Scientific Name & Classification Archelon ischyros is the only recognized species within the extinct genus Archelon, which belongs to the family Protostegidae—a group of marine turtles known only from the Cretaceous period (Wikipedia). The genus was named by paleontologist George Reber Wieland in 1896, based on a skeleton discovered in the Pierre Shale of South Dakota (Wikipedia, dmr.nd.gov).

Here’s an image of Archelon, the giant prehistoric sea turtle—perfect for captivating your readers visually at the top of your blog post.

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Archelon — The Ultimate Sea Turtle

1. General Overview

 Size & Physical Characteristics

• Largest Turtle Ever Recorded
  The biggest known Archelon specimen measured approximately 4.6 m (15 ft) from head to tail and weighed between 2.2 and 3.2 tonnes (about 2.4–3.5 short tons) (Wikipedia).
  Some sources report dimensions up to 5.25 m (16 ft) across flippers, reinforcing its claim as the largest turtle ever (Wikipedia, A-Z Animals, Mindat, bhigr.com).

• Shell & Structure
  Archelon didn’t have a solid, hard shell like most turtles. Instead, it had a leathery, flexible carapace, supported by a framework of bony struts—similar in texture to modern leatherback turtles (Ocean Info, Wikipedia, dmr.nd.gov).
  The carapace may have featured small ridges, around 2.5 to 5 cm (1–2 in) in height (Wikipedia, A-Z Animals).

• Head & Beak
  It had a hooked, raptor-like beak and powerful jaws, well-suited to slicing or crushing prey (Ocean Info, dinooftheweek.blogspot.com, A-Z Animals, Wikipedia). Some specimens even had heads up to ~1 m (3 ft) long (Wikipedia).

• Flippers & Tail
  It had massive, paddle-like front flippers for propulsion and shorter flippers for steering (Ocean Info, Wikipedia), along with a pointed tail that added to its streamlined body design (dmr.nd.gov, Ocean Info).

3. Paleobiology & Lifestyle

• Habitat
  Archelon swam in the Western Interior Seaway during the Late Cretaceous (roughly 75 to 66 million years ago), an inland sea that split North America (Wikipedia, A-Z Animals, dmr.nd.gov).

• Diet
  With its crushing jaws and hooked beak, Archelon likely consumed hard-shelled crustaceans, mollusks, possibly sponges, and also jellyfish, squid, or slow-moving fish (Wikipedia, Sea Turtle Preservation Society, dinooftheweek.blogspot.com, A-Z Animals).

• Behavior & Ecology
  Archelon probably stayed near the water’s surface, buoyed by its lightweight shell, and was accompanied by barnacles or small fish—similar to the behavior of modern leatherbacks (Sea Turtle Preservation Society).

• Nesting
  While details are scarce, it's assumed Archelon emerged at night to lay eggs on beaches, much like modern sea turtles (Sea Turtle Preservation Society, A-Z Animals, dmr.nd.gov).

4. Extinction Factors

Multiple factors likely contributed to Archelon’s extinction:

• Shrinking of the Western Interior Seaway reduced its habitat.

• Cooler climate made coastal nesting more hazardous.

• Increased egg and hatchling predation and mortality rates (Wikipedia).

5. Fossil Discovery & Significance

• First Discovery
  The holotype, designated YPM 3000, was excavated in 1895 from South Dakota’s Pierre Shale and described the following year (Wikipedia, dmr.nd.gov).

• Record Specimen
  The most complete skeleton—measuring ~15 ft long and ~16.5 ft wide—was found in the 1970s and is displayed at the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria (bhigr.com).

• Fossil Record Spread
  Specimens have also been uncovered in Wyoming, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, extending our understanding of its range (A-Z Animals, dmr.nd.gov).

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Tips for Writing Your Blog Post

Section	Talking Points
Intro / Hook	Start with the jaw-dropping facts: "Imagine a turtle as big as a small car..."—a great way to engage readers.
Visuals	Use the image at the top and consider adding skeleton diagrams or fossil photos.
Storytelling Arc	Outline its discovery history, describe its life in detail, and explore its extinction to weave a narrative.
Comparisons	Contrast Archelon with today's leatherbacks (smaller, hard-shelled) to highlight its uniqueness.
Science & Legacy	Discuss what Archelon tells us about Cretaceous marine ecosystems and the evolution of sea turtles.
Blog Tone	Use an engaging, slightly conversational tone to bring this ancient reptile to life. End with a compelling reminder about the fragility of ecosystems—both past and present.

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Let me know if you’d like help drafting sections, finding more images or infographics, or adding creative comparisons or titles for your blog!

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