What is Archelon?
{{italic title}} {{Taxobox | name = Archelon | fossil_range = [[Upper Cretaceous]] | image = Archelon skeleton.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Type specimen (YPM 3000) of ''Archelon ischyros'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Reptile|Sauropsida]] | ordo = [[Testudines]] | subordo = [[Cryptodira]] | familia = [[Protostegidae]] | genus = '''''Archelon''''' | binomial = ''Archelon ischyros'' | binomial_authority = Wieland, 1896 }} '''''Archelon''''' was a huge marine [[turtle]] ([[Testudines]]) that was the size of a car. It lived in [[North America]] 74 million years ago (from the [[Upper Cretaceous]]) in the [[Epeiric sea|epeiric]] inland sea called the [[Western Interior Seaway]]. [[Fossil]]s have been found in the [[U.S. state]]s of [[Kansas]] and [[South Dakota]]. This carnivore was up to {{convert|4.6|m|ft|0}} long.<ref name=BlakHills>World's largest sea turtle. Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. [http://www.bhigr.com/pages/info/info_arch.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312042116/http://www.bhigr.com/pages/info/info_arch.htm |date=2016-03-12 }}</ref><ref name=Mike>Mike Everhart 2004/2012 {{cite web |url=http://www.oceansofkansas.com/Turtles.html |title=Marine turtles from the Western Interior Sea. |publisher=Oceansofkansas.com |access-date=2009-03-14}}</ref> It had a wide, flattened shell, paddle-like legs, a long, narrow head, weak jaws, and a short, pointed tail. Its only [[predator]]s were probably the larger [[mosasaur]]s. From its [[beak]], its own food was probably [[squid]]. ''Archelon'', like other turtles, had a solidly-roofed skull with no opening (except for eyes, and nostrils). == References == {{Reflist}} [[category:Turtles]] [[Category:Marine reptiles]]