Research Interests:
Research Interests:
After forty years from its discovery, the history of the field surveys and of the researches on the fossiliferous deposits of Gargano is briefly reported. The Gargano fauna belongs to the Abruzzo-Apulian Palaeobioprovince (including also... more
After forty years from its discovery, the history of the field surveys and of the researches on the fossiliferous deposits of Gargano is briefly reported. The Gargano fauna belongs to the Abruzzo-Apulian Palaeobioprovince (including also Scontrone and Pálena, Abruzzo). The fossil assemblage comprehends all the classes of terrestrial vertebrates: Reptilia, Amphibia, Aves and Mammalia. The faunal composition is unbalanced and presents the features of a typical insular endemic fauna. The bulk of the assemblage is composed of small mammals and birds. Based on literature, we report the most characteristic features, phylogenetic relationships, and evolutionary remarks on a list of mammals, focusing particularly on the adaptations of the most endemic taxa. Moreover, a biochronological scheme of the major faunal events is proposed and illustrated. Although still imperfect, the scheme is the first synopsis of all the biochronological and taxonomical information on mammals so far available. E...
Research Interests:
Page 118. Quaternary stratigraphy and paleontology of the Southern Russia 118 THE EARLY TO MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE ITALIAN BOVIDAE: BIOCHRONOLOGY AND PALAEOECOLOGY Maria Rita PALOMBO. Università degli ...
The fossil vertebrates recovered from two deposits (Pocket A and B) filling a karst cavity in the Ragusa carbonatic platform at Contrada Pianetti are described. In a pocket A only Elephas cf. mnaidriensis and Leithia ex gr.... more
The fossil vertebrates recovered from two deposits (Pocket A and B) filling a karst cavity in the Ragusa carbonatic platform at Contrada Pianetti are described. In a pocket A only Elephas cf. mnaidriensis and Leithia ex gr. melitensis-cartei are present, while pocket B yielded remains of Bos primigenius, Cervus elephas siciliae, Canis cf. lupus, Ursus cf. arctos, Erinaceus europaeus, Crocidura sp., Microtus (Terricola) ex gr. savii, an indeterminate bat, Bufo cf. viridis, Lacerta sp., Coluber viridiflavus, Testudo aff. hermanni, indeterminate snakes and birds. The fissure assemblage, although very poor, can be confidentialy attribuited to the E. mnaidriensis faunal complex wich ranged in Sicily from the late middle Pleistocene to the early late Pleistocene. The second and more diversified assemblage has some distinctive features suggesting it may represent a previously unknown phase of population of the Sicilian island wich is intermediate between the E. mnaidriensis complex and the...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT During the Quaternary, bovids are common elements in the Italian local faunal assemblages (LFAs). Representatives of Bovini tribe are continuously present, albeit with different lineages. Caprini are sporadically recorded by... more
ABSTRACT During the Quaternary, bovids are common elements in the Italian local faunal assemblages (LFAs). Representatives of Bovini tribe are continuously present, albeit with different lineages. Caprini are sporadically recorded by several genera, and Antilopini are less represented, only during the Early Pleistocene in the middle and early late Villafranchian local faunal assemblages (LFAs).Diversity and ecological role of continental representatives of Italian Bovidae varied with LFAs as well as in faunal units (FUs) throughout the Early and Middle Pleistocene. Species richness and diversity peaked during the early late Villafranchian land mammal age (LMA) and then decreased in the post-Jaramillo Early Pleistocene and at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene (early and early middle Galerian LMA). That time was characterized by the exclusive presence of bovids preferring open environments. The small-sized bovids disappeared by the late Villafranchian, but a major renewal of the guild took place at the transition from the Galerian to Aurelian LMA) (late Middle Pleistocene).Endemic species are recorded in a few Italian islands: goat-like bovids with uncertain phylogenetic affinity are recorded from the Late Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene in Sardinia, while subspecies of Bovini, reduced in size, were present in Sicily during the Late Middle and Late Pleistocene and have been claimed as present on the island of Pianosa (Tuscany).
