Although often overlooked, the integument of many tetrapods is reinforced by a
morphologically and structurally diverse assemblage of skeletal elements. These elements …

Two major skeletal systems—the endoskeleton and exoskeleton—are recognized in
vertebrate evolution. Here, we propose that these two systems are distinguished primarily by …

The origin of the turtle body plan remains one of the great mysteries of reptile evolution. The
anatomy of turtles is highly derived, which renders it difficult to establish the relationships of …

The origin of the turtle shell has perplexed biologists for more than two centuries [1]. It was
not until Odontochelys semitestacea [2] was discovered, however, that the fossil and …

The origin of turtles and their uniquely shelled body plan is one of the longest standing
problems in vertebrate biology. The unfulfilled need for a hypothesis that both explains the …

Pappochelys extends the fossil record of Triassic stem-turtles back by some 20 million years,
and provides important new insights into how and in what sequence the key features of …

The turtle body plan, with its solid shell, deviates radically from those of other tetrapods. The
dorsal part of the turtle shell, or the carapace, consists mainly of costal and neural bony …

Background The phylogenetic position of turtles is the most disputed aspect in the
reconstruction of the land vertebrate tree of life. This controversy has arisen after many …

We investigated the development of the whole skeleton of the soft‐shelled turtle Pelodiscus
sinensis, with particular emphasis on the pattern and sequence of ossification. Ossification …

A new, thin-shelled fossil from the Upper Triassic (Revueltian: Norian) Chinle Group of New
Mexico, Chinlechelys tenertesta, is one of the most primitive known unambiguous members …