Żółwie z pliocenu Polski

Abstract

Tortoises from the Pliocene of PolandA description is given of tortoise shell fragments from the Pliocene bone breccia of Węże near Działoszyn, Poland. These reptiles are represented by five genera belonging to the family Testudinidae, namely the land species Testudo szalaii n. sp. and T. antiqua noviciensis Depéret as well as the emydines: Geoemyda eureia (Wegner), Emys orbicularis (L.) and Clemmys gp. Next come a character analysis of holotype T. szalaii n. sp.,a comparison of the above mentioned specimens with fossil and recent representatives as Testudinidae from Europe and Asia,. description of the climatic and ecological life conditions in the Pliocene at Węże, of the phylogeny of T. szalaii n. sp. and the relationships to T. hermanni Gmell. s. lat. Finally, a comparison is made of the tortoise fauna of Węże with that of some Pliocene exposures in Europe along with a discussion on the genesis of the bone breccia from Węże grounded on the described turtle fauna.