Upper Albian chelonioid turtles from Poland

Remains of chelonioid turtles assigned to Protostegidae are recorded from the upper Albian (Lower Cretaceous) sands at Annopol, Poland. These are the first remains of Cretaceous marine turtles from Poland. A semi-articulated partial carapace with an associated postorbital bone is referred to as Protostegidae gen. et sp. indet. A. Scute sulci are visible on each preserved costal and neural plate of this specimen, which suggests hypertrophy and multiplication of vertebral scutes, a unique feature among chelonioids. An isolated humerus from the same level as the carapace is referred to as Protostegidae gen. et sp. indet. B. The massive lateral process of this humerus extends significantly onto the ventral surface of the bone, like in some humeri of primitive protostegids from the European Cretaceous, including the Albian “Lytoloma cantabrigiense” from England and Turonian “Rhinochelys (?) cf. carusiana” from Germany.