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The recent discovery of a giant complex venting depression, placed in shallow-waters (

Three cores (MBS1, MBS2 and MBS3), 15-12 m thick, were drilled offshore near the Trigno river mouth (Central Adriatic coast, Molise Region), 150-300 m from the present coastline. Palaeoecological analyses by means of benthic foraminifers, molluscs and ostracods, supported by stratigraphic and chronological data, have been performed to reconstruct the Late Quaternary palaeoenvironmental evolution of the northern sector of the Molise Adriatic coast.At the bottom of the cores MBS1 and MBS3 (fig. 1), fluviatile barren gravels (lithofacies G) are present. In the core MBS2 the succession starts with grey clays (lithofacies Cg) containing marine infralittoral foraminifers, hygrophilous terrestrial molluscs and freshwater ostracods. Sediments of lithofacies Cg were also recognized above lithofacies G in the core MBS3; here the fossil record consists of marine infralittoral foraminifers, freshwater and hygrophilous terrestrial molluscs, freshwater and marine infralittoral ostracods. Two AMS C dates constrain the deposition of lithofacies Cg (MBS3) between 19945 ± 345 and 19165 ± 195 yr BP (fig. 1). In the cores MBS2 and MBS3, lithofacies Cg is overlaid by light brown silty clays (lithofacies Csb) containing marine infralittoral foraminifers and molluscs, and marine and freshwater ostracods. In the core MBS1, both lithofacies Cg and Csb lack, and lithofacies G is overlaid by grey silty clays (lithofacies Csg) containing hygrophilous terrestrial molluscs and mainly freshwater ostracods. The three cores are closed up by brown, fine to medium sands (lithofacies S) recording the dominance of marine infralittoral fauna. One AMS C date carried out on benthic foraminifers (Ammonia sp.) collected from the lower portion of lithofacies S (core MBS3) gave an age of 8120.5 ± 108.5 yr BP.

The present study shows the preliminary micropaleontological results carried out on grab and multi corer samples collected during a research cruise "BOLLE 2014" carried out on June 2014 aboard to the R/V Urania in the Pontine Archipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). This study highlights the strong role of the venting activity on sediment characteristics and on structural and compositional features of benthic communities, in response to the presence of stressed sea bottom conditions due to natural origin. The Western Pontine Archipelago, located about 30 km away from the Italian Peninsula, is composed of three volcanic islands (Ponza, Palmarola and Zannone). The active fluid emissions have been discovered 3 km off the eastern sector of Zannone Island, in a water depth ranging between 105-130 m (outer continental shelf), and affect the Late Quaternary lowstand and highstand deposits. This area appears as a large depression of about 0.5 km2 (900 m long and 500 m wide) with an elongated shape. Sediment, high resolution multibeam bathymetry, biological and video data were acquired in order to characterise both the morphological and biological features related to venting activity. Analysis of ROV videos and sediment sampling allowed us to define the specific living benthic communities within the large depression and among the surrounding seafloor. Great differences among the morphology, sedimentology and microfauna characters between vent and non-vent seafloor areas. As regard the micropaleontological analyses, all samples were stained with Rose Bengal to distinguish living and dead assemblages. Diversity index (?-Fisher index), Faunal density and Foraminiferal Abnormality Index (FAI) were calculated to define the structure of the assemblage and the degree of environmental stress. The benthic foraminiferal assemblages highlights the complete lack of both hyaline and porcelanaceous tests; this fact suggests the presence of strong dissolution processes whereas the patchiness distribution of agglutinant species suggests a direct relation between distribution and very local environmental conditions.

Several large mammal assemblages have been collected in the Roman basin since the XIX century, but they usually lack any stratigraphic datum or details about the fossiliferous localities. In this work, the stratigraphic provenance of large mammal remains discovered at Monte delle Piche (Rome) is investigated. The systematic revision of these specimens allows the recording of the presence of Hippopotamus sp., Stephanorhinus sp. and Stephanorhinus etruscus. On the basis of micropalaeontological analysis performed on sediment sampled from the studied speci-mens and considering the stratigraphy of the area, two fossiliferous levels are recognised at Monte delle Piche. The remain of the hippopotamus was collected in fluvial gravels and sand deposits, in which the presence of Cyprideis is also recorded. This deposit is chronologically related to the latest Early-early Middle Pleistocene. Hippopotamus was present in Italy and Western Europe from the latest Villafranchian to MIS 4/3. The mandible of S. etruscus was collected in marine deposits along with abundant foraminifera and ostracods, which corre-late with the late Early Pleistocene. Stephanorhinus etruscus occurred in Western Europe at the beginning of the Villafranchian, and it was documented until the end of the Villafranchian in Italy and until the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition in the Iberian Peninsula.Desde el siglo XIX varias colecciones de mamíferos han sido recolectadas en la cuenca de Roma, aunque normalmente existen carencias en los datos estratigráficos o en la localización de los yacimientos. En este trabajo, se ha estudiado la posición estratigráfica de grandes mamíferos descubiertos en el Monte delle Piche (Roma). La revisión sistemática de estas especies permite identificar la presencia de Hippopotamus sp., Stephanorhinus sp. y Stephanorhinus etruscus. Considerando el área estratigráfica y teniendo en cuenta el análisis micropaleontológico realizado y el muestreo de los especímenes estudiados, se han reconocido dos niveles fosilíferos en el Monte delle Piche. El resto de Hippopotamus fue extraídos en gravas fluviales y depósitos de arena, en los cuales la presencia de Cyprideis fue también identificada. Este depósito está relacionado cronológicamente con la parte tardía del comienzo del Pleistoceno medio. Hippopotamus estuvo presente desde el Villafranquiense tardío hasta MIS 4/3 en Italia y en el oeste de Europa. La mandíbula de S. etruscus fue recogida en depósitos marinos con abundante fauna de foraminíferos y ostrácodos, que se correlaciona con el Pleistoceno inferior. Stephanorhinus etruscus estuvo presente en el oeste de Europa a principio del Villafranquiense, y fue documentado hasta el final de Villafranquiese en Italia y hasta el final de la transición del Pleistoceno inferior-medio en la Península Ibérica.

