Sankuchemys, a new side-necked turtle (Pelomedusoides, Bothremydidae) from the late Cretaceous of India. American Museum novitates ; no. 3405

Abstract

The Maastrichtian Deccan Intertrappean beds of Amboli Quarry, Bombay, yielded the skull of a new genus of side-necked turtle. Sankuchemys sethnai, new genus and species, is a pelomedusoid pleurodire belonging to the family Bothremydidae Baur, 1891, based on these characters: (1) exoccipital-quadrate contact, and (2) foramen stapedio-temporale not visible in dorsal view. Sankuchemys is most closely related to Kurmademys from the Maastrichtian of Tamil Nadu, because among bothremydids they uniquely share a highly emarginated temporal roof and a small postorbital. Sankuchemys is unique among bothremydids in having an accessory ridge on the triturating surface.