The Early Pleistocene ectothermic vertebrates of Pietrafitta (Italy) and the last Western European occurrence of Latonia Meyer, 1843

The Early Pleistocene site of Pietrafitta (central Italy) produced a rich vertebrate assemblage from the Late Villafranchian Land Mammal Age (late MN18). Geological and paleobotanical data from Pietrafitta indicate a lacustrine environment, surrounded by a humid deciduous broadleaved forest with a temperate climate. The vertebrate assemblage consists of at least 40 taxa including actinopterygians, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Here, we concentrate on the ichthyofaunal and herpetofaunal remains. The ichthyofauna includes Barbus Cuvier and Cloquet, 1816, Scardinius Bonaparte, 1837, aff. Squalius Cuvier, 1817, and Tinca Cuvier, 1817. The two anuran genera are the large-sized alytid frog Latonia Meyer, 1843 and the “green frog” Pelophylax Fitzinger, 1843. Three snake precloacal vertebrae were recognized, one attributed to Colubrines indet., another one to Natrix sp. Laurenti, 1768, and the largest and most complete vertebra is referred to the genus Vipera s.l. Laurenti, 1768 (cf. gr. “Oriental vipers”). The chelonian fossils, including some complete carapaces and plastrals, are attributed to the European pond turtle (Emys gr. Orbicularis Linnaeus, 1758) and Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni Gmelin, 1789).

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An Italian Research Culture Collection of Wood Decay Fungi

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d12020058 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 58 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carolina Elena Girometta ◽

Annarosa Bernicchia ◽

Rebecca Michela Baiguera ◽

Francesco Bracco ◽

Simone Buratti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Wood Decay ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Culture Collection ◽

White Rot ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Research Culture ◽

Decay Fungi ◽

Mn Peroxidase ◽

The Mediterranean

One of the main aims of the University of Pavia mycology laboratory was to collect wood decay fungal (WDF) strains in order to deepen taxonomic studies, species distribution, officinal properties or to investigate potential applications such as biocomposite material production based on fungi. The Italian Alps, Apennines and wood plains were investigated to collect Basidiomycota basidiomata from living or dead trees. The purpose of this study was to investigate the wood decay strains of the Mediterranean area, selecting sampling sites in North and Central Italy, including forests near the Ligurian and Adriatic seas, or near the Lombardy lakes. The isolation of mycelia in pure culture was performed according to the current methodology and the identity of the strains was confirmed by molecular analyses. The strains are maintained in the Research Culture Collection MicUNIPV of Pavia University (Italy). Among the 500 WDF strains in the collection, the most interesting isolates from the Mediterranean area are: Dichomitus squalens (basidioma collected from Pinus pinea), Hericium erinaceus (medicinal mushroom), Inocutis tamaricis (white-rot agent on Tamarix trees), Perenniporia meridionalis (wood degrader through Mn peroxidase) and P. ochroleuca. In addition, strains of species related to the Mediterranean climate (e.g., Fomitiporia mediterranea and Cellulariella warnieri) were obtained from sites with a continental-temperate climate.

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Population and Thermal Ecology of Testudo hermanni hermanni in the Tolfa Mountains of Central Italy

Chelonian Conservation and Biology ◽

10.2744/ccb-0776.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 54-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Ernesto Filippi ◽

Lorenzo Rugiero ◽

Massimo Capula ◽

Russell L. Burke ◽

Luca Luiselli

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Thermal Ecology ◽

Testudo Hermanni ◽

Testudo Hermanni Hermanni

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Evidence of Predation on Early Pleistocene Freshwater Ostracods (Umbria, Central Italy)

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences10100416 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 416

Author(s):

Angela Baldanza ◽

Roberto Bizzarri ◽

Francesco Posati ◽

Manuel Ravoni

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Early Pleistocene ◽

Time Interval ◽

Short Time Interval ◽

Silty Clay ◽

Plant Remains ◽

Confined Environment ◽

Short Time ◽

Lake Deposits ◽

Freshwater Ostracods

Although drillholes in modern and ancient ostracods are known, the record is relatively scarce when compared to other taxa, and mainly exist with reference to the marine environment. Moreover, less is known about perforated ostracods, and more generally, about bioerosion in freshwater environments. Traces of predation on freshwater ostracods are reported for the first time in deep-lake deposits belonging to the early Pleistocene Fosso Bianco Unit, and outcropping in the Cava Nuova section (Umbria, central Italy). Deposits are mainly clay to silty clay and sand; the fossil record is sparse, and is mainly comprised of very rare gastropods and bivalves, ostracods and plant remains (leaves, seeds and wood’s fragments). The association of ostracods consists of Candona (Neglecandona) neglecta, Caspiocypris basilicii, Caspiocypris tiberina, Caspiocypris perusia, Caspiocypris tuderis, Caspiocypris posteroacuta, and Cyprideis torosa. The Caspiocypris group, considered to be endemic to the grey clays of the Fosso Bianco Unit, present the majority of specimens affected by predation, with a prevalence of predated female valves and a comparable number of right and left predated valves, while only a few of Candona(N.) neglecta (adult and juvenile) valves are perforated. Traces of predation for nourishment, represented by microborings of different types, were abscribed to the ichnospecies Oichnus paraboloides Bromley 1981, Oichnus simplex Bromley 1981, Oichnus gradatus Nielsen and Nielsen 2001, Oichnus ovalis Bromley 1993, and Dipatulichnus rotundus Nielsen and Nielsen 2001. Microboring affected both adult and juvenile specimens, evidencing prey–predator coexistence in the same environment over a long period of time. This report makes a fundamental contribution to the knowledge of predation in this peculiar confined environment, also suggesting prey–predator relations over a relatively short time interval (80–160 ka).