Recent studies demonstrated the capability of foraminifers to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions and to give a response to environmental stress due to natural or human origin as environmental indicators (Alve, 1991; Hess et al., 2005; Carboni et al., 2009; Schönfeld et al., 2012). This work aims to document the benthic foraminiferal response to natural stressed environments in two areas, Azores Archipelago and Pantelleria Island, interested by similar active volcanism. The Azores area has been affected by a recent volcanic activity occurred in 2001, while the last submarine eruption of Pantelleria Island dates at 1891. The different periods of eruption of the two areas allow to investigate on the way and time of the re-colonisation process by foraminiferal assemblages. Petrographic, sedimentological and microfaunistic analyses were conducted on selected samples in order to obtain an environmental characterisation of the two active volcanic areas. The inorganic fraction of samples collected in both areas is constituted of blackish, sand-sized glass shards, whereas the organic component is mainly constituted by foraminifers. Faunal composition, diversity and density highlight two different structure of the assemblages relatively to the two areas. In fact the foraminiferal assemblages of the Azores area are dominate by opportunistic species (Angulogerina angulosa) and represent the first stage of re-colonisation after the eruption occurred in 2001, while the associations of Pantelleria Island (Globocassidulina subglobosa, Lenticulina rotulata, Lobatula lobatula and miliolids) have to be considered as an advanced stage of resettlement with stable rich and well diversified assemblages. Moreover, in the Azores area many morphological abnormalities were recognised confirming a more stressed environment than Pantelleria bottom. In both areas a lot of specimens showed test alterations probably due to hydrothermal fluids that lead to the dissolution of calcium carbonate.

A fragmentary hemi-mandible of a rhinocerotid was collected during the end of the 19th century at Monte delle Piche (Rome). Morphological features, such as a short paralophid in the molar, the presence of a mesio-lingual cingulum in the teeth and a well-developed upturned I/2, indicate that the specimen is an Aceratheriinae. In addition to other taxa (e.g. Chilotherium, Aceratherium and Hoploaceratherium ), the hemi-mandible shows morphological traits suggestive of the genus Acerorhinus . The latter is well-documented in fossiliferous localities of South-eastern Europe, Turkey and China, chronologically related with the Land Mammal Zones MN 9-12. Unfortunately, the specimen is reworked in Early Pleistocene marine deposits.Hence, it cannot indicate the time at whichthe genus reached Italy., Rivista italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, Vol 119, No 3

Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It., Vol. 21 (2012), p. 918. The 'Pietra di Finale' allows to analyse the evolution of Mediterranean during the Chattian to Serravallian interval. The 'Pietra di Finale' deposits unconformably overlies the Alpine substrate. Three main stratigraphic units may be recognized in the sedimentary succession of the Finale area. The first unit is represented by metamorphic and dolostone conglomerates and sandstone that may be interpreted as a fan delta deposits and are Chattian to Aquitanian in age. This deposits pass upward to marls and marly limestone with some sandstone intercalation. This unit, Aquitanian to Burdigalian in age, is known as Torre di Bastia unit and it is overlain with a sharp contact by mixed terrigenouscarbonate deposits. Clasts of terrigenous fraction were mostly derived from the Alpine orogenic wedge, whereas sandstone lithic fragments have a more varied provenance. To reconstruct the paleolatitude position of the Finale succession we made plate kinematic reconstructions of the main blocks in the western and central Mediterranean area, during a time interval t=25 Ma. We explored tectonic evolution in the Eurasia-fixed reference frame, and the hotspot framework, testing both the present-day Atlantic/Indian hotspots and the present--day Pacific hotspots, for the definitions of the reference system. All the cases studied do not provide any significant variation of block positions, resulting in a range of displacements of few degrees of latitude. The carbonate fraction mixed siliciclastic-carbonate unit is dominated by Halimeda. Halimeda is restricted to tropical and subtropical marine environments where they grow either on unconsolidated sediments or on the reef itself. Halimeda green algae tolerate a range of hydrodynamic regimes, flourishing from the back-reef lagoon to the forereef slope, at depths ranging from

