Where do turtles come from?
Paleontologists have utilized new anatomical and genetic evidence to clarify the evolutionary origins of turtles. The study suggests turtles are archosauromorphs, placing them in the same lineage as birds, crocodiles, and dinosaurs.
Why it matters
This research resolves a long-standing biological debate regarding the placement of turtles on the tree of life, providing a clearer picture of vertebrate evolution.
Turtles are weird. They move around in their own armored sanctuary, have adapted to living on land and in water and are among the longest-living animals on the planet.
Their anatomy is so unusual that it’s difficult to pinpoint where they belong on the tree of life. Where do they come from? Who, scientists would love to know, is their common ancestor?
Many paleontologists have asserted that turtles originated with an ancient reptile, Eunotosaurus africanus, which lived 260 million years ago and had a broad set of ribs that later developed into a shell. Other studies that focused on genetic evidence, however, have suggested that turtles are actually more similar to crocodiles and birds, and may share a common ancestor with them.
“Turtle origins have always been a tough nut to crack,” said Xavier A. Jenkins, a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
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