Kinkonychelys, Gaffney & Krause & Zalmout, 2009

Gaffney, Eugene S., Krause, David W. & Zalmout, Iyad S., 2009, Kinkonychelys, A New Side-Necked Turtle (Pelomedusoides: Bothremydidae) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar, American Museum Novitates 3662, pp. 1-28 : 4

Kinkonychelys , new genus

TYPE AND ONLY INCLUDED SPECIES: KIN- KONYCHELYS ROGERSI , n. gen. et sp.

DISTRIBUTION: Late Cretaceous of Madagascar.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the Lac Kinkony (pronounced ‘‘kin-KOON-ee’’) Study Area, in which the type specimen was recovered, and chelys, ‘‘turtle.’’

DIAGNOSIS: A member of the bothremydid tribe Kurmademydini distinguished from all other members by absence of prootic exposure ventrally; presence of foramen nervi facialis formed by pterygoid, basisphenoid, and quadrate; relatively thick labial ridge in contrast to thin labial ridge; more posteriorly placed condylus mandibularis; fossa pterygoidea with overlapping medial ridge; condylus occipitalis formed entirely from exoccipitals rather than exoccipitals plus basioccipital. Further differs from Kurmademys by jugal reaching cheek margin and absence of palatine-parietal contact in septum orbitotemporale; and from Sankuchemys by deep fossa pterygoidea, absence of accessory triturating ridges, and relatively short basioccipital.