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A new species of Argillochelys (Testudines: Cryptodira: Cheloniidae) from the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco

¹ 16 Cour du Liégat, 75013 Paris, France, e-mail: eric.buffetaut{at}wanadoo.fr
² School of International Liberal Studies, Waseda University, Nishiwaseda 1-7-14, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0051, Japan, e-mail: renhirayama{at}waseda.jp

A new species of Argillochelys (Testudines: Cryptodira: Cheloniidae), A. africana n. sp. is described on the basis of three skulls and a lower jaw from the Lower Tertiary beds of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco. It differs from A. cuneiceps, A. antiqua and A. athersuchi essentially in the frontal well retracted from the orbital margin, with a broad prefrontal/postorbital contact, a more developed secondary palate, and the anterior part of the lower jaw more dorsoventrally flattened, with a wider triturating surface and a longer symphysis, without lingual ridge. This is the first record of Argillochelys from Africa.

Key Words: Testudines • Cryptodira • Cheloniidae • Argillochelys • Morocco • Lower Tertiary