Toxochelys had carapace about in length. Two species in the genus are recognized,
Toxochelys latiremis and
Toxochelys moorevillensis.
Phylogenetic analysis shows that
Toxochelys belong to an extinct lineage of turtles transitional between modern
sea turtles and other turtles.
Toxochelys bauri Williston, 1905, based on the skeleton YPM 1786, is a synonym of
Ctenochelys stenoporus.
Toxochelys are currently thought to be the oldest member and the last common ancestor of all extinct
marine turtles. Even though
Toxochelys shared similar limb characteristics with other species as
Cheloniidae and
Protostegidae, they evolved independently to pass down new limb features to future generations. These features allowed for advanced mobility of the hand. ==Phylogeny==