The Middle Pleistocene Deposits of the Roman Basin (Latium, Italy): an Integrated Approach of Mammal Biochronology and Sequence Stratigraphy

Rivista Italiana di Paleontoloeia e Stratisrafi;r volunre 1 10 no. 2 pp. 559-569 July 2004

THE MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS OF THE ROMAN BASIN (LATIUM, ITALY): AN INTEGRATED APPROACH OF MAMMAL BIOCHRONOLOGY AND SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY

SALVATORE MILLI ], MARIA RITA PALOMBO'.., CARMELO PETRONIO'' & RAFFAELE SARDELLAI:T

Receiited Mttrch 31, 2003; accepted Decetnber 23, 2003

Ke1,-sor4t, Sequence stratigraphy, M;rnrnral biochrologr,, Fossil pio, vlriazioni climatiche ed eustatiche) possano influenzare la costi- record, Pleistocene, Ronran basin, Italr': tuzione dell'associazione faunistica. E' stato di conseguenza proposto uno schem;r dì correlazione tra i biocroni di appartenenza delle associa- Abstract. The biochronologic;rl setting proposed for the Plio- zioni e lc uniti stratigrafico-sequenziali riconosciute nella successrone Pleistocene l;rrge marnmal faunas oi thc Italian peninsul;r is based on del Bacino Ronrano; in questo schenrr i resti di fauna fossile sono stati the definition of fauntrl units (FUs) :rnd mrmnral ages (MAs). Manv correl;rti con i processi sedinrcntari responsabili del loro trxsporto, irc- evidences suegest that l nrultidisciplinarv rppro;ìch could en,rble us to cunrulo e preserr':rzione potenzirle nei diversi anrbienti deposizionali, better understand the actual meaning of r siven faunal assemblage t;ik- e collocati ncll'embito dei systenrs tructs riconosciuti nelle diverse se- ing into account sedin.rentological and phvsical srrarigraphic studies of quenze deposizionali di quarto ordine che costituiscono l'impalcatura the sedimentary successions in which loc,rl mlmnral faunas occur. The strrti gr;ìficil dell;r successione pleistocenica ron.ìana. Pleistocene deposits of the Ronran B;rsin can be considered a signifi- crnt model to test this intesrated appro,rch. The detailed study of this sedinrentary' succession, in ternrs of facies analysis and sequence strariq- Introduction raphy, sets some physical xnd tenlporal constrlins ro rhe occurrence of faunel complexes because the allocl'clic control (climate and c'ust.rtic Fossil mammals mainly occur in fluvio-lacustrine v:triations) on both landscape and stratigraphical evolution can ,rffect deposits, fissures or isolated pockets frequently crop- the association type of mammal faunas. A correlation scheme betn'een the Roman Pleistocene sequence-strxtillr;rphic units and thc' nranrrral ping out in caves, quarries or natural sections. Such re- biochrons has been proposed; this approach consrirutes a first tenta- covery very limited in time and space makes it difficult tive to connect the rnanrnral fauna remains to the sedimentxry processes to apply chronological time scale to continental faunas. which are responsible of their transport, stock and potenrial preser\';r- More rarely mammal remains occur in marine sediments tion in the depositìonal environments lnd to colloc;rte rhis iauna in the (e.g.deltaic and shoreface environments), transport systems tracts of the fourth-order depositional sequences recognìsed after in rhe loc.rl Romln Blsin Pleistocene succcssion. by river flood events. Continental successions are generally highly discontinuous, without stratigraphic con- Riassunto. Gli schemi biocronologici propost; per le faune :r trol, chronological faunal sequences are generally based grandi manrmiferi del Plio-Pleistocene della penisol;r italiana si fondano on the stase of evolution reached by selected, well de- sulla definizione di unitì feunistiche (FUs) e di eri a nramnriferi (MAs), mammal lineage last ma hanno raramente tenuto conto dei dati della sedimentolosia e della fined and on the basis of first and strrtilarafia fisica delle successioni in cui questi fossili sono stiri rinvc- appearance bioevents. Accordingly, several problems arise nuti. [.'analisi che è strta condotta sui depositi del Pleistocene nredio e in the define continental biochrons that could be used on superiore del Bacino Romano h;r invece trìesso 11 confronto i dati del- an extensive scale, especially for large mammalian faunas I'analisi di facìes e stratigrafico-sequenz-iale con gli scherri biocronolo- (Azanza et al. 2003; Palombo et aI.2000-2002). gici delle faune a manrnriferi. Questo ha consentito di r'ìncolare i linriti fisici e temporali dei conrplessi faunistici gii ettribuiti a diverse FUs e, The biochronological setting recently proposed rllo stesso tempo, ha evidenziato come i frttori allociclici (per esern- for the large Italian mammal faunas (Gliozzi er. al. 1997)

