Kingdom Animalia Class Reptilia Species †N. oweni | Phylum Chordata Family †Meiolaniidae Rank Genus | |
Similar Niolamia, Meiolaniidae, Glarichelys | ||
Ninjemys oweni ("Owen's Ninja Turtle") is an extinct large meiolaniid stem-turtle from Pleistocene Queensland (Australia). It resembled its larger relative, Meiolania, save that the largest pair of horns on its head stuck out to the sides, rather than point backwards.
Discovery
The first known remains were originally thought to belong to Megalania, and Richard Owen therefore imagined it as a giant Moloch lizard. He later described better remains of the related genus Meiolania from Lord Howe Island, so it was realised that this first known meiolaniid was actually a turtle. It was subsequently moved to this genus by A. S. Woodward as Meiolania oweni. In 1992 anatomical differences lead to its placement in the new genus Ninjemys, which was named in honor of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The paper even explained the etymology as "Ninja, in allusion to that totally rad, fearsome foursome epitomizing shelled success; emys, turtle."
Like other meiolaniids, N. oweni is believed to have been an herbivore. Its weight is estimated at 200 kg.
