Kansastega

Kansastega is an extinct genus of protostegid sea turtles that lived during the Late Cretaceous. It contains one valid species, K. copei, which has been found in the Niobrara Formation of Kansas. It was originally named as a species of Protostega,^[2] then was moved to its own genus Microstega.^[3] However, that genus name was preoccupied by the moth Microstega.^[4] As a result, Kansastega was proposed as a replacement name.^[1]

Kansastega Temporal range: Santonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Holotype shell of Kansastega copei
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Suborder:	Cryptodira
Family:	†Protostegidae
Subfamily:	†Protosteginae
Tribe:	†Protostegini
Subtribe:	†Kansastegina McDavid & Hooks, 2023[1]
Genus:	†Kansastega McDavid & Hooks, 2023
Type species
†Kansastega copei (Wieland, 1909)[2]
Synonyms
Genus synonymy Microstega Hooks, 1998[3] (preoccupied by Microstega Meyrick, 1890)[4] Species synonymy Protostega copei Wieland, 1909 Archelon copei (Wieland, 1909) Microstega copei (Wieland, 1909)