BERNHARD HUBMANN & MAURIZIO GAETANI

During several field work campaigns to the Karakorum Mountains samples containing Devonian macrofossils were collected by M. Gaetani and P. Le Fort, mostly in the uppermost Yarkhun Valley (Northern Pakistan). Generally, Devonian rocks are outcropping rather extensively in several thrust sheets of the Northern Karakorum Terrain, namely in the Chillinji, Baroghil/Lashkargaz, and the Karambar Units. The dolostones of the Tash Kupruk Zone, similar to the Chilmarabad Fm. of the previous units, are also Devonian in age. Fossils mentioned below originate from measured logs (Yarkhun River, Chillinji, Ribat), others from isolated localities.Identification of most of the fossils on species, or even at genus-level is difficult due to their moderate to poor state of preservation. Recrystallisation phenomena that had affected particularly porous skeletons, especially those with small-sized intra-skeletal cavities (i.e. intra-tabular spaces of small-sized tabulate corallites, and inter-laminar spaces of stromatoporoid skeletons) often preclude reliable determination. Nevertheless, from the following formations tabulate corals and calcareous green-algae could be determined: Chilmarabad Fm. (Lashkargaz/Baroghil Unit,), Shogram Fm. (Yarkhun River section), Margach Fm. (Ribat section), the Tash Kupruk dolostones (loose blocks north of Inkip).The taxa described are Pseudopalaeoporella ? sp., Receptaculites cf. chardini, Pachyfavosites polymorphus, Thamnopora grandis, Thamnopora cf. longdongshuiensis, Thamnopora cf. reticulata, Celechopora devonica, Alveolites (Alveolites) hudlestoni, Heliolites ? sp., Pachycanalicula ? sp., "Caunopora", and Helicosalpix asturiana.Most of the fossils described point to Middle to Upper Givetian age, although they are not particularly age diagnostic.

ILIANA BONCHEVA, ALI BAHRAMI, MEHDI YAZDI & HOSSEIN TORABY

Asadabad section in Central Iran is one of the most complete sequences so far described across the Carboniferous of Iran. The stratigraphic and biostratigraphic data on the sediments overlying the Devonian carbonate platform give evidence about the duration of shallow water depositional evolution. There are thirty productive levels with conodonts in the Carbonifeous section ranging in age from early Tournaisian to the top of Bashkirian (Lower expansa - sulcata to sinuosus zones). There is scarce evidence about the elongatus Zone presence - Late Pennsylvanian. Sulcata to anchoralis-latus conodont zones in Shishtu Formation and muricatus to sinuosus Zone and a possible elongatus Zone in Sardar Formation have been indentified. These conodont zones are reported for the first time in that area. A crinoidal limestone - key bed horizon, is traceable in the studied area as well as in other parts of Iran. It is Early Pennsylvanian – Bashkirian in age and is correlated to sinuatus-minutus Zone. The studied Shishtu and Sardar Formations (Carboniferous) as well as Vazhnan and Surmaq Formation (Permian) in the section belong to marine near shore sedimentation with many macrofaunal remains.

BABA SENOWBARI-DARYAN & FELICITÁSZ VELLEDITS

Examination of the calcareous microfossil from the Anisian reef limestones of the Aggtelek Mountains, northern Hungary, described as Axopora aggtelekensis by Scholz, supports the cyanobacterian nature of this organism. It is not a Hydrozoa as originally thought by Scholz. For this microfossils, occuring in Triassic shallow water carbonates the new genus Anisophytes is proposed. The differences between Anisophytes, as gregarious microfossil composed of tubes, and other similar looking organisms, like Tubiphytes, Aeolisaccus kotori Radoicic, Koivaella Tchuvashov or Proaulopora Vologdin is discussed. Anisophytes is attributed tentatively to Cyanophyceans.

ANDREA TINTORI & CRISTINA LOMBARDO

The early history of the Semionotiformes is still scarcely known as, apart from the Permian Acentrophorus, most of the Early and Middle Triassic taxa traditionally ascribed to this order are often poorly known and/or they actually belong to other groups. Sangiorgioichthys aldae gen. n. sp. n. is described from the Upper Ladinian Kalkschieferzone (Upper Meride Limestone) of the Monte San Giorgio area on specimens coming from both Italy and Switzerland. The new genus is ascribed to the family Semionotidae as it shows several of the characters usually considered as diagnostic of the family itself, even if no real synapomorphies have been so far proposed for it. As a Semionotidae, Sangiorgioichthys gen. n. has an almost complete circumorbital series, large ascending process of the premaxilla, rostral and nasals almost tube-like, short maxilla, several suborbital bones posterior and ventral to the infraorbitals, long antero-dorsal process of the suboperculum, sensory canal system very rich in pores, mid dorsal ridge scales with an incipient spine. Peculiar characters of the new genus are dermal skull bones completely covered by ganoine, a very large ventral infraorbital almost attaining the anterior edge of the preoperculum, two ‘ventral’ suborbitals, very elongate anterior supraorbital bone,  dentition made of a number of tiny pencil-like teeth, anterior and posterior lateral line scales differentiated.