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Résumé/Abstract The post-Miocene marine succession of the «Apricena horst» is described with the purpose to verify the chronostratigraphic constraints for the type-locality of the Pirro Nord Faunal Unit. The stratigraphic succession has... more
Résumé/Abstract The post-Miocene marine succession of the «Apricena horst» is described with the purpose to verify the chronostratigraphic constraints for the type-locality of the Pirro Nord Faunal Unit. The stratigraphic succession has been subdivided in four units ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT A small moonrat belonging to the Galericini tribe occurs in all the assemblages from the Terre Rosse fissure fillings of the Gargano. It was first mentioned in the pioneering report of Freudenthal and by Butler in his study of... more
ABSTRACT A small moonrat belonging to the Galericini tribe occurs in all the assemblages from the Terre Rosse fissure fillings of the Gargano. It was first mentioned in the pioneering report of Freudenthal and by Butler in his study of the “gigantic” Deinogalerix, and has been quoted with different names several times in faunal lists of the Terre Rosse endemic faunas. Up to date, however, the description of this gymnure has never been achieved. We present here the taxonomical and morphological description of a sample from Fissure Filling F32 that is considered to document the youngest phase of population of the Gargano Paleoarchipelago. The comparisons with genera Galerix, Parasorex and Schizogalerix, show that the Gargano gymnure is well distinct from these three genera, and that it deserves a generic status. The small Galericini is therefore referred to Apulogalerix pusillus nov. gen., nov. sp. The enlarged and swollen premolar series, the small, pointed molars, some details in the morphology of the lower fourth premolar and of the third upper premolar, indicate that Apulogalerix nov. gen. is an endemic taxon, likely derived from a Parasorex ancestor, which specialized in a malacophagous diet.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Incarbona, A., Agate, M., Arisco, G., Bonomo, S., Buccheri, G., Di Patti, C., et al. (2010). Ambiente e clima della Sicilia durante gli ultimi 20 mila anni. Il Quaternario - Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences, 2010(23 (1)), 21-35. ...... more
Incarbona, A., Agate, M., Arisco, G., Bonomo, S., Buccheri, G., Di Patti, C., et al. (2010). Ambiente e clima della Sicilia durante gli ultimi 20 mila anni. Il Quaternario - Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences, 2010(23 (1)), 21-35. ... Ambiente e clima della Sicilia durante gli ultimi 20 mila ...
We present a thorough review of the knowledge on the climate and environment in Sicily over the last 20 000 years, taking into account results of several studies carried using terrestrial and marine records. We obtain a coherent framework... more
We present a thorough review of the knowledge on the climate and environment in Sicily over the last 20 000 years, taking into account results of several studies carried using terrestrial and marine records. We obtain a coherent framework of the most important changes succeeded in the island, even if some points need further investigation. All the reconstructions of surface temperatures of the seas and the air surrounding Sicily point out severe climatic conditions during the last glacial period. The steppe- and semisteppe-like vegetation pattern testifies, together with additional evidence from geochemical data of lacustrine evidence, markedly arid conditions. Fi-nally, significant episodes of sea level drop connected Sicily to the Italian Peninsula and favoured the dispersion of faunal elements from southern Italy. The transition between the last glacial and the Holocene was not characterized by a gradual warming but was punctuated by two abrupt suborbital climatic fluctuations: Bølling-Allerød (warm) and Younger Dryas (cold), as recognized in the sediments recovered close to the northern and southern coast of Sicily. A denser arboreal cover is possibly indicated by the occurrence of dormouse and Arvicola remains. Finally the sensitivity of Sicily to climate perturbations is demonstrated by the occurrence of repeated subtle climatic anomalies during the Holocene, including the Little Ice Age, also known from historical chronicles. Forests, woods and Mediterranean maquis developed in the early-middle Holocene. Thereafter was a general decline of arboreal vegetation, following a general aridification trend that seems to be a common feature in southern Europe and North Africa. Science Greek colonization (7th century before Christ), the landscape was intensively modelled for agriculture and breeding, leading to a significant loss of vegetation cover.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The Sant’Arcangelo Basin is located in the southern part of the Apennine chain (Basilicata). It is filled by a siliciclastic sequence 3500 m thick, dated to the Late Pliocene–Middle Pleistocene time interval. In this basin an Early Middle... more
