Toxochelys Baby Sea Turtle

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Cast Skeleton:
Toxochelys - Baby Sea Turtle

As with all sea turtles alive today, the front and back limbs of Toxochelys were greatly elongated, and modified into broad flippers for swimming. The shell, unlike its land and river-based relatives, was much reduced and instead of a hard covering, had a soft, rubbery texture. Also unlike land and river turtles, no sea turtle, either extinct or modern, can retract its head or legs into the shell.

The shell is only about 24 cm (9.5 inches) long, and is the smallest skeleton we’ve ever offered.

Usually found as partial skeletons ranging in size from 2 to 4 feet long, this Toxochelys is a rare exception. The shell is only about 24 cm (9.5 inches) long, and is the smallest skeleton we’ve ever offered. The baby Toxochelys is very finely detailed, and includes the complete hip and limb structures articulated as in life.

This specimen makes an excellent complement to our other marine skeletons . Undoubtedly the giant fish Xiphactinus as well as any of the mosasaurs dined on the baby sea turtles of their day. Predation of modern baby sea turtles is so high that if a comparable situation existed in late cretaceous times, the likelihood of this skeleton being preserved is minuscule. It is a rare specimen indeed!