Anosteira maomingensis (Testudines: Carettochelyidae) from the Late Eocene of Maoming, Guangdong, southern China: new material and re-description

Anosteira is a carettochelytid turtle known from the Eocene of Asia and North America and includes several species. The species A. maomingensis CHOW & LIU, 1953 was established originally on the basis of two internal molds. The present study is based on new specimens collected by the IVPP in Maoming during 2005-2006 and unpublished specimens housed in the Beijing Museum of Natural History, which include more than twenty shells and a lower jaw. A. maomingensis is characterized by its large size, absence of all marginal scutes and reduced pleural scutes, which do not cover the lateral part of the costal plates. The lower jaw has a wide, posteriorly expanded and concave triturating surface, a strong and tall coronoid process lying on the middle of the jaw ramus and deeply excavated lateral surface under the coronoid process.