50-million-year-old sea turtle fossil unearthed in Syria

Dubai: An international team of scientists has uncovered the fossil of a previously unknown sea turtle species in northern Syria, a discovery that reshapes understanding of marine reptile evolution, according to a report by Al Khaleej Arabic daily.

The species, named Syriemys lelunensis, dates back roughly 50 million years to the early Eocene epoch, according to findings published in Papers in Palaeontology.

The fossil, discovered near Afrin during quarry blasting, includes a well-preserved internal mould of the turtle’s shell, parts of its chest, pelvis, and hind limbs. The oval carapace measures 53 centimetres long and 44 centimetres wide.

Lead author Wafa Adel Halabi, a Syrian-Brazilian researcher at the University of São Paulo, said the specimen had remained stored for 13 years in Aleppo before being formally analysed with colleagues from Brazil, Syria, Germany, Lebanon, and Canada.

Microfossil analysis of surrounding rocks confirmed the turtle’s age, establishing it as the oldest known member of the extinct Stereogenyini lineage—pushing its evolutionary origins back by more than 10 million years.

The study marks the first formally described extinct vertebrate species from Syria, offering fresh insights into the region’s ancient ecosystems, which were once almost entirely submerged under water.

Professor Max Langer of the University of São Paulo, who supervised the research, said the discovery highlights Syria’s untapped palaeontological potential. The team now plans a series of studies under the project “Restoring Lost Time in Syria,” based on materials documented by Halabi.