I Dipartinrento di Scienze della Terra, Universiti di Ronra Lr Sapienza, Piazzele Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma. 2 CNR, istituto di Geolosia Ambientale e Geoingegneria, Sezione di Roma "l-;r Sapicnz-a". 3 Istituto Italiano di Paleontolosia ljmanr, Piazza Mincio 2. 00198 Rona.

E-mail: salvatore. m illi(rr un iroma I . it; nr ari;rrita.palombo(r un iroma I .it; cermelo. pet ronioC{i u niroma I . it; raffaele.sardella(rr uniroma l it 560 S. A"lilli. II. R. hrlornbo. C. Petronio k R. Sarttella

Irig. I - Geologicrl sketch of the Cen- tral Italy Tyrrhenran nrirr- gir.r. I-egcrTd: 1: Messinian to Holocene sedinrent:rrv depos- ) its; 2: Pliocene-Pleistocene la- \.iìs irnd volcrniclastic depos- itsi 3: Mesoz-oic-Cenozoic sedinrcnt;rn' deposits; 4: nuin buriecl frults; 5: strike-slip f;rults; 6: nornrll faults; 7: m:r- \l jor thrust.

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is based on the definition of faunal units (FUs) (Az- ronnlents in which fossil remains occur, as well as the zaroli 1977). The FU is defined as a faunal complex, taphonon-ric analysis. arranged on the basis of local faunal assen.rblages. It The Pleistocene deposits of the Roman Basin differs from the previous, and the subsequent faunal provide a good opportunity to test this integrated ap- complexes by typical associations and first/lasr appear- proach. Facies analysis and use of sequence stratigra- ances of one or more taxa. Since the first introduction phy concepts (Milli 1997) enable of us to test: i) the of these biochrons, Italian palaeontologists have pro- validity of the biochronological sequence of mammal posed some new FlJs and/or new mammal ages (MAs) faunas proposed for the studied area; and ii) to evalu- (e.g. Caloi tr Palombo 1987; Glìozzi et al. 1997: Petro- ate the variations of the mammal paleocommunities in nio & Sardella 1998) based on local bioevenrs, whose function of paleoenvironmental changes. This approach recognition depends on the acquisition of new data and sets the spati:rl and temporal limits of the fossil record on the discovery of new fossiliferous assemblages. The and clarifies how the sedimentary processes acting in biochronological scheme proposed thus gives a very de- the depositional environments (autocyclic factors) and tailed resolution for the Italian continental fauna, but it climatic and eustatic sea-level changes (allocyclic fac- is less useful in the comparison with the European ones tors) have affected the taxonomical composition of (Azanza et al. 2003). The complex physiography of Ital- each manrmal assemblage. Following these principles ian Peninsula and the remarkable latitudinal exrension a correlation scheme between the Roman Pleistocene (in comparison with the longitudinal one), provides a sequence-stratigraphv subdivisions and the mammal particular opportunity to detect single bioevents, which biochrons recognized in this area is here proposed. In can be regarded as markers of faunal renewal. Such a particular we emphasise the following problems: i) the biochronological scheme, however, does not take into relationships between faunal changes and the sequenc- account the sedimentological and physical strarigraph- es stratigraphic framework of the Pleistocene succes- ic context of the sedimentary successions containing sions; ii) the need that the attribution of a new faunal mammal faunas. A multidisciplinary approach could asser.r.rblage to a given FU takes into account the general enable us to better understand the actual meaning of preservation of fossil bones in relation to processes act- a given local faunal assemblage. Accordingly, the attri- ing in the sedimentary environments; iii) the relation- bution to a given FU or the introduction of new IìlJs ship anrong depositional sequences, faunirl complexes should consider the analysis of the sedin.rentary envi- and seochronology. Geologic and stratigraphic setting ]HRONOSTRATICRAPHY SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY The investis;rted rrrea (Fig. t) is loclted alons the TIMT Third order Fourth order (Ma) Latir,rnr T\'rrheni,rr-r nr:rrgin that r.rnderwent extensionirl Stage depositional depositional a tectonic proccsses sincc tì.re Late Miocene during the sequences sequences (, 2ó openinfÌ oi the TVrrheni,rn Sel. Extension was coeval I (r) \--^-t!:^--l ]J vlt PG8 u,ith conrpressior.r in the Apennine ch:rin, which nrigrlt- rJ, ed etrstwards, torv;rrds the Pzrdan-Adriatic-lonian foreland PC7 (Boccirletti et:rl. l99O,r,b; Patacc:.r et al. 1990; Doglioni cr al. 1998; Argnani .\ Ricci Lucchi 2001; Patacca & Scan- PG6 o done 200 I Irr the Lrrtiunr area, extensional tector.rrcs u,as z ). o PONTE PG5 U coevirl with an intcnse volc,rnic ;rcti"'itv beginning in the GALERIA F. 0.5 2 PG4 L;rte Pliocene (De Iìita et il. 1llZ1 and rearchins rr clinrax a J SEQUENCE in the Middlc-Lrìte Pleistocene, rvhen the volcanic con'r- o plexes of thc Mirgnrrtic Ronrirn Province developed (Lo- J 3 cardi et .tl. 1976; Forn,rseri 1985; Cioni et al. 1993; De PG2 Rita et al. 1993; 1995; Karner et aI.2001). = z PGI Irr the rcccnt veirs Plio-Pleistocene geologic ,rnd z Q str:rtir:raphic F scttin!ì of the Ron.re area has been investi- F a g:rted by se'n'cral illlthors thart underlined the interaction J 1.0 arrong glacio-eustatic sea-level fluctuations, volclnic ac- = tivity and tectonic uplift of the Latiunr trrheniln mlr-

