Denazinemys Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, 74.56–73.04 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Pantestudines
Clade:	Testudinata
Family:	†Baenidae
Clade:	†Baenodda
Genus:	†Denazinemys Lucas and Sullivan, 2006
Species
D. nodosa (Gilmore, 1916)
Synonyms[1]
"Baena" nodosa Gilmore, 1916

Denazinemys was a genus of baenid turtle that lived in the Late Cretaceous of New Mexico. The holotype specimen, which D. nodosa was based on, USNM 8345, consists of a partial carapace and plastron. It came from the De-na-zin Member of the Kirtland Formation, and therefore, Denazinemys lived in the Kirtlandian land-vertebrate age. Many specimens other than the holotype have been assigned to Denazinemys.^[1]

Distinguishing characteristics

Previously, Scabremys ornata was assigned to Denazinemys as D. ornata. Below are the features found in Denazinemys distinguishing the two genera:^[1]

• a carapace that is sub-triangular with widest dimension posteriorly;
• prepleurals present and touching the first vertebrae medially;
• the first vertebrae an irregular hexagonal shape with the greatest width posteriorly, contacting anterior second vertebrae;
• extracervicals lateral to the primary cervicals, the cervicals being sub-divided;
• and carapace nodes irregular and not forming distinct ridges.

Classification

Denazinemys is a baenid along with Plesiobaena, Boremys, Scabremys, Baena and Chisternon.^[1]

Below is a cladogram made by Sullivan et al. in 2013 showing the relations of Denazinemys: (note: Boremys pulchra is partly a junior synonym of Boremys grandis)^[1]