First chelonian eggs and carapace fragments from the Pliocene of Rhodes, Greece

Abstract

Well-preserved fossil eggs and eggshell fragments from the Pliocene Apolakkia Formation of Rhodes (Greece) are described. The eggs were found in-situ in a clutch. They are sub-spherical with lengths of 53-60 mm and widths of about 40 mm. All eggs are diagenetically compressed and their original diameters are estimated at 45-50 mm. The eggshells are 0.3-0.5 mm thick, partly recrystallized, but widely still aragonitic. They consist of needle-like crystals that form individual shell units. A few pores are preserved between these shell units. This shell-structure allows assignment to chelonian eggs in the oofamily Testudoolithidae and the oogenus Testudolithus. The external morphology, microstructure and mineralogical composition of the eggshells show close resemblance to eggs of the extant tortoise Geochelone elephantopus. Together with a small association of turtle carapace fragments from the same formation, the clutch represents the first discovery of turtle and reptilian remains from the Pliocene of the island of Rhodes.

The chelonians from the Latest Miocene–Earliest Pliocene localities of Allatini and Pylea (East Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece)

“…Although these are the first chelonian eggs reported from Greece (in Del Campana, 1919), they were not mentioned by Mueller-Töwe et al (2011) or Georgalis and Kear (2013). In fact, these specimens may represent the oldest Greek record of a giant tortoise.…”

“…Unfortunately, no fossil giant tortoise shells are known from Allatini, making it impossible to know if the eggs can be attributed to this species. Together with previously reported eggshell fragments from the Pliocene of Apolakkia (Rhodes Island;Mueller-Töwe et al, 2011), these specimens are the only examples of preserved turtle eggshell known from Greece.…”

Testudo cf. graeca from the new Late Miocene locality of Platania (Drama basin, N. Greece) and a reappraisal of previously published specimens

“…Recent studies have attempted to summarize the published chelonian fossil record of Greece (Lapparent de Broin, 2002;Mueller-Töwe et al, 2011;Georgalis and Kear, 2013). Most of their concluding remarks, however, about the faunal composition, temporal and geographical distribution are hindered by the fact that they are based mainly on published data from old and outdated papers.…”

A Review of the Fossil Record of Turtle Reproduction: Eggs, Embryos, Nests and Copulating Pairs

“…Mueller-Töwe et al (2011) describe five turtle eggs and multiple eggshell fragments from the Pliocene Apolakkia Formation of Rhodes, Greece. Despite some diagenetic alteration, the eggshell microstructure allowed assignment to the oospecies T. rigidus Mueller-Töwe et al (2011). suggest that the eggs were laid by a giant land tortoise.…”