rin (Conato ct ,rl. 1980; Milli 1992, 1994, 1997: Bcllotti q uz et al. 1993; Dc- Rit,r ct,rl. 199 I, 1994; Cavinato et al. 1992; U MONTE Marrra 8r Rosir 19951 Alvlrez et al. 1996; Karner M;rrr:l F É & MARIO 1998; Karner & Renne 1998; M:rrra et al. 1998; Karner er al. J E a SEQUENCE 2001). Conato et irl. ( 1980), revised the stratiuraphy of the Q a Ron.re urban ,rrerr and oi surroundins zones (i.e. the Ponte à t.5 o J Galeria area) :rnd sLrbdivided the Pleistocene succession É into inforr.n,rl lithostratigraphic units n:rnred, fronr the old- E er to the \/ounser: Monte Mario Formation (Lower Pleis- tocene), Ponte Galeri:'r Fornration, S.Cosin.rato Fornration, Aurelia Foruration,rnd Vitini;r Formation (Middle-l,ate (l) unnamed (Tarcntian) Pleistocene). More recently Milli (1992, 1997) refined the stratigraphv ;rre:r b1, a of this using sequence-str;rtigraphic I''i,j. I - Chront str.rtigraphl' lnd scquence str.rtigrapht, of the Ro- :rpproach. Sequcnce-stratisraphic subdivisions are based nrirn Plcistoccnc deposits (modified after Milli 1997). on det,riled facies irnerlysis of the Quaternary sedir.nentary successiorr of the Ronran Basin. Such a chrostratiuraphic framework is used hcrcin to constrain the biochronoloei- c,rl schenre of the l,irtir,rnr rlamnral faunas. in this study was developed by Bereeren et al. (1995a, b) \ùlorking with the resolution proposed by the Quaternary Group of the Italian Commission on Stratigraphy (Cita & Sequence stratigraphy C:.rstradori 1995), that considered the base of the Middle The subdivision of the Roman Pleistocenc depos- Pleistocene as beine close to the upperJaranrillo reversal, its in third- and fourth-order depositional sequences is to isotopic stase 25, and to the Gephyrocapsa/Psewdoe- based on facies ,rnllysis and correlation of several strati- miliania lacunosa nannofossil zonal boundary. graphic-sedirr.rcrrtological sections and wells drilled for The two recognised third order sequences were wilter research ancl civil engir.ìeerine purposes. A petro- named Monte Mario Sequence (MMS) and Ponte Galeria grirphic conrposition irrrd ir qutrlitative micro- :rnd mac- Sequence (PGS) (Milli 1992) respectively (Fig. 2). These rofaunistic anllvsis of several sirmples were also crrried sequences span a time interval corresponding approximate- out. Radionretric ases of sedinrentarl, and volcaniclastic ly to the Early Pleistocene (1.295-0.87 Ma) and to the Mid- deposits (Milli 1997) rvere used ro esrinlare the age of dle-Late Pleistocene to Holocene (0.87 Ma to Present), and the unconforrlities bounding the depositional sequences. are bounded at the base by type-1 unconformities (Vail Sequence boundirlies irses were refined further through et al. 1984; Van \ùTagoner et al. 1988). Both sequences are correlation rvith the oxyqen isotope record (Shackleton composite because they contain higher-frequency (fourth 1995). The Pleistocene chronostratieraphic schen.re used order) sequences (Mitchunl & Vxn Wagoner 1991). 562 S. Milli, M. R. Palombo, C. Petronio tx R. SardelLa

