Meiolania | |
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Characteristics | |
Era | Cenozoic |
Period | Oligocene – Holocene |
Living Period | 300 million - 30.000 years ago |
Region | Australia and New Caledonia. |
Size | Length: 2.5 m |
Synonyms | Miolania, Ceratochelys |
First Appearance | Chapter 9 |
Description[]
Meiolania ("small roamer") is an extinct genus of cryptodire turtle from the Oligocene to Holocene, with the last relict populations at New Caledonia which survived until 2,000 years ago.
The animal was rather large, measuring 2.5 metres in length, making it the second-largest known nonmarine turtle or tortoise, surpassed only by Colossochelys atlas from Asia, which lived in the Pleistocene. It lived in Australia and New Caledonia. Remains have also been found on the island of Efate in Vanuatu, associated with settlements from the Lapita culture. Meiolani turtles fed on plants. Its surviving relatives are the cryptodire turtles of South America. The Meiolania specimens which were once living on New Caledonia and Lord Howe Island were much smaller than their giant relatives from the Australian continent.
When the first fossil remains (a vertebra) were found, they were originally thought to be from a large monitor lizard, similar to, but smaller than Megalania, so the genus was named accordingly. Later, when more remains were found, it was realized that the "small roamer" was actually a turtle, and not a lizard.
Shirou's History Fact[]
The largest tortoise ever recorded in history.
Chronology[]
Raft arc[]
A Meiolania was walking near the beach when it was attacked by a Andrewsarchus. The Andrewsarchus bit through the ancient turtle shell's defense and ate the turtle up.
Prominent Animals |
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Chimera • Chimera II • Ernest • Mr. Lucky |
Extinct Animals |
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Ammonoidea • Ancient Ticks • Anomalochelys • Arctodus Simus • Argentavis • Alectroenas Nitidissima • Ambulocetus • Andrewsarchus Mongoliensis • Arsinoitherium • Basilosaurus • Bos Primigenius • Canis Dirus • Chalicotherium • Cheirolepis • Crassigyrinus • Cyclotosaurus • Diatryma • Entelodon • Eumegamys • Eusmilus • Eusthenopteron • Gerrothorax • Gigantopithecus • Glyptodon • Harpagornis Moorei • Holoptychius • Hyaenodon • Hypsognathus • Hyracotherium • Ichthyornis • Ictitherium • Ischyromys • Kannemeyeria • Lystrosaurus • Macrauchenia • Mammuthus Imperator • Megaladapis Edwardsi • Meganeura Monyi • Megatherium Americanum • Meiolania • Mesohippus • Moeritherium • Necrolemur • Nemegtbaatar Gobiensis • Notharctus • Paraceratherium • Pristichampus • Propleopus • Ptilodus • Rodhocetus • Smilodon • Titanis Walleri • Triadobatrachus • Unknown Extinct Animals |