Softshell turtles discovered in Poland

An international team of paleontologists, including Milan Chroust of the Institute of Geology CAS, has reported the first discovery of softshell turtles (Trionychidae) from the Miocene of Poland. This find, featuring a unique incomplete skull identified as Trionyx cf. vindobonensis, challenges previous theories about turtle distribution in Europe by showing that the ranges of the genera Trionyx and Rafetus overlapped and competed, with Trionyx likely pushing Rafetus eastward. The discovery also demonstrates that central Europe maintained conditions suitable for tropical fauna even after the Miocene Climatic Optimum.