Vithin the depositional sequences, each parase- the prograding iowstand wedge (PLW). The subsequent quence shows different facies associations in relation to sequences, from PG4 to part of PG9, are ascribed to the depositional environments. As visible on the stratigraphic TST, whereas the HST sediments were deposited during cross-sections (Pl. 1), the flooding surfaces bounding the tnetl Ìast ).uuu vears. parasequences are traceable in different environrhents. Each parasequence may contain facies associations be- The stacking pattern of the high-frequency de- longing to coeval fluvial, lacustrine-lagoonal and beach positional sequences environments. Depending upon where it is observed each parasequence can be constituted by a vertical facies suc- The boundaries of the nine fourth-order deposi- cession related to a single depositional environment or tional sequences are expressed bv sharp erosional surfac- by a vertical facies succession related to different depo- es recording a basin- and downward facies shift, associ- sitional environments. ated with subaerial exposure and paleosols development In the studied area the Lower Pleistocene depos- in the interfluve areas. These sequences show an internal its of the Monte Mario Sequence (MMS) crop out with parasequence progradation and retrogradational stacking limited extension and are interpreted as the expression of pattern which defines the systems tracts. Their thickness two coeval coastal and transition-shelf depositional sys- varies between 5 m and 80 m, mainly depending on the tems which migrated landward and seaward, during the intensity of the erosional phases connected with lower- transgressive and the highstand phases respectively (Milli ing of sea-level. 1992).The fossil record consisting of a late Villafranchian These sequences fill half-graben basins, formed by mammal fauna is very poor. Abundant mammal fauna is extensional tectonics along the coastal margin of Latium. instead preserved in the overlying PGS. Structural features with dominantly NW-SE, NE-S\I and N-S directions developed in different times, conditioned The Ponte Galeria Sequence (PGS) the orientation of the incised valleys, which were filled with fluvial, lacustrine and marshy-lagoon deposits be- The thickness of this sequence ranges from 1O m Ionging to the TST and partially to the HST of most to 110 m, between Rome and the Tyrrhenian coast (Pl. fourth-order sequences. The lowstand systems tracts of 1). In this sector, the PGS strata include of a variety of these sequences constitute the Latium submerged con- depositional systems, ranging from fluvial and fluvio-la- tinental margin (Chiocci & Normark 1992; Chiocci & custrine to coastal barrier-lagoonal and transition-shelf. Milli 1994). These systems are organised in lowstand (LST), trans- The stratigraphic organization of these deposits (Pl. gressive (TST) and highstand systems tracts (HST). Vol- 1) is characterizedby a seaward stack of the fourth-or- caniclastic deposits belonging to the Albani and Sabatini der depositional sequences. This trend indicates that this volcanic complexes are interbedded essentially within the sedimentary succession