Edowa zuniensis

Edowa zuniensis is a fascinating species of turtle that lived around 90 million years ago. The turtle species is extinct now, but its remains have helped scientists learn more about the evolution of turtles and their advanced traits. In this article, we will take a closer look at Edowa zuniensis and what it tells us about the history of turtles.

Description:

Edowa zuniensis was a species of turtle that lived during the time of the dinosaurs. It belonged to an extinct family of turtles called Baenidae, which first appeared in the fossil record during the Late Jurassic period. The turtle species was discovered in New Mexico in the 1990s. Its shell was mostly intact, which is rare for fossils, and its fossilized remains showed signs of being attacked by a crocodile and infected by parasites.

Evolution:

The discovery of Edowa zuniensis has helped scientists understand more about the evolution of turtles and their advanced traits. Turtles are one of the most ancient reptile groups, and their evolution is poorly understood due to a lack of well-preserved fossils. The discovery of Edowa zuniensis is significant because it shows that baenid turtles had already evolved many advanced traits by the Turonian age. These traits included a fused shell and a specialized hinge between the upper and lower jaws that allowed them to crush hard food items.

Extinction:

Edowa zuniensis is extinct now, but it is not clear why. Baenid turtles went extinct along with the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period. However, some other turtle species survived the extinction event and are still around today. One possible reason for the extinction of baenid turtles is competition with other turtle species that were better adapted to the changing environment after the asteroid impact.