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Recursive anisotropy: a spatial taphonomic study of the Early Pleistocene vertebrate assemblage of Tsiotra Vryssi, Mygdonia Basin, Greece

Boreas ◽

10.1111/bor.12368 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 713-730

Author(s):

Domenico Giusti ◽

George E. Konidaris ◽

Vangelis Tourloukis ◽

Mattia Marini ◽

Matteo Maron ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Early Pleistocene ◽

Vertebrate Assemblage

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Petrochirus sp. (Anomura, Paguroidea, Diogenidae) from the early Pleistocene of the Podere dell’Infrascato, Volterra (Pisa, Tuscany, central Italy)

Natural History Sciences ◽

10.4081/nhs.2016.289 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 66

Author(s):

Giovanni Pasini ◽

Alessandro Garassino

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Early Pleistocene ◽

Genus Distribution

We report <em>Petrochirus</em> sp. (Diogenidae Ortmann, 1892) from the early Pleistocene of the Podere dell’Infrascato, Volterra (Pisa, Tuscany, central Italy). The record of <em>Petrochirus</em> sp. in this peculiar environment (upper bathyal zone) is significant due to the scarce knowledge about the genus distribution in the paleo-Mediterranean area.

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Suidae Transition at the Miocene-Pliocene Boundary: a Reassessment of the Taxonomy and Chronology of Propotamochoerus provincialis

Journal of Mammalian Evolution ◽

10.1007/s10914-020-09521-w ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alessio Iannucci ◽

Marco Cherin ◽

Leonardo Sorbelli ◽

Raffaele Sardella

Keyword(s):

Late Miocene ◽

Central Italy ◽

Early Pleistocene ◽

Messinian Salinity Crisis ◽

Compelling Evidence ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Faunal Assemblages ◽

Paleoenvironmental Changes ◽

Species Diagnosis ◽

Eurasian Species

Abstract The Miocene-Pliocene (Turolian-Ruscinian) transition represents a fundamental interval in the evolution of Euro-Mediterranean paleocommunities. In fact, the paleoenvironmental changes connected with the end of the Messinian salinity crisis are reflected by a major renewal in mammal faunal assemblages. An important bioevent among terrestrial large mammals is the dispersal of the genus Sus, which replaced all other suid species during the Pliocene. Despite its possible paleoecological and biochronological relevance, correlations based on this bioevent are undermined by the supposed persistence of the late surviving late Miocene Propotamochoerus provincialis. However, a recent revision of the type material of this species revealed an admixture with remains of Sus strozzii, an early Pleistocene (Middle Villafranchian to Epivillafranchian) suid, questioning both the diagnosis and chronological range of P. provincialis. Here we review the late Miocene Suidae sample recovered from the Casino Basin (Tuscany, central Italy), whose taxonomic attribution has been controversial over the nearly 150 years since its discovery. Following a comparison with other Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene Eurasian species, the Casino Suidae are assigned to P. provincialis and the species diagnosis is emended. Moreover, it is recognized that all the late Miocene (Turolian) European Propotamochoerus material belongs to P. provincialis and that there is no compelling evidence of the occurrence of this species beyond the Turolian-Ruscinian transition (MN13-MN14).

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A 28-years-long monitoring study suggests heavy decline and habitat shifts in three populations of a Mediterranean tortoise species

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/15707563-bja10014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 21-35

Author(s):

Lorenzo Rugiero ◽

Massimo Capula ◽

Daniele Dendi ◽

Fabio Petrozzi ◽

Massimiliano Di Vittorio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

Linear Models ◽

Central Italy ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Thermal Ecology ◽

Ecological Studies ◽

Monitoring Study ◽

Testudo Hermanni ◽

Selection Of

Abstract Long-term ecological studies are important for understanding wild populations’ dynamics and processes and the actual factors that can determine their decline. Here, we report the results of a 28-years-long (1992–2019) monitoring of three distinct populations of a tortoise, Testudo hermanni, in Central Italy, with an emphasis on their population abundance trends and on the eventual variation in their habitat use across years and among the study areas. Samplings were conducted by Visual Encounter Survey (VES) methodology, and using a suite of statistical analyses including correlations and Generalized Linear Models analyses. Our data showed a statistically significant decline in tortoise sightings through time, and concurrently also a variation in habitat use by tortoises. In all the three study areas, we observed a significant increase of tortoise sighting frequency in the habitat type characterized by high (>taller than 200 cm) shrubby and wooded vegetation. Since our analyses revealed no significant change in the habitat type availability by year in each study area, we suggest that T. hermanni was increasingly selecting closed vegetation spots throughout the years. We hypothesize that this observed trend of shift in habitat selection could be due to lowering their body temperatures to prevent overheating. So, the selection of more covered spots would be a thermal ecology adaptive consequence of the ongoing global warming.

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