was not primarily controlled only sediments of the TST. by glacio-eustasy. In such a case the equilibrium point of The basal unconformity of the PGS is an erosional each fourth-order sequences should have migrated land- surface, truncating TST/HST coastal and shelf deposits ward, as visible on the global eustatic curve of Haq et belonging to the Monte Mario Sequence. The PGS se- al. (1988) and Hardenbol et al. (199S). For this reason, quence boundary can be followed for as far as to the 1O the present stack of the fourth-order sequences that de- km N\l and 20 km to the SE. This unconformity on the fine the third-order Ponte Galeria composite sequence is basis of biostratigraphic and geochronological data was considered to be the result of the interaction of two fac- dated 0.87 Ma and correlated with oxygen isotope stage tors: i) the high-frequency glacio-eustat;c sea-level fluc- (OIS) 22. The climatic event related to this unconform- tuations and ii) the tectonic uplift that affected the Tyr- ity formation has been also recognised in the Pianura rhenian margin of the Latium coast during the Middle- Padana area and interpreted as related to the beginning Late Pleistocene. This last process would have forced the of the alpine glaciations (Muttoni et al. 2003). The up- seaward migration of the fourth-order sequence equilib- per boundary of the PGS coincides with the position of rium points contributing to define the recognised stack- the present sea-level. As such, the PGS consrirures an in- ing pattern (Milli 1997). complete third-order depositional sequence, whose HST began to develop about 5,000 years B.P (when the sea- level reached its present position). Biochronological framework The PGS is a composite depositional sequence con- Late Villafranchian sisting of nine fourth-order depositional sequences named PG1 to PG9, from the oldest to the youngest (Milli 1997), During the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene the with a period of ca. 100,000 years (Fig.2). In the PGS present sector of the Rome area (Campagna Romana) the stack of the first three fourth-order depositional se- was chiefly characterised by coastal to shelf sedimen- quences (PG1 to PG3) forms the LST and in parricular tation (Conato et al. 1980; Milli 1992; Bergamin et al. Middle Pleistocene deposits of the Roman Basin 563

SEOUENCE STFAIIGFAPH' OXYGEN ISOfOPE HECOFD lÍfom Mill 19971 LARGE LAIIUM (rom shack éton 1995) TI[IE E FAUNAL UNITS I òr80 (%") depositional sequences 6 I q q q 9c -."""tt --r- LOCALITIES no defined Sacco Pastore 0.1 PG8 : vri'a. Ouad.c'o ro..s'n Piora Vilinia formation PG7 in Pietra loÍe ro'nPieh t. MonredereGn 0.3 AureLia lormalion TSf ó S. Cosimalo o lormataon Sequence San Cosimalo F z Fonlana 0.5 o 2 Í 13 PG4 Banuccio Fonlana Ranuccio : 15 c 9 z lsernia Ponle Galeria 3 Ponte Galeria o.7 1T PG2 I U ó E "Ponte Galeria" Ponte Galeria 2 (! z I PG1 U Slivia Ponte Galeria 1 0.9 z o z U F ?7 F f 29 2 Colle Cufri Redicicoli U l z 9 33 o (L O 9 135 o z Pirro Capena z >37 HST, 1.3 F -39 Monte Mario z 2 5 Sequence U E I o = oz ù >47 1.5 E c 2 É ù o 3 Farneta 3 z o E -53 F Monte Mario z 59 il f Tasso

(a) unnamed (Tarenlian?)