SIXTO R. FERNÁNDEZ-LÓPEZ, MARIA HELENA HENRIQUES, CHARLES MANGOLD & GIULIO PAVIA

Several tens of Lower Bathonian Bigotites from Digne-Castellane region (SE France) and Cabo Mondego area (Portugal) have been reviewed. Three species have been distinguished in the lowermost subzone of the Zigzag Zone (Parvum Subzone) just above the boundary Bajocian to Bathonian: B. diniensis Sturani [M+m], B. sturanii sp. nov. [M+m] and B. mondegoensis sp. nov. [M+m]. In the Bas Auran area, a chronocline from evolute, strongly ribbed and constricted forms (including B. sturanii and B. diniensis) to involute forms with blunt, moderately prominent ribbing and weak constrictions (including B. mondegoensis) can be recognized. The shared taxa B. mondegoensis sp. nov. and possibly B. diniensis Sturani permit detailed subdivision and correlation to be established between ammonite fossil assemblages of Parvum Subzone in the Lusitanian and Alpine basins. A separate genus of Zigzagiceratinae, Protozigzagiceras g. nov., is proposed to encompass P. torrensi (Sturani) as type species. These new palaeontological data about the youngest members of Bigotitinae and the oldest members of Zigzagiceratinae are of biochronostratigraphic importance for the subdivision and correlation of the basal Bathonian Zigzag Zone. Three successive biohorizons can be identified at the Parvum Subzone in Bas Auran (French Alpine Basin) and Cabo Mondego (Lusitanian Basin): Diniensis, Mondegoensis and Protozigzagiceras biohorizons.

NICOLETTA MANCIN, MIRIAM COBIANCHI, ANDREA DI GIULIO & DANIELE CATELLANI

The present paper reviews and improves the stratigraphy of the Cenozoic subsurface succession of the Venetian-Friulian Basin by means of a foraminiferal study, integrated by calcareous nannofossil analysis in some key stratigraphic intervals, of thirteen ENI wells drilled in the 60-70s and kept reserved since now.The Venetian Friulian Basin is a complex basin due to the superimposition of three overlapping foreland systems, during the Paleocene to Pleistocene time interval. These systems are related to the evolution of three collisional belts (Southern Alps, Apennines and Dinarides) which experienced structuring phases at different time intervals, with different belt orientation, vergence and topography. The peculiar location of the basin at the tectonic knot, between the Po Plain Basin and the Adriatic Basin that are the most important Italian sites of gas reservoirs, makes it as an interesting case-study both from a scientific and industrial point of view. Data of both foraminiferal and nannofossil assemblages were performed using, tentatively, the standard zonations proposed for the tropical-subtropical realm and the Mediterranean region. In the chronostratigraphic intervals where standard events were not recorded, other biohorizons from “regional” zonal schemes were applied. The data obtained allowed to check the applicability of the biohorizons used in the stated schemes to a subsurface succession analysed mainly from cuttings.Results allowed also to provide a rather precise biostratigraphic correlation of the thirteen studied wells which is a fundamental step to better describe the geometry of the sedimentary infill and to reconstruct the synoptic chronostratigraphic frame providing the timing of the sedimentary events and the main sedimentary or erosional hiatuses. Based on this chronostratigraphic scheme, the Cenozoic subsurface succession of the Venetian –Friulian Basin is subdivided into five depositional sequences (S1-S5) bounded by four major unconformities (U1-U4) and by their correlative conformity surfaces, regionally recognised throughout the basin.

