Ancient Plant Fossil Unveils Rare Baby Turtle Discovery

Two plant fossils collected in Colombia over 50 years ago have been identified as rare hatchling turtles from the Cretaceous period. The fossils, originally thought to be extinct plants, were actually tiny turtle shells measuring 2-2.4 inches long. They are the first hatchling marine turtles on record from that period in northern South America. The discovery highlights the need to re-examine historical collections and reveals the potential for misidentification in paleontology.