By Laura Foster Science reporter, BBC News
22 August 2018
Scientists have found new evidence confirming that turtles once lived without shells.
The almost-complete fossil dates back 228 million years and is bigger than a double bed.
It was discovered in the Guizhou province of south west China
Dr Nicholas Fraser, keeper of natural sciences at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, said: "It looked like a turtle but then lacked everything of the shell underneath and also the one on top."
"It has the scaffolding in place for the shell to go on to but it doesn't have the shell."
"It has a very characteristic beak at the front end."
The ancient reptile has been named Eorhynchochelys sinensis, which means "Dawn turtle with a beak from China".
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