Greece once had side-necked turtles, other unexpected reptiles, and a very different environment
This species was a so-called side-necked (Pleurodira) turtle. The peculiarity of the finding is that the side-necked turtles group is only inhabiting the Southern hemisphere today, and became extinct from the European continent a long time ago, however, the fossil of Nostimochelone lampra was found in an 18 million year old sediment in western Greece.
(Check out an interview with Georgios Georgalis here)
ALSO: check out the 3 videos below- one has a turtle on a treadmill!
Turtle News From Around the World
Conservation
USA: Sea turtle hatchlings on treadmills! A study of disorientation (VIDEO)
USA: Moody Gardens helps in release of 185 cold-stunned green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)
USA: More cold-stunned turtles expected to wash ashore this weekend (VIDEO)
Ecology
Cyprus: Diving mission helps threatened turtles
India: Uttar Pradesh government to release �500 turtles� in river Ganga with an aim to cleanse it
India: Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) rescued from plastic bag
Education
USA: Albuquerque BioPark to celebrate Sea Turtle Awareness day on 1/20 with sleepover, acquires loggerhead (Caretta Caretta) rescue (VIDEO)
Health & Medical
USA: See photos of cold stun rescues in St. Joseph Bay, FL
USA: Cold-Stunned Manatees, Sea Turtles Warming up at SeaWorld
Did You Know…
Nostimochelone is the first recorded fossil of a pleurodiran turtle from Greece. The name refers to the type locality where the fossil was found (Nostimo).
(Read more about this species here)
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Photo from Georgios Georgalis.