The Fossil Record of Turtles and Tortoises (Reptilia: Testudines) in Greece

Abstract

Turtles are among the most common and easily identifiable elements of the vertebrate fossil record, especially in continental deposits. In Greece, turtle fossils have been identified in at least 68 continental and insular localities, ranging from the Early Miocene to Holocene deposits. The review of the known turtle fossil record from Greece reveals the presence of at least 14 different species belonging to 4 cryptodiran clades (Trionychidae, Emydidae, Geoemydidae, and Testudinidae) and a single pleurodiran clade. The most diverse clade is Testudinidae, comprising more than half of the known diversity, with at least two giant and seven small-sized tortoise species. Although turtle fossils from Greece have been known since the first collections in the middle of the nineteenth century, they have received special attention only recently.