Provenance: Swiss private collection

The term turtle is commonly used to describe both turtles and tortoises with the main difference being that turtles are aquatic; whereas tortoises are terrestrial, land-dwelling creatures. Anatomically, both have hard shells protecting their bodies. The top shell is called the carapace, and the bottom shell is called the plastron.

This colossal specimen is a male, as indicated by its pronounced "gular scute" (projection) extending from the front of the plastron, as well as the significant curvature of the underside of the shell. The scutes - the bony external plates - on the shell are in fine condition.
This turtle is, to our knowledge, the largest ever offered for sale. The size, combined with the minimal percentage of restoration, makes this a truly museum worthy fossil.