Two ASU scientists have discovered a new prehistoric sea turtle that lived with the dinosaurs. The species is named Asmodochelys Leviathan and is said to be around 72 million years old.
The discovery came from a turtle shell lodged on the bank of the South Sulphur River. The shell was found by Mac Glaess, a retired veterinarian. After studying the fossil himself, he donated it to the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary.
From there ASU affiliated paleontologists Brent Adrian and Heather Smith were called in to further investigate. When analyzing, they realized it didn’t belong to any known sea turtles species. This started the long 3 year process of recognizing Asmodochelys Leviathan as a new species.
Smith said their investigation began with comparing the shell to all other related prehistoric turtles.
“We did a phylogenetic analysis where we plug it into essentially a tree of other known fossil species, and we see where it falls,” Smith said. “And in this case, it didn’t fall as a sister group, like a closely related group to any other species.”
After identifying it as something unique, the process of peer reviews began. Other experts had to analyze their findings so the fossil could be recognized as a new species.
Asmodochelys Leviathan isn’t the first discovery of its kind in recent years. Adrian said only in the last decade have scientists really been able to recognize these new prehistoric marine turtles.
The pair of scientists said discovering this new species informed them both about current day sea turtles and their evolution.
“One thing for me,” Smith said “is the fossil record provides clear evidence that as global temperatures change marine turtle species face increasing extinction pressures.”
Despite threats against sea turtles, Adrian said that prehistoric marine adaptations happened earlier than scientists noted. He said "that gives me hope in face of the struggles they’re up against.”
