Giant Prehistoric Turtles: The Largest Ever

what is the biggest turtle that ever lived

The largest turtle ever to have lived is the extinct marine turtle Archelon, which lived during the Late Cretaceous period, between 83.6 and 66 million years ago. The biggest Archelon specimen ever found measured 4.6 metres (15 feet) from head to tail and weighed between 2.2 and 3.2 tons.

Characteristics Values
Name Archelon ischyros
Species A. ischyros
Common Name Giant Sea Turtle
Length 4.6 m (15 ft)
Weight 2.2–3.2 t (2.4–3.5 short tons)
Skull Length 60 cm (2 ft)
Neck Length 72 cm (2.4 ft)
Thoracic Vertebrae Length 135 cm (4.4 ft)
Sacrum Length 15 cm (0.5 ft)
Tail Length 70 cm (2.3 ft)
Flipper-to-Flipper Length 4 m (13 ft)
Skull Width 100 cm (3.3 ft)
Habitat Western Interior Seaway

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The extinct Archelon is the biggest turtle ever

The largest Archelon specimen, nicknamed "Brigitta," measures 4.6 metres (15 feet) from head to tail and weighs between 2.2 and 3.2 tons. It had a leathery carapace, or shell, and a distinctively elongated and narrow head with a hooked beak. Archelon's jaws were adept at crushing, indicating a diet of hard-shelled crustaceans, molluscs, and possibly sponges on the seafloor. It may also have fed on jellyfish, squid, and nautiloids while swimming closer to the surface.

Archelon had strong foreflippers that enabled it to make powerful strokes for open-ocean travel and escape from predators. Its large size and strong flippers suggest it was a moderately good swimmer. Archelon inhabited the Western Interior Seaway, a temperate region dominated by plesiosaurs, hesperornithiform seabirds, and mosasaurs.

The extinction of Archelon may have been due to several factors, including the shrinking of the seaway, increased infant mortality rates, higher predation of eggs and hatchlings, and a rapidly cooling climate. Archelon's discovery provides valuable insights into the evolution and ecology of ancient marine turtles and their adaptations to their environment.

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It weighed over 3 tons and was 13-15 ft long

The Archelon, a giant sea turtle, is the largest turtle ever documented. The biggest Archelon specimen weighed between 2.2 and 3.2 tons and measured 4.6 metres (15 feet) from head to tail. It was likely a slow-moving bottom feeder, consuming crustaceans, molluscs, and sponges on the seafloor. Its beak may also have been used to shear flesh, indicating a diet of fish, jellyfish, squid, and nautiloids. Archelon had powerful foreflippers, enabling it to travel in open oceans and escape predators.

The Archelon inhabited the northern Western Interior Seaway, a temperate region shared by plesiosaurs, hesperornithiform seabirds, and mosasaurs. Its extinction may be attributed to various factors, including the shrinking of its habitat, increased infant mortality, higher predation of eggs and hatchlings, and a cooling climate.

The discovery of Archelon challenged previous beliefs about the evolution of turtles. Initially, it was thought to be closely related to large leatherback sea turtles. However, recent research suggests that Archelon branched off from the ancestors of modern marine turtles during the Late Jurassic, over 145 million years ago. This finding indicates that turtle gigantism was not unique to North America, as giant turtles have also been discovered in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The largest living species of turtle is the leatherback sea turtle, which can reach lengths of up to three metres. However, ancient turtles, like the Archelon, were significantly larger than their modern-day counterparts.

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Leatherback turtles are the biggest turtles alive today

The leatherback turtle is the biggest turtle species alive today. It is also the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) and weighing up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles. They are the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae.

Leatherback turtles have a global range, although there are multiple distinct subpopulations. The species as a whole is considered vulnerable, and some of its subpopulations are critically endangered. They are highly migratory, with some swimming over 10,000 miles a year between nesting and foraging grounds. They are also accomplished divers, with the deepest recorded dive reaching nearly 4,000 feet—deeper than most marine mammals.

Leatherback turtles are easily distinguishable from other modern sea turtles by their lack of a bony shell. Instead, their carapace is covered by oily flesh and flexible, leather-like skin. They have large front flippers that power them through the water, and their flippers are the largest in proportion to their body among extant sea turtles.

Leatherback turtles are the only species of sea turtle that lack scales and a hard shell. They are named for their tough, rubbery skin and have existed in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs. Their shell (carapace) consists of small, interlocking dermal bones beneath the skin that overlie a supportive layer of connective tissue and fat and the deeper skeleton. Their carapace has seven ridges along its length and tapers to a blunt point.

Leatherback turtles are highly migratory and widely distributed. They undertake the longest migrations between breeding and feeding areas of any sea turtle, with some averaging 3,700 miles each way. They spend most of their lives in the ocean, but females come ashore to lay eggs. They are strong swimmers and can stay underwater for up to 85 minutes.