The Sant’Arcangelo Basin is located in the southern part of the Apennine chain (Basilicata). It is filled by a siliciclastic sequence 3500 m thick, dated to the Late Pliocene–Middle Pleistocene time interval. In this basin an Early Middle Pleistocene fluvio-lacustrine sequence, known as San Lorenzo Cycle, has been recognised. In the upper part of the sequence, in Rifreddo, a fairly diversified small vertebrate assemblage has been recovered.The occurrence of Mimomys savini allows to the fauna to be considered as Biharian. The presence of some faunal elements such as Microtus (Terricola) arvalidens, Microtus (Iberomys) ex gr. huescarensis-brecciensis, and Macroneomys cf. brachygnathus restricts the age of the Rifreddo assemblage to the latest part of this Mammal Age. In several European localities, sediments containing such late Biharian faunas are correlated with the lower part of Brunhes magnetochrone (e.g. the normally magnetised sections at West Runton in the United Kingdom, Voigtstedt in Germany and Přezletice in the Czech Republic) or just below this boundary (e.g. the negatively magnetised part of the Atapuerca section—levels TD4-6 in Spain). Taking into account the faunal composition and the positive magnetisation of the sediments outcropping at the Rifreddo locality, the chronological referral of the mammal assemblage can be restricted to the early Brunhes and therefore to the early middle part of Middle Pleistocene.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The fossil record of the Savi vole, Microtus (Terricola) savii, is analyzed in terms of morphological and morphometrical variability of the first lower molar, in order to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships between insular and mainland... more
The fossil record of the Savi vole, Microtus (Terricola) savii, is analyzed in terms of morphological and morphometrical variability of the first lower molar, in order to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships between insular and mainland populations and the dispersal events. The present work gives a contribution to better understand the phylogenetic history of this taxon in Sicily and Southern Italy during the interval Middle Pleistocene – Holocene, in an attempt to reconstruct the relationships between insular and continental voles and to clarify some paleobiogeographical aspects. The morphometrical data have been acquired by traditional measurements of the first lower molar and analyzed by dispersal diagrams and Principal Components Analysis.The fossil Sicilian samples have a greater size variation than extant ones. Two different morphological groups have been identified and named on the basis of the similarity with European or Italian populations: a “subterraneomorph” one (characterized by a tighter symmetric anterior cap and longer anteroconid), similar to European M. (T.) subterraneus species, and a “savimorph” one (more confluent and asymmetric anterior cap and shorter anteroconid), occasionally with the accentuation of morphological characters of M. (T.) savii.The results, in particular the differences between Pleistocene and Holocene Sicilian populations and the similarities with the mainland ones, suggest that the Savi vole dispersed at least twice in Sicily. One colonization took place likely during the cold stage MIS 6 (recorded at Isolidda 3) with dispersal events, made possible by the sea level drop and the connection with the mainland, and a second one (documented at San Teodoro cave and other Holocene assemblages) during MIS 4 (by dispersal events) or MIS 3 (by accidental transit or limited faunal exchanges).
Research Interests:
A facies analysis and preliminary palaeoclimate and biochronology investigation, are presented for the San Lorenzo lacustrine deposits, outcropping in the Pliocene to Pleistocene satellite Sant’Arcangelo Basin (Southern Apennines). Facies... more
A facies analysis and preliminary palaeoclimate and biochronology investigation, are presented for the San Lorenzo lacustrine deposits, outcropping in the Pliocene to Pleistocene satellite Sant’Arcangelo Basin (Southern Apennines). Facies analysis shows that sedimentation developed in the inner zone of a terrigenous-dominated fresh water lake. The pollen record shows repeated alternations between two distinct vegetational assemblages, one dominated by steppe taxa, and the other one by forest taxa. The faunal assemblage is indicative of a late Biharian mammal age. The palaeomagnetic survey yielded three polarity intervals throughout the succession; the middle one is of reversed polarity (and is associated with a volcaniclastic layer radiometrically dated at approximately 1 Ma), and thus the two normal polarity intervals are identified as the Jaramillo subchron and the base of the Brunhes chron. The detailed geological and paleontological analyses as well as the preliminary results from the palynological and magnetostratigraphical investigation, indicates that these deposits may contain a continuous record of both climatic changes and tectonic activity within the Sant’Arcangelo Basin during the early and middle Pleistocene.
