Pacifichelys is an extinct genus of sea turtle from the Middle Miocene of Peru (Pisco Formation) and California (Temblor Formation). It was first named by James F. Parham and Nicholas D. Pyenson in 2010, and the type species is Pacifichelys urbinai from Peru. A second species, P. hutchisoni, was reassigned from the genus Euclastes. It is known from the Miocene of California. Like the living Ridley and loggerhead sea turtles, Pacifichelys was durophagous, consuming hard-shelled organisms with crushing jaws.

Taxonomy

Cladogram based on Lynch and Parham (2003) and Parham and Pyenson (2010):

Cheloniidae sensu latoToxochelys Mexichelys Lophochelyinae Euclastes Argillochelys Eochelone Erquelinnesia Pacifichelys Puppigerus Cheloniidae sensu stricto
Toxochelys
Mexichelys Lophochelyinae Euclastes Argillochelys Eochelone Erquelinnesia Pacifichelys Puppigerus Cheloniidae sensu stricto
Mexichelys
Lophochelyinae Euclastes Argillochelys Eochelone Erquelinnesia Pacifichelys Puppigerus Cheloniidae sensu stricto
Lophochelyinae
Euclastes Argillochelys Eochelone Erquelinnesia Pacifichelys Puppigerus Cheloniidae sensu stricto
Euclastes
Argillochelys Eochelone Erquelinnesia Pacifichelys Puppigerus Cheloniidae sensu stricto
Argillochelys
Eochelone
Erquelinnesia Pacifichelys Puppigerus Cheloniidae sensu stricto
Erquelinnesia Pacifichelys
Erquelinnesia
Pacifichelys
Puppigerus Cheloniidae sensu stricto
Puppigerus
Cheloniidae sensu stricto