Comparison among litostratigraphy units, sequence stratigraphy subdivison and recognised faunal units in the Roman Pleistocene depos lts.

2000). Consequently the fossil record related to the Late Middle Galerian Villafranchian mammal fauna is very poor. In the Rome urban area a molar toorh of Mammwthus merid,ionalis (: In the Campagna Romana, as well as in other Ital- Elephas antiquus after Ponzi 1828), whose morphology ian faunas, mammal assemblages found in the early Mid- and biometrical characters should refer it to late Villa- dle Pleistocene deposits record both the local evolution franchian faunal complexes (?Farneta FU) (Fig. 3,) was of pre-existing taxa and the arrivai of immigrant species found in the marine sands of the Monte Mario Forma- from Asia or central Europe. The successive appearance tion (Lower Pleistocene). of pachyderms (Elephas antiquus, Mammwtbus trogon- therii, Stepbanorhinus kircbbergensis, Stephanorbinus bemi- Early Galerian toecbus), cervids (small-sized Capreolus capreolus, me- dium-sized Ceruus elapbus acoronatus, Centws elaphus The latest Early Pleistocene paleoclimatic varia- eostePhdnoceros and Dama clactoniana, large-sízed " Prae- tions, (early Galerian Mammal Age, sensu Gliozzi et m egac ero s " s o li lh acw s and M egalo c ero s s ao in i), large-sized al. 1,997), caused a considerable faunal renewal ahhough bovids ("Bos" galerianus and then Bos primigenius), and many Villafranchian taxa surviving also during the Galeri- carnivores (Hyaenidae, Ursus deningeri, Pantbera leo fos- an (Mammwthus meridionalis, and Bison cî. B. (Eobison) silis) took place while the "Villafranchian" survivals pro- degiwlii, Equus ahidens, Hippopotamus ex gr. antiquus, Axis gressively disappeared (e.g. the large carnivores as Pacby- eurygonos (see Di Stefano & Petronio 2000-2002), Stepb- crocuta breairostris, and Homotherium latidens; pachy- anorbinus bundsheimensis, Bison sp. aff. B. scboetensachi, derms as Mamrnwtbus meridionalis and Hippopotamus ex Megacerini indet.). The bioevent, which marks the begin- gr. antiquusi cervids of AxVs group). Basing on this fauna ning of the Galerian Mammal Age (MA), is the first ap- three different FUs have been proposed for the middle pearance of "Praemegaceros" aerticornis.In Italy the low- Galerian, mammals faunas (Gliozzi et al. 1,997; Petronio est occurrence of this taxon is recorded in the Colle Curti Er Sardella 1999): Slivia (on the basis of the Slivia fauna, (Marche) deposits, calibrated at the bottom of Jaramillo "Carso Triestino", North italy, found in karst deposits), submagnetochronozone (Coltorti et al. 1998). In the Lat- Ponte Galeria (on the basis of the faunal evidence from the ium a coeval fauna was firstly reported by Blanc (1955) at Ponte Galeria area) and Isernia FUs (on the basis of rich Redicicoli (Roma) (Palombo et al. 2000-2002). faunal assemblage from Isernia La Pineta, Central ltaly). fb+ S. 14illi, Il. R. Palonbo, C Petronio k R. Sardella

