Anomalies of the vertebral and pleural scutes in the Middle Jurassiс turtle <em>Annemys variabilis</em> (Xinjiangchelyidae) from the Berezovsk coal mine (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia)

Gennady Cherepanov; Ekaterina Obraztsova; Sofiia Shvets; Igor Danilov

doi:10.21638/spbu03.2023.403

Authors

Gennady Cherepanov Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7–9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7523-566X
Ekaterina Obraztsova Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab., 1, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation
Sofiia Shvets Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab., 1, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7440-5559
Igor Danilov Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab., 1, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu03.2023.403

Abstract

The anomalies of the vertebral and pleural scutes in the Middle Jurassiс turtle Annemys variabilis (Xinjiangchelyidae) from the Berezovsk coal mine (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia) have been studied based of more than 1000 isolated neural plates. Symmetric and asymmetric abnormal scute patterns have been found. Comparison of the anomalies as well as their frequencies in Annemys variabilis and extant turtles demonstrates similar abnormal scute patterns. It is assumed that the high level of the scute variation of Annemys variabilis is caused by the instability of the developmental mechanisms, which are common for all turtles.

Keywords:

Testudines, Xinjiangchelyidae, Annemys variabilis, Middle Jurassic, Krasnoyarsk Territory, scute abnormalities

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