Leatherback turtles are facing significant threats to their survival. The primary threat is their unintended capture in fishing gear, known as bycatch, which can result in drowning or cause injuries that lead to death or debilitation. Other threats include the direct harvest of turtles and eggs, loss and degradation of nesting and foraging habitats, ocean pollution and marine debris, and vessel strikes. Conservation efforts are underway to protect and recover leatherback turtle populations worldwide.

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Leviathanochelys aenigmatica was Europe's largest turtle

Leviathanochelys aenigmatica: Europe's Largest Turtle

Discovery

The discovery of Leviathanochelys aenigmatica, Europe's largest turtle, was an accidental one. In 2016, a hiker walking in the Pyrenees mountains near the village of Coll de Nargó in northern Spain stumbled upon some bone fragments. The remains were collected by members of the local museum and the Catalonian Department of Culture, but they remained unstudied for several years. It wasn't until 2021 that Oscar Castillo-Visa, the lead author of the subsequent study, examined the remains and initiated new excavations at the site.

Description

Castillo-Visa's excavations uncovered the pelvis of a giant turtle, as well as the back portion of its shell, or carapace. Although the remains were fragmented, they possessed distinct features that led researchers to describe them as a new species. The turtle was given the name Leviathanochelys, derived from Leviathan, a massive marine beast in the Bible, and "chelys," the Latinized version of the Greek word for turtle. The specific name, aenigmatica, refers to some of the animal's unusual characteristics.

Size and Features

L. aenigmatica is estimated to have been almost four metres in length, weighing about two tons. Its pelvis alone reached a width of 88.9 cm, larger than the same bones in the giant Archelon, a turtle species discovered in North America. The length of its pelvis was also impressive, measuring 39.5 cm, making it over 100% longer than that of Protostega and only slightly shorter than that of Archelon.

One of the most notable features of L. aenigmatica is its exceedingly large pelvis and the reduction in the number of bones in its carapace. As the species' shell increased in size, the spaces between the bones became larger, reducing its weight and bone density. Additionally, it possessed a unique accessory pubic process, a section of bone protruding from the side of the pelvis, which is not found in any other known turtle species. This structure is believed to have served as an additional anchor point for muscles related to the respiratory system, aiding the turtle in maximising its breathing capacity at great depths.

Significance

The discovery of L. aenigmatica is significant because it provides evidence that giant turtles were present in Europe. Previously, giant marine turtles over three metres long, such as Archelon and Protostega, had only been found in North America. L. aenigmatica's existence suggests that turtle gigantism was not solely an American phenomenon and that turtles achieved giant sizes multiple times throughout their evolution.

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Turtles grew to giant sizes multiple times throughout evolution

The largest turtle ever to be documented is the extinct marine turtle Archelon, which lived during the Late Cretaceous period, between 83.6 and 66 million years ago. The biggest Archelon specimen ever found measured 4.6 metres (15 feet) from head to tail and weighed between 2.2 and 3.2 tons. Archelon had a leathery carapace, an elongated and narrow head, and strong flippers, which allowed it to travel in open oceans and escape marine predators.

While Archelon is the largest turtle ever recorded, turtles grew to giant sizes multiple times throughout their evolution. For example, the discovery of Leviathanochelys aenigmatica in northern Spain revealed that giant turtles were more common than previously thought. L. aenigmatica measured 3.7 metres in length, almost as long as Archelon, and was slightly wider. This discovery is significant because, until recently, giant marine turtles over three metres long, such as Archelon and Protostega, were only found in North America. L. aenigmatica is also noteworthy because it is the first giant turtle species discovered in Europe, indicating that turtle gigantism was not exclusive to North America.

Another giant turtle species is Protostega gigas, which was discovered in the 1870s and is the largest extinct marine turtle. The initial Protostega gigas specimen measured 3.9 metres long, with later fossils indicating that the species could grow to 4.2 metres in length.

Stupendemys geographica, discovered in South America in the 1970s, is the largest extinct freshwater turtle species. Its shell alone is almost three metres long, with its full body stretching even further.

These giant turtle species showcase the diverse evolutionary paths that turtles have taken, with gigantism arising independently in different geographic regions and aquatic environments.

Frequently asked questions

The largest turtle ever to have been documented is the extinct marine turtle Archelon, which lived during the Late Cretaceous period. The biggest Archelon specimen measured 4.6 metres (15 feet) from head to tail and weighed between 2.2 and 3.2 tons.

The Archelon lived during the Late Cretaceous period, between 83.6 and 66 million years ago.

The Archelon probably ate hard-shelled crustaceans, molluscs, and possibly even sponges, jellyfish, squid, or nautiloids. It may also have eaten other animals such as fish.

The Archelon inhabited the northern Western Interior Seaway, a temperate area dominated by plesiosaurs, hesperornithiform seabirds, and mosasaurs.

The Archelon had a leathery carapace instead of the hard shell seen in most sea turtles. It also had an elongated and narrow head with a hooked beak.

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