| Megalochelys Temporal range: Miocene – Pleistocene | |
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| An artist's illustration of Megalochelys atlas | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Testudinidae |
| Genus: | †Megalochelys Falconer & Cautley, 1837 |
| Type species | |
| †Megalochelys atlas Falconer and Cautley, 1844 | |
| Referred species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Megalochelys, formerly known as Colossochelys atlas, Geochelone atlas, or Testudo atlas, is an extinct genus of cryptodire turtle from the Miocene through the Pleistocene periods. The type species is named M. atlas, but was initially described in 1837 (later withdrawn) as Megalochelys sivalensis. During the dry glacial periods it ranged from western India and Pakistan (possibly even as far west as southern and eastern Europe) to as far east as Sulawesi and Timor in Indonesia. It was the largest testudine known.
Description[]
Taxonomy[]
Extinction[]
In the Media[]
- A Megalochelys briefly appears in the 1988 film, The Land Before Time.
- A Megalochelys is featured as a mechanical Zord in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Gallery[]
Tor the Shuttlezord in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
