The latest Miocene to Pliocene small-sized fossil turtles, Testudinidae and Geoemydidae, from Makrygialos, Thermaikos Gulf, Northern Greece

Abstract

Although the existence of fossil turtles in Makrygialos and the surrounding areas, on the west side of the Thermaikos Gulf in Northern Greece, has been known for almost two decades, it has not been studied so far in detail. Over the last 5 years, we have conducted systematic fieldwork and exploration, focusing on the discovery and recovery of fossils in the coastal broader area of Makrygialos. Eleven turtle specimens have been found so far, eight of which have been collected, on the outcrops of the beaches of Makrygialos and Agiannis. Their age is estimated between the latest Miocene and Pliocene. Four of these specimens are terrestrial giant tortoises, two of them are small tortoises which we identify as the species Chersine hermanni sensu lato, and the last two are freshwater turtles which we attribute to the genus Mauremys sensu lato. Here, we present our studies on the small-sized turtle species from this region. The fossil turtle fauna of Makrygialos is among the richest and most diverse in Greece, as in only a few other Greek localities at least three species of fossil turtles have been found. The C. hermanni specimens found in Makrygialos are probably the oldest fossils of the species found in Europe. The small-turtle faunal composition during the Neogene along the east and west sides of the Thermaikos Gulf was completely different.