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Name: Stylemys nebraskensis
Period: 33 million years ago
Location: Western United States, South Dakota, Pennington County, Brule Formation
An almost completely fossilized shell — including both the carapace and plastron — of a prehistoric tortoise species, Stylemys nebraskensis.
The interior is filled with sediment from the fossilization process and a protective layer of plaster, while fossilized fragments, possibly remains of bones, protrude from the front opening.
The genus name means “pillar turtle,” and these were herbivorous, land-dwelling animals that thrived in temperate to subtropical climates and could grow up to one meter in length. Although the structure of their forelimbs suggests they were unable to dig burrows, they likely lived in a way similar to their three modern descendants: the desert tortoise, the Texas tortoise, and the gopher tortoise.