GYÖRGY LESS, ERCAN ÖZCAN, MÁRIA BÁLDI-BEKE & KATALIN KOLLÁNYI

The rich orthophragminid assemblages from the upper Thanetian and lower Ypresian of Turkey are discussed together with the coeval faunas from Spilecco (N Italy) and Beloslav (Bulgaria). Their taxonomy, evolution and biozonation in the Western Tethys are revised. Our biometric study is based mainly on a large number of equatorial sections of megalospheric individuals. We present the emended description of Discocyclina seunesi, D. tenuis, Orbitoclypeus multiplicatus, O. bayani and Asterocyclina taramellii. A new species, Nemkovella stockari is introduced. The evolutionary lineages of Discocyclina seunesi, Orbitoclypeus multiplicatus and O. bayani are restored for the first time by using the consistent size-increase of the megalospheric embryon that also allowed introducing some new subspecies (Discocyclina seunesi beloslavensis, D. s. karabuekensis, Orbitoclypeus multiplicatus kastamonuensis, O. bayani kurucasileensis and O. munieri ponticus). By owing the most complete record of Thanetian and early Ypresian orthophragmines from the Western Tethys (using also data from SW France and the Crimean Peninsula) we could reconstruct their early evolution. The chronostratigraphical position of some localities was ascertained from planktic and larger benthic foraminifera, as well as calcareous nannoplankton. In the updated orthophragminid zonation (zones are marked by OZ), OZ 1a corresponds to the early Thanetian, OZ 1b to the middle Thanetian. They are distinguished on the base of the evolution of Discocyclina seunesi. In these zones, only two unribbed species of Discocyclina and Orbitoclypeus each are present. Ribbed Orbitoclypeus, genus Asterocyclina and Nemkovella appeared in the redefined OZ 2 zone belonging to the late Thanetian. Discocyclina archiaci and D. dispansa substituted D. seunesi at about the Paleocene/Eocene boundary. The early Ypresian can be subdivided into the OZ 3 and 4 zones that can be distinguished from each other by the different developmental stages of the simultaneously running evolutionary lineages such as Discocyclina archiaci, Orbitoclypeus schopeni and O. multiplicatus.

LILLA HABLY

Leaves of Sloanea elliptica (Andreánszky) Z. Kvaček & Hably and S. peolai (Principi) Hably, Tamás & Cioppi with preserved organic structures were found during the study of Principi’s collection from the Oligocene flora of Santa Giustina. Fossil leaves of Sloanea elliptica have so far been recorded exclusively from the Palaeogene Basin of the Inner Carpathian Region, i.e. from the Lower Oligocene strata of Hungary and Slovenia, whereas S. peolai has been described from a single locality, Chiavon in Italy. Organic structure of S. peolai hitherto has not been recorded. The mass occurrence of Sloanea elliptica in the fossil assemblage of Santa Giustina indicates that its area was much more extensive than it was presumed. It was a characteristic element mainly of Oligocene floras, and even predominated them. This is the first record of the co-occurrence of two Sloanea species described on the basis of leaf remains. During the study 6 types and more than 30 illustrated specimens published in Principi’s monograph were revised and identified as S. elliptica.

MASSIMILIANO GHINASSI

Since the Middle-Late Miocene, the Apennine chain was characterised by the development of several basins. These basins have been alternatively explained as extensional post-orogenic basins or syn-orogenic compressional basins. In this framework, the Pliocene depositional history of the Val d’Orcia Basin (Southern Tuscany) is described, based on a sequence stratigraphic approach. Three depositional sequences (Vd3a-c) have been recognized. The Vd3a sequence records marine ingression and subsequent relative sea-level highstand in a narrow W-E trending depression. Subsequent relative sea-level fluctuations led to a progressive basin widening and deposition of Vd3b and Vd3c sequences. Basin scale sedimentation was mainly controlled by relative sea-level changes, although accumulation of bioclastic deposits of the Vd3c sequence could have been influenced by climatic factors. Based on its wide bowl-shaped geometry, the Pliocene Val d’Orcia Basin has been interpreted as an inherited depression. This depression is thought to be originated by erosion at the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene transition.

COSTANZA FARANDA, ELSA GLIOZZI & ILARIA MAZZINI

The whole "classical" Monte Mario succession has been recovered through the excavation of the Giovanni XXIII tunnel inside the city of Rome (Italy). The succession has been sampled from the Zanclean Monte Vaticano Fm. to the Lower Pleistocene Monte Mario Fm. Well-preserved and diversified ostracod faunas have been recovered and the ostracod assemblages have been studied using community structure analyses and statistical multivariate analyses. The Monte Vaticano Fm. has been referred to a bathyal marine environment (300-350 m of depth), the most represented genera being Krithe, Parakrithe, Bairdoppilata and Cytherella. The Monte Mario Fm. provided ostracod assemblages referable to littoral environments with Cimbaurila, Aurila, Costa, Carinocythereis, Leptocythere and Loxoconcha as dominant taxa. Within the Monte Mario Fm., three marine shallowing-up sequences have been recognised, the last two recording marginal marine conditions with shallow depths and variable salinity (dominant Cyprideis torosa). Two cold-water episodes have been recognised within the basal Monte Mario Fm. characterised by the occurrence of Arctica islandica and, within the upper level, by the presence of the northern guests Cytheropteron depressum, Bythocythere zetlandica, Paradoxostoma ensiforme and Paradoxostoma abbreviatum.

