DEFINITION
Meiolaniidae is an extinct family of large, probably herbivorous stem-group turtles with heavily armored heads and clubbed tails known from South America and Australasia... They are best known from the last surviving genus, Meiolania, which lived in Australia from the Miocene until the Pleistocene.
Source: WikipediaDISCOVERY
On the Occurence of the Genus Meiolania in the Pliocene Deep Lead at Canadian, near Gulgong
During a preliminary examination of some vertebrate remains from the Canadian Lead, Gulgong, presented to the Mining and Geological Museum by Mr. Philip Snayse, of Gulgong, I was struck by the number of bony plates which appeared to be broken fragments of a Chelonian carapace. Amongst these, however, four bones awakened the keenest interest, from their instantly recalling corresponding portions of the bony framework of Sir Richard Owen's genus Meiolania. The specimens are a small horn-core, the greater part of a caudal vertebra, and two portions of two of the annular segments of the tail-sheath.
Skeleton of Meiolania platyceps
Source: By Ghedoghedo American Museum of Natural History
Abstract - In 1889 I described the first, and so far the only remains of this remarkable genus discovered in N. S. Wales, from the Canadian Lead, Gulgong, The fossils consisted of a small horn-core, greater part of a caudal vertebra, and two annular segments of the tailsheath. Irrespective of the interest attached to the extended geographical distribution, lies the fact of the much more important geological range, perhaps even indicating a distinct species of the animal.
Source: Australian Museum
