Reunited: 2 Halves of the <i>Atlantochelys mortoni</i> Humerus (IMAGE)
Caption
The two partial limb fossils from the ancient sea turtle Atlantochelys mortoni fit together perfectly, leaving little room for doubt that they are from the same bone. This discovery surprised paleontologists because the two halves were discovered at least 163 years apart, defying conventional wisdom that most fossils break down after weeks or months of surface exposure. The distal half (shown on the left) was discovered in 2012; the proximal half (at right) has been in the collections of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University for more than a century and is shown with its original labels. It was first described in 1849.
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Drexel University
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