Genus: Santanachelys HIRAYAMA, 1998
Etymology: Santana do Cariri, Ceara State, Brazil, for the locality and Greek, chelys, "tortise."

Species: gaffneyi HIRAYAMA, 1998
Etymology: In honor of Eugene S. Gaffney, an authority on fossil turtle.

Holotype: Teikyo Heisei University, Ichihara, Chiba, Japan, THUg1386

Locality: Near Santana do Cariri, Ceara State, Brazil.

Horizon: Romualdo Member, Santana Formation, Araripe Group.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Late Aptian or Early Albian Stage, Middle Gallic Subepoch, Upper Early Cretaceous Epoch, Early Cretaceous.

Material: A nearly complete skeleton.