Analysis of shell anomalies in the Spanish upper cretaceous basal pan-pleurodire Dortoka vasconica (Dortokidae)

Abstract

The study of pathological bone modifications of extinct organisms of lineages, which are still living today, in combination with extant representatives, allows to infer data about population dynamics, lifestyle, and diseases they were subject to. Pathological studies in turtles are extensive; however, these contributions are mainly focused on extant representative records of survival rates or on non-skeletonized material, and do not generally include morphological descriptions, illustrations, or data concerning their etiology and pathogenesis. As a consequence, paleopathology in turtles remains relatively poorly understood, especially considering extinct forms. In this context, we herein analyze marks of possible pathological origin recognized in two disarticulated plastral plates of the Spanish freshwater basal pan-pleurodiran turtle Dortoka vasconica (Dortokidae), from its type locality, the Upper Cretaceous (late Campanian-early Maastrichtian) fossil site of Laño 1 (Treviño County, Burgos, Spain). As a result, information regarding the possible etiology, pathogenesis, and stages of healing of the marks studied here are provided. A probable infectious origin is recognized as the etiology in both plates, these marks being considered as pathologies. This study contributes to our understanding of pathologies in extinct turtle taxa, specifically a stem-pleurodiran turtle.