Pleurosternidae

Pleurosternidae is an extinct family of freshwater turtles belonging to Paracryptodira.^[1] They are definitively known from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (Albian) of Western Europe and North America.^[2]

Pleurosternids Temporal range: Kimmeridgian–Albian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Pleurosternon skull
Pleurosternon shell
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Pantestudines
Clade:	Testudinata
Clade:	†Paracryptodira
Superfamily:	†Baenoidea
Family:	†Pleurosternidae Cope, 1868

Genera

Valid taxa

• Dinochelys^[3] Morrison Formation, United States, Late Jurassic (Tithonian)
• Dorsetochelys^[3] Purbeck Group, England, Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) Bückeberg Formation, Germany, Berriasian
• Glyptops^[3] Morrison Formation, United States, Late Jurassic (Tithonian)
• Pleurosternon^[3] Purbeck Group, England, Early Cretaceous (Berriasian), Ágreda locality, Spain, Tithonian-Berriasian, France, Tithonian-Berriasian
• Riodevemys^[3] Villar del Arzobispo Formation, Spain, Late Jurassic (Tithonian)
• Selenemys^[3] Lourinhã Formation, Portugal, Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian)
• Toremys^[3] Escucha Formation, Spain, Early Cretaceous (Albian)

Uluops from the Late Jurassic of North America may also belong to Pleurosternidae.^[2]

Invalid taxa

• Desmemys^[3] Bückeberg Formation, Germany, Berriasian (nomen dubium)

Ecology

The high morphological diversity of skulls of the group suggests high ecological plasticity. Glyptops and Pleurosternon exhibit adaptions likely for suction feeding, while Dorsteochelys was likely a dietary generalist.^[2]