Research Interests:
During the Pleistocene, southern Calabria was the area through which several mammalian taxa dispersed into the Sicilian island via the Straits of Messina. The rich fossil record of Sicily allowed for the construction of a fairly detailed... more
During the Pleistocene, southern Calabria was the area through which several mammalian taxa dispersed into the Sicilian island via the Straits of Messina. The rich fossil record of Sicily allowed for the construction of a fairly detailed bio-chronological frame that is dated by correlation of vertebrate bearing deposits with marine deposits. At present five Faunal Complexes (F.C.), characterised by the occurrence of different taxa, have been recognised. The two older Faunal Complexes (Monte Pellegrino F.C.'xes Elephas falconeri F.C.) include taxa with differently marked endemic features denoting the occurrence of an insular system made up of geographically isolated small islands, with very difficult and sporadic connections with the mainland. The Lower Pleistocene physiographic evidence fits closely with data coming from palaeontologic evidence. In the younger F.C.'xes (E. mnaidriensis F.C., Pianetti S. Teodoro F.C. and Castello F.C.), faunal composition is becoming more similar to that of the southern Italian peninsula, endemisation is more moderate becoming absent in the youngest assemblages. This behaviour denotes that temporary connections with southern Italy occurred more frequently and extensively during Late Middle Pleistocene and Late Pleistocene. Possibly a sort of filtering barrier affected the dispersals that gave rise to the former phase of population of the E. mnaidriensis F.C. preventing small mammals from the mainland from entering the island. The vertebrate fossil record of southern Calabria is rather poor and no mammal deposit is apparently older than the Late Middle Pleistocene. The occurrence at Bovetto of a continental fallow deer (Dama dama cf. tiberina), closely related to the endemic Sicilian species D. carburangelensis of the E. mnaidriensis F.C., may document the first Pleistocene connection of southern Calabria to the Italian peninsula and the dispersal of the forerunners of mammals of the E. mnaidriensis F.C. in Sicily. The well-diversified continental faunas coming from Archi and from Iannì di S. Calogero, both containing remains of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, may document a post-Tyrrhenian dispersal event through the Catanzaro isthmus. Data are still lacking for the correlation of these faunal assemblages with the scarcely endemic faunas of the Late Pleistocene Contrada Pianetti–San Teodoro F.C. of Sicily. No record of the mammal assemblages that gave origin to the fauna of the Castello F.C. has been recovered so far in southern Calabria.
Research Interests:
Over the last 50 years the studies on terrestrial mammals of the Italian peninsula have provided a large volume of data and a more detailed knowledge of faunal events during the Late Pliocene and Quaternary. Moreover geological,... more
Over the last 50 years the studies on terrestrial mammals of the Italian peninsula have provided a large volume of data and a more detailed knowledge of faunal events during the Late Pliocene and Quaternary. Moreover geological, sedimentological, palynological and magnetostratigraphical investigations on the Pliocene–Pleistocene continental sedimentary basins have yielded the possibility of a detailed calibration of the faunal successions. Thus, palaeontologists have been able to reconstruct faunal sequences and to propose biochronological scales based on large and small mammals, respectively. In the present contribution an integration of the two biochronological scales is proposed, and the successions of bioevents are carefully compared. This integrated approach allows the constraint of the sequence of large- and small-mammal events in a more reliable way, and therefore it results in a more detailed and consistent chronological use of mammalian assemblages. Particular attention is paid to the faunal changes that correspond to the Middle–Late Pliocene (2.6 ma), Pliocene–Pleistocene (1.8 ma) and Early–Middle Pleistocene (Gauss–Matuyama transition) chronostratigraphical boundaries.
Research Interests:
An overview of the population histories of three insular realms (Gargano palaeo-archipelago, Sardinia–Maritime Tuscany palaeo-bioprovince and the Sicilian insular complex) during the Late Miocene and Quaternary are here presented. The... more
An overview of the population histories of three insular realms (Gargano palaeo-archipelago, Sardinia–Maritime Tuscany palaeo-bioprovince and the Sicilian insular complex) during the Late Miocene and Quaternary are here presented. The complexity of biodiversity changes in the islands is analysed to propose an interpretation of origination and extinction patterns. The study highlighted several important aspects of insular faunas. Evolutionary radiations were found to contribute significantly only to the Gargano faunal diversity, likely because the area was an archipelago at the time.Another interesting result is that large and small mammals do not disperse and become extinct all at the same time on each island. In fact, because of their distinct body sizes, large and small mammals have different dispersal ability and therefore different chances to cross-filtering barriers. But distinct body sizes means also different influence on diversity, resistance to environmental changes and likelihood of extinction. Another important point is that large mammalian carnivores at the top of the trophic net are quite more fragile and susceptible to become extinct than other predators.The study finally shows the clear influence that the intense Middle and Late Pleistocene climate-driven environmental changes had on island communities. The reconstruction of the faunal histories of Sardinia and Sicily shows that without exchanges with the mainland the island system represents a rather stable refuge area not too affected by the changes in the “physical” parameters of the environment. In contrast, if the island is frequently connected with the continent, insular faunal assemblages tend to behave as their mainland counterparts.
Research Interests:
The morphology of the first lower molars of the Microtia species found in eight samples collected in the ‘terre rosse’ fillings of the karst fissure network of Gargano (Puglia, Italy) have been studied through bivariate and principal... more
The morphology of the first lower molars of the Microtia species found in eight samples collected in the ‘terre rosse’ fillings of the karst fissure network of Gargano (Puglia, Italy) have been studied through bivariate and principal component analyses. The data fall into seven systematic units that indicate that at least four phyletic lineages were present in the Gargano area. The evolutionary modifications of the characteristics of the various lineages are discussed.