They differ essentially for the persistence of M imotrtys sa- (Caloi et al. 1998; see,rlso discussion in P:rlourbo et al. aini, P breairostrìs and P gotnbaszoegeltsis, for the exclusive 2003). Tl.re lirtter has been distinct ot.r tl.re b'rsis of the occurrence ol "Bos" galerianus and for the appearance of abundance of a primitive i,rllorv deer (Dama dttnta tibe- Bos primigenizs respectively (see also Palombo in press). rina) lrrd by the appearancc of Cercus elapltus rvith fe,r- The oldest mamm:1l remains in the Ponte Galeria tures sinrilar to those of nrodern forr-ns of red deer. area (Ponte Galeria 1, Fig.3) are represented by two lrvi- The most representrrtìr'e sites occurriuq in the Au- colids (Prolagurus pannonicus rnd Predicrostonyr sp.) col- reliir Fornrrrtion (Cor.rirto et al. 1980) or PG6 sequence lected at Fontignano (Kotsakis et al. 1992;, in the lacus- (Milli 1997) are those of Torre in Pietrir, M:rlirsrottar, trine-lasoon deposits (Helìcella bearing clay of Conato Cav:r Rir.rr'rldi (upper levels), Cirstel di Guido, Lir Polle- et al. 1980) of the PG1 Sequence (Milli 1992). drar,r di Cecanibbio and Collinr Barbattini (Prlonrbo et The "classical" Galerian fauna (Ponte Galeria 2, Fis. al. 2000-2002). The association of Elepbas (Palaeoloxo- 3) comes f'ronr the beach sand and sravel deposits under- don) antiquus with large Bos pritnìgemzs, itccot.nparnied by lying the l,rgoonal Venerupis senescens clays (HST of PG2 cervi d s, ge n e ral I y c h aract e ri s ed t h e s e t.r"t rtt.t.t tl :r I i irn rrs s e m - sequence, Milli 1992) and includes Crocuta crocuta, "Prae- blages. The'cervids are reprcscnted bv thc vct persiste nt megacet'os" aerticornis, M egaloceros saztin i, Axi s eutygolt os, G,rlerian f orrn Dama clactortiana, bv the ln irrch,ric fort.t.r Mammutbus trogontheriì and"Bos" galerianus (Petronio Ei of nrodern red deer, Cerz:us elapbus rianensis, rrs u,ell irs b-v Sardella 1998; Petronio et al. 2000). The third faun,r as- the giirnt deer ,rnd roe decr, thlt are less frequent. Horse sernblage (Ponte Galeria 3, Fig. 3) comes from the HST as well ,rs rhinoceroses (Stcphanorhinus hantitoccbus, S. lacustrine and beach deposits of the PG3 sequence (Mil- hundsbeitnertsi-s and S. leircbbergensis), HippopotLultus, li 1997) and includes cervids, bovids, Allocricetus bursae, wild boar and small c,rrnivore's rrre frequentlv present, birds, reptiles, ar.r.rphibians and very sctrrce remains of rvhile thc big carnivores (bears, lions and le'opards) are Hyaena prisca (Petronio et arl. 2000; Palombo et al. 2000- poorlv docur.r.rented. Firunas diffe r bv t:1xorlorllv lnd eco- 2002). For these char:rcters such Authors have conrpared loeical strlrcture and this has been m,rinly lscribed to lo- this fauna to those from lsernia-La Pineta and Venostr cal n.ricroclirratic factors; rcccnt studies indicirtc instead Notarchirico (Isernia FU, sensu Gliozzi et al. 1997). that these differences can be related to the t:rphonor.nic f,rctors as well as to the processcs rrcting in scdirrrent:rn' Late Galerian environment conditioning the tir.ne r\rerilge of bones ac- cun-rulirtion. In Itlly, last Galerian taxa have been recorded in the The nr:.rin part of large nr,urm,rls occr,rrring in the Fontana Ranuccio FU where Ursus deningeri, stenonoid Vitinia Fornration (Conrrto ct rrl. 1980) or PGZ seqLrence horses, r.negalocerines of the Megaceroides aerticornis troup (Milli 1997) are the same rhan in the prcvioLrs one, even were still present, whereas Hippopotantur ex gr. arnpbibiws if Elepbas (Ptlaeoloxodon) Llntiquus shows rel:rtively rnore firstly appeared together wirh Panthera leo spelaea. Moreo- evolved dcntal features and red deer secnls to be t.nore ver, a new advanced subspecies of red deer, Ceruus elaphus closely related to the modern forn.r. Moreover, Dama eostepbanoceros, substituted the previous Cerous elaphus datna tiberina is usually abundant) and Equus hydrunti- acoronLltus. In the Ponte Galeria area only few renrains be- zras sporadically occurs. longing ro Stephanorhinus sp. and Bos primigenius havebeen In the Roman B:rsin r.nar.nmal f,runrr related to late found in the deposits of PG5 sequence, whereas t;rxa tvpi- Aureliarn hrrs been found in fluvio-lacustrinc dcposits of cal of Fontana Ranuccio FU lack; C. e. eostephanoceros has the PG8 sequence in the Ror.r.re urban area (Sirccopastore). been reported at Cava Nera Molinrrio (Roma) (Di Stefano This fauna has been found in deposits respectivel)' un- tr Petronio 1993). Accordingly, in the Ponte G:rleria area a derlying irnd overiyine the chys bearing the famous two quite good biochronological framework can be proposed for archaic neanderthalian skulls (Segre 1984) rrnd has been the (middle Galerian) faunas (deposits from PGl to PG3 referred to the OIS5 (Prlombo in press). sequences) whereas so far few data are available for the late Galerian ones (deposits of PG4 and PG5 sequences). Discussion

Aurelian Mammal assemblages and sequence stratigraphy in the Roman Basin Mammal faunas referred to the early and middle Aurelian MA (late Middle Pleistocene) (sensu Gliozzi et The Pleistocene sequence strati grxphic franrework al. 1997) have been known for a long time from Latiulr.r, of the Ror.r-ra Basin enables us to place the nrarrrn.r,rl fossil especially from the "Bassa Canrpagna Roman:r". These assemblages in the fourth-order sequences (frorrr PG1 to faunal conrplexes characterised by the appearance, of PG7) (Fig. 3) constrainins also their agc both rvith the Ursws spelaeus, Canis lupus, a, large horse with advanced magnetostratigraphy and oxygen isotope scales. morpholoey, Megaloceros giganteus and Dama clanta,have In the PLW deposits of the PGI sequence the been originally referred to Torre in Pietra and Vitinia FUs scanty r.nicromammal rer.nains of cold clinrate, found in fuIiddle Pleistocene tleposìts oftbc Rontan Basin 565

the Helicella clays (Fontignano area) can be attributed to the occurren ce of Mammuthus "trogontherìi" , " Praemega-

Slivia FU basing on paleomagnetic data which indicate c er o s " c ert i c orn i s, M ega I o c er o s s aa i n i, Axi s e ury gon o s, C er- for these sediments a their deposition during a reverse vus elaphus (;rrchaic form), "Bos" galerianus, Bison scb- period (Matuyama chron) (Kotsakis et il. 1992; Marra et oetensacki. al. 1998) (radiometric ages older than 0.75 Ma). Onrrhe The Aurelian complex includes the faunal assem- basis of the Mimomys saaini occurrence and of the sur- blaees fourrd in fluvial and fluvio-palustrine deposits vival of some Villafranchian carnivores, Slivia local fauna (sequences fronr PG6 to PG8), ascribed to Torre in Pi- was generally considered as representative of the oldest etra FU (sensu Palorrbo et al. 2003). It is characterised, Middle Galerian FU (sensu Gliozzi et aL. 1997). Never- anlong the others, by the occurrence of Ursus spelaews, theless, taking into account the doubtful identification of Canis lupus, Megaloceros giganteus, Centus elapbus (ad- main herbivores coming fron-r Slivia local fauna, as well as vanced form) and Dama dama. the scanty knowledge about carnivores and microrlem- \X/ithin these two complexes it is possible to distin- mals belonging to Ponte Galeria FU (sensu Petronio 8r euish faunal assemblages possibly belonging to biochrons Sardella 1999),rhe possibility that Slivia and Ponte Girleria of r.ninor rank, whose actual biochronological value and assemblages belong to the same FIJ cannot be ruled out sienificance can be clarified analysing the local environ- (Palombo in press). mental paranreters. The classic Ponte Galeria fauna, