PODOaSTEMIS ANTIQUA. 289 



Division B. PLEURODIRA. 



Family PELOMEDUSID^. 



Genus PODOCNEMIS, Wagler. 

 [Syst. Amph. (1830) p. 135.] 



This genus, including Pleurodiran tortoises in which the temporal fossse are 

 roofed in and the raesoplastra are small and laterally situated, is represented in the 

 Eocene of the Eayum by several species. Of these Podocnemis antiqua, Andrews, and 

 Podocnemis stromeri, Eeinach, with its variety major, are from the Qasr-es-Sagha beds, 

 while Podocnemis fajumensis, Andrews, and P. hlanckenJiorni, Eeinach, with its 

 variety ovata, are from the Fluvio-marine beds of the Upper Eocene. Judging from 

 the great variation in the plastra, of which a considerable number have been examined, 

 it seems very probable that P. hlanckenhorni is identical with P . fajumensis ; indeed, 

 according to Eeinach's figures, there seems to be more diiference between' the two 

 forms of P. hlanckenJiorni than there is between the typical form and P. fajumensis. 



Podocnemis antiqua, Andrews. 



[Text-fig. 92.] 



1903. Podocnemis antiqua, C. W. Andrews, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. [7] vol. xi. p. 120, pi. viii. 



figs. 2 A, B. 

 1903. „ „ A. von Reinach, Abhandl. Senckenberg. naturf. Gesell. vol. xxix. 



pt. 1, p. 19. 



Type Specimen. — A crushed shell, much coated with gypsum and with all the 

 furrows marking the outlines of the epidermal shields entirely lost (text-fig. 92) ; 

 Geological Museum, Cairo. 



Shell broad and short, somewhat pointed posteriorly. Nuchal bone broad and short, 

 with a straight anterior border. In the plastron the xiphiplastrals form the longest 

 suture in the middle line. 



Form. & Loc. — Qasr-el-Sagha beds (Middle Eocene) : north of Birket-el-Qurun. 



The carapace in this species is flatter posteriorly than in front, where it seems 

 to have been highly arched. The nuchal border is straight, without a trace of any 

 emargination ; the nuchal bone {Nu.) is much broader than long. There are 

 six neurals. The first is in contact with the nuchal in front ; at the point of 

 junction of the nuchal, first neural, and first costal there is a small opening through 

 the shell. The second to fifth neurals, like the first, are much longer than wide 

 their anterior borders are slightly concave, while laterally they are bounded by a very 



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