River Badlands Oligoz?n (33 Millionen Jahre) 80 x 60 cm Provenienz: Schweizer Privatsammlung Der Begriff Schildkr?te wird im Allgemeinen sowohl für Wasserschildkr?ten als auch für Landschildkr?ten verwendet, wobei der Hauptunterschied zwischen beiden darin besteht, dass Schildkr?ten Wasserbewohner sind, w?hrend Landschildkr?ten Landbewohner sind. Anatomisch gesehen haben beide einen harten Panzer, der ihren K?rper schützt. Der obere Panzer wird Carapax und der untere Panzer Plastron genannt. Bei diesem Exemplar handelt es sich um ein m?nnliches Fossil, was man an den ausgepr?gten "Gular Scutes" (Schuppen), die sich von der Vorderseite des Plastrons aus erstrecken, sowie an der deutlichen Krümmung der Unterseite des Panzers erkennen kann. Die Scutes - die kn?chernen Au?enplatten - auf dem Panzer sind in gutem Zustand. Diese Schildkr?te ist unseres Wissens nach die gr??te, die jemals zum Verkauf angeboten wurde. Die Gr??e in Kombination mit dem minimalen Anteil an Restaurierung macht sie zu einem wirklich museumswürdigen Fossil.
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