Protostegidae
fossil turtle family
Quick Summary
The Protostegidae are an extinct family of large marine turtles that lived during the Late Cretaceous epoch in North America. These turtles, like the genus Protostega, had carapaces and plastrons similar to modern leatherback sea turtles. One notable member of this family was Archelon, which could reach lengths of about 3.5 meters (12 feet) and possessed powerful front limbs for swimming. The family Protostegidae is considered a likely sister group to modern leatherback sea turtles.123
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