Photozoan and heterozoan skeletal assemblages are controlled by their trophic requirements (i.e. light-based photosynthesis versus other sources) and temperature. Photozoan associations tend to dominate tropical and subtropical waters, whereas heterozoan carbonate systems tend to occur in cooler waters and in localised areas that are affected by nutrient-rich upwelling or terrestrial runoff. Because of the wide climatic spectrum in which heterozoan carbonates are found, their interpretation is often problematic. We present a high-resolution analysis of the Attard Member of the Lower Coralline Limestone Formation (Upper Oligocene, Malta). The biotic associations and palaeolatitudinal reconstructions suggest that carbonate sedimentation took place in tropical waters under oligotrophic conditions. An important factor controlling the spread of heterozoan assemblages in the Late Oligocene of Malta seems to be related to the palaeoecology and evolution of zooxanthellate. The limited capacity of corals to thrive in high-light conditions and to form a wave-resistant reef promoted the diffusion of heterozoan assemblages.

Submarine portions of Stromboli volcano account for about 98% of the whole extent of the volcanic edifice and are mostly covered by volcaniclastic sediments that made up a modern volcaniclastic apron. The architecture and main sedimentary processes acting within the apron are depicted through the integration of geophysical evidence (multibeam, long-range side scan sonar and seismic data) and seafloor sampling. The apron shows, on the whole, a large variability both across and along slope of morphologies and deposits related to mass-wasting and reworking processes, passing into areas covered by hemipelagic sedimentation. A large spectrum of erosive-depositional features was recognized on the surface of the apron. On shallower areas (i.e. submerged shelves, shore platforms and depositional terraces), submarine features related to wave action and sea-level fluctuations are present; they mainly act as temporary storing and reworking areas for volcaniclastic material derived from subaerial portions. Unconfined cohesionless inertial flows commonly dominate the upper slope, where gradients are very high (up to 35°) and grain-to-grain and grain-to-bed collisions are favoured within the flows. These flows tend to evolve into turbidity currents on the lower slope, in response to a marked decrease of slope gradients below ~ 8°, generating various erosive-depositional features, such as erosive furrows, troughs, channel-levee features and coarse-grained sediment waves. The most active area of the apron lies offshore Sciara del Fuoco (on the NW flank), where a large amount of coarse-grained volcaniclastic material, derived by the persistent Strombolian activity, is collected and deposited by means of high- and low-density turbidity currents on the lower slope down to 2600 m bsl, more than 20 km far from the island. Conversely, other areas are mostly dominated by deposition via settling of suspended sediments, related both to hemipelagic sedimentation and to the dispersion of fine tephras by the prevailing wind and marine currents. Such processes interfinger and overlie in space and time, giving rise to a very complex morpho-sedimentary facies distribution. However, the structural bilateral symmetry of Stromboli volcano allows defining distinct morpho-sedimentary zones, where one (or more) type of processes dominates, and related different stratal architecture of the apron. The unbuttressed portions of the island (NW and SE) are characterized by the emplacement of wide and thick debris avalanche deposits (volume in the order of 1-2 km3 for each event) related to large-scale sector collapses, representing the most important and efficient mass-wasting processes making up the apron. Such deposits are embedded within different volcaniclastic sequences and can be eroded or exhumed by successive gravity flows. The result is a highly complex (both spatially and vertically) succession of facies, where it is often difficult to depict an arranged series of processes. Conversely, on buttressed flanks (SW and NE) a more ordered evolution of processes and deposits making up the apron is observed, giving rise to a less complex apron architecture. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The presence and localization of α- and β-spectrins and of the spectrin cross-linking protein actin were investigated, in previtellogenic oocytes of three species of Antarctic teleosts: the two red-blooded nototheniids, Trematomus bernacchii and Trematomus newnesi, and the channichthyid, the ice fish Chionodraco hamatus. Analyses by western blotting indicated that these species had an unusual abundance of spectrin isoforms and that they were characterized by rather low molecular masses. The immunocytochemistry in situ demonstrated that α- and β-spectrins showed a variable pattern of localization that clearly depended on both the species considered and the stage of oocyte differentiation. In particular, the two Trematomus spp. showed a distribution of spectrins absolutely comparable and rather different from that of C. hamatus. The evidences collected confirmed that channichthyids have isolated early from the group of red-blooded species and suggest that in notothenioids significant changes might have occurred in spectrin genes and in their protein products.