Pacifichelys

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Pacifichelys is an extinct genus of sea turtle from the Middle Miocene of Peru and California. It lived about 16 to 14 million years ago (roughly 15.97–13.65 million years ago), with fossils found in Peru’s Pisco Formation and California’s Temblor Formation. The type species, Pacifichelys urbinai, was described in 2010 by James F. Parham and Nicholas D. Pyenson. A second species, Pacifichelys hutchisoni, was originally placed in Euclastes and is known from Miocene deposits in California.

Pacifichelys, like living Ridley and loggerhead turtles, was durophagous, meaning it fed on hard-shelled prey using strong crushing jaws. It is classified in the family Cheloniidae, the group that includes modern sea turtles. The genus helps scientists understand the evolution of feeding strategies in sea turtles during the Miocene.

Key facts
- Habitat: Middle Miocene of Peru (Pisco Formation) and California (Temblor Formation)
- Type species: Pacifichelys urbinai
- Other species: Pacifichelys hutchisoni (formerly Euclastes hutchisoni)
- Diet: Durophagous (crushing hard shells)
- Family: Cheloniidae (sea turtles)