Family: Carettochelyidae

Allaeochelys sp.

My thanks to France de Lapparent de Broin for help identifying this species

This is the second ever almost complete carapace of a Trionyx to be found on Sheppey. This one was found by Mick Wall on the 7th March 2003 washing out amongst the jumble of clay blocks resulting from a massive rotational landslip at Warden Point
Only known from fragments in the past, this specimen is the first almost complete carapace to have been found. The shell is filled with cement stone, and the lower part of the carapace is embedded in it. Part of the frontal plates have flipped over and been preserved as a lump in the centre of the shell
Trionyx sp.
Detail showing frontal part of the shell in cement stone matrix
Two images showing details of the textured surface of the shell