CLAUDIA BEDETTI & MARCO PAVIA

We present a study of Late Pleistocene fossil bird remains from Ingarano (Apulia, SE Italy), based on the revision of previously published material and the study of unpublished fossils bones. New field observations make it possible to simplify the stratigraphy of the deposit compared to previous work. The systematic study of the fossil bird bones revealed the presence of 15 taxa, including two hypothetical ones: Circus aeruginosus, Buteo rufinus, Aquila chrysaëtos, Falco columbarius, Falco cherrug, Alectoris graeca, Perdix perdix, Columba livia, Otus scops, Nyctea scandiaca, Nyctea scandiaca vel Bubo bubo, Athene noctua, Pyrrhocorax graculus, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, Corvus corone, Corvus corone vel Corvus frugilegus, Corvus corax. Our detailed study also helps improve the taphonomical interpretation of the deposit: the remains from the lower layers were accumulated after mammalian predator activity and were transported over short distances, while the ones from the upper layers show sings of intense transport, such as fractures and surface abrasion. Two different bird assemblages were recognized, respectively from the lowermost and the upper layers of the clastic succession exposed in the Ingarano deposit; this difference is also confirmed by the fossil mammal remains. The systematic study makes it possible to make palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstructions: both assemblages indicate open environments, and the taxa of the lower layers indicate the presence of woods and wetlands with colder characteristics, while birds of the upper layers indicate drier and warmer conditions. This analysis, and the dating established through geochemical analyses and study of lithic artefacts, lead us to date the formation of the Ingarano deposit to the Late Pleistocene, in particular to the MIS 3. The presence of a layer dated to the MIS 2 at the base of the succession indicated in previous works cannot be confirmed.

LUCIANO LECCA & SALVATORE CARBONI

A new analysis of the most representative Upper Pleistocene (Tyrrhenian, MIS 5e) section of San Giovanni di Sinis (Oristano, Sardinia) has provided a more detailed genetic stratigraphy of a low wave energy beach and temperate lagoon up to emerged peri-lagoonal facies deposits. These peri-lagoonal facies contain remains of fossil vertebrates, which, though few and fragmentary, bear witness to an at least temporary freshwater palaeoenvironment and the presence of deers and terrapins. Besides, the stratigraphy of this outcrop shows shoreface-backshore sandstones overlaying an erosion surface cut on the vertebrate-bearing layers. Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy of the succession have provided support to a new eustatic interpretation significance. In fact, there appears to be evidence of one irregular single eustatic highstand, rather than two eustatic peaks as previously believed. The facies evolution and the local stratigraphic disconformities are interpreted as being associated with a lateral shift of the depositional environment within the same system formed during the MIS 5e sea level variations. As sea water level continued to rise so an erosional unconformity, caused by wave ravinement, formed between the low wave energy beach-lagoon sequence and the successive wave dominated beach facies sequence. This interpretation is supported by comparison with other sections of the Tyrrhenian in western Sardinia. The maximum sea level attained during the Tyrrhenian stage is a clear indication of a warm-temperate climate which can be correlated to the well known orbital interglacial configuration when the eustatic signal of Greenland's ice sheet melting occurred.

MICHELE CARON & ISABELLA PREMOLI SILVA

This short notes deals with the re-description and re-illustration of the holotypes of Thalmanninella brotzeni Sigal, 1948 and Rotalipora globotruncanoides Sigal, 1948, from Sidi Aissa, Algeria, middle Cenomanian. Both species are attributed to the genus Thalmanninella.

BIENVENIDO MARTINEZ-NAVARRO & MARIA RITA PALOMBO

Anatomical reinterpretation of a horn-core from the Ponte Milvio site, previously ascribed to Bubalus murrensis, suggests that it belongs to the species Hemibos galerianus, originally described from the type locality of the Galerian Land Mammal Age (LMA). This is the second record in the Italian Pleistocene of this rare Bovini species, derived from the genus Hemibos of Indian origin.

 NICOLETTA MANCIN, MIRIAM COBIANCHI, ANDREA DI GIULIO & DANIELE CATELLANI

Appendix

Detailed chrono-, litho- and biostratigraphy for each well studied (1. Sedico, 2. Volpago A-B, 3. San Donà di Piave, 4. Eraclea, 5. Jesolo, 6. Amira, 7. Agata, 8. Lavariano, 9. Assunta A-B, 10. Ada and 11. Gallare A-B). Calcareous plankton (planktonic foraminifera and nannofossils) bioevents are reported as lowest (LO) and highest (HO) occurrences of a species, rather than first and last occurrence (FO and LO). Foraminiferal bioevents are in bold.

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