Wabanbara ringtailensis —a new chelid turtle (Pleurodira: Chelidae) from mid-Miocene deposits of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in Australia

Researchers have identified a new genus and species of chelid turtle, Wabanbara ringtailensis, from mid-Miocene deposits at the Ringtail Site within Australia's Riversleigh World Heritage Area. This discovery is notable for its unique skull morphology, which combines features not seen in modern Australian short-necked or long-necked chelids, suggesting an aquatic omnivore with potential gape-suction feeding behavior. The fossilized skull exhibits distinctive traits such as a long, broad trochlear process and posteriorly extended squamosal, among others. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Wabanbara ringtailensis represents an early diverging member of the chelid radiation in Australia, possibly closely related to another extinct Miocene taxon, Birlimarr gaffneyi. The study sheds light on the evolutionary history and ecological adaptations of fossil turtles in Australia.

White, A. W., Gillespie, A. K., & Hand, S. J. (2025). Wabanbara ringtailensis —a new chelid turtle (Pleurodira: Chelidae) from mid-Miocene deposits of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in Australia. Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, 49(4), 991–1006. https://doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2025.2477464