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Stylemys nebrascensis is a genus of land tortoise, commonly found in the White River Bandlands of South Dakota. They were first found in 1851 by Dr. Joseph Leidy. These fossil tortoises range between several inches to up to two feet long (average size is 10-12” long). The shape and structure of these fascinating shells indicate that these tortoises were land creatures, rather than marine creatures. However, there is some debate about whether or not some tortoise species from this time period were more flat than round (like our modern gopher tortoise) in order to burrow.
