Researchers from the Federal University of Acre (UFAC) have discovered a fossil of Stupendemys geographicus, one of the largest turtles ever to exist, in the Amazon region. The discovery was made in sedimentary rocks.
This finding is significant because it indicates that Brazilian megafauna survived longer than previously thought. Professor D'Apolito from UFAC highlights that the Amazon fossil provides evidence of extended survival for these animals.
Previously, fossils of Stupendemys geographicus were found in Colombia and Venezuela in 2020. These turtles had shells up to 2.40 meters long and weighed over a ton. It is believed that the turtle was a pleurodire, with a suction feeding system.
However, the interpretation that Stupendemys geographicus was a biting turtle is questionable. The fossil found in Brazil lacks a skull, making it difficult to determine its eating habits. Annie Schmaltz Hsiou from the University of São Paulo (USP) notes the difficulty in determining the diet without the skull.
D'Apolito believes it is possible to infer the turtle's habits based on its current relatives, the river turtles (Podocnemis unifilis). It was likely an omnivore, consuming plants, mollusks, crustaceans, and other vertebrates.