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The meiolaniids were ancient turtles that evolved during the Eocene epoch, between 55 and 34 million years ago. Fossils of meiolaniid species come from Argentina, from Australia, and from several islands near Australia, including Tasmania and New Caledonia.
2012, Elizabeth T. Smith, Benjamin P. Kear, “Chapter 9: Spoochelys ormondea gen. et sp. nov., an archaic Meiolaniid-Like Turtle from the Early Cretaceous of Lightning Ridge, Australia”, in Donald B. Brinkman, Patricia A. Holroyd, James D. Gardner, editors, Morphology and Evolution of Turtles, page 121:
Turtle remains are particularly common at Lightning Ridge, comprising several distinct lineages including aquatic chelids and peculiar meiolaniid-like taxa—meiolaniids were spectacular horned turtles known from the Australian region and South America.
2014, Marcelo de la Fuente, Juliana Sterli, Ignacio Maniel, Origin, Evolution and Biogeographic History of South American Turtles, page 134:
Meiolaniids are a peculiar group of extinct turtles bearing cranial horns and frills, caudal rings, and tail clubs and restricted to South America (Eocene) and Australasia (Oligocene to Holocene).
