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VERY RARE SET OF ARTICULATED TAIL VERTEBRA FROM AN EXTINCT NORTH AMERICAN GIANT LAND TORTOISE Aucilla River, Florida PLIOCENE PERIOD ( BLANCAN ): 4.75 - 1.8 million years ago This is a very rare fossil set of articulated tail vertebra from an extinct Giant Land Tortoise that once lived in North America. A specimen such as this is definitely the type of fossil that sets a collection apart from the usual "fossil show" varieties that permeate the commercial market today. If you are bored with seeing the same type of fossil for sale over and over and over again, consider this highly unusual and rare specimen! This amazing specimen is of the now extinct North American species Hesperotestudo crassicutata. This massive beast closely resembled the Giant Land Tortoises that currently reside on the famous Galapagos Islands, birthplace of Charles Darwin's studies in evolution. Hesperotestudo crassicutata was as large, if not larger, than the Giant Land Tortoises of the Galapagos Islands. This is an articulated set of tail (caudal) vertebra of this large extinct type. It is the first time we have seen such a fossil of this creature. Most often, fragments of the carapace are found in both land and river fossil deposits. This is the first time we have encountered ARTICULATED vertebra of the same animal so this is an extraordinarily rare fossil! The size of the tail vertebra attest to just how huge these tortoises were. Bone has been extremely well mineralized. There are only two processes missing and because of the rarity and high quality of the rest of the bone, we have opted to keep this fossil set in its natural state 'AS FOUND'. There is NO RESTORATION, FABRICATION OR REPAIR. Our highest recommendation goes with this rare specimen. It will surely be appreciated by any collector bored with typical commercially available fossils from the current wave of creative fake Chinese "fossils" to authentic but everyday types offered in numbers. Charles Darwin used the Giant Land Tortoises of the Galapagos Islands to formulate his theory of evolution. Although the creatures descended from a common ancestor, the different islands isolated the populations and demonstrated that the lineage had diverged to different types. These amazing reptiles can live in excess of 150 years and are one of the longest living animals on Earth! One of the original tortoises studied by Darwin is supposedly still be alive and living in an Australian zoo! Giant Land Tortoises are herbivores. The lack teeth but their jaws are covered with a horned beak which is used to crush plant matter. Tortoises have both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton, which is the protective shell around their bodies. Adults can reach weights in excess of 550 pounds and grow to 6 feet in length from tail to head. Land tortoises comprise the reptilian group TESTUDINIDAE. There are two North American lineages of thick-shelled land tortoises that originate from the Oligocene Period - the sub-genera Hesperotestudo and Caudochelys. Both types existed in Florida to the end of the Late Pleistocene Period when they all went extinct. The early inhabitants of what is now the southern United States coexisted with these Giant Land Tortoises and hunted them for food. These creatures cannot withstand long periods of freezing temperatures and thrive only in regions with mild winters. Despite the term "Last Ice Age" their presence in the fossil record right up to the end of the Pleistocene show that this region was not as cold during winter periods as it is today. TRULY A ONE-OF-A-KIND SPECIMEN FOR THE COLLECTOR BORED WITH THE USUAL "FOSSIL SHOW" SPECIMENS 6.75" long in articulation SOLD MV14-001 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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