Photo: National Park Service, Fossil Butte National Monument
- Order
- Testudines
- Family
- Emydidae
A pond turtle that may have spent much of its time basking, like a modern painted turtle.
Living members of the Emydidae family include over 40 modern species that are primarily aquatic freshwater turtles, with some brackish-water tolerant and terrestrial species.
The bone structure of E. wyomingensis suggests it was not a strong swimmer. It may have behaved similar to the modern painted turtle, spending much of its time out of water, basking in the sun.
Species text: National Park Service, Fossil Butte National Monument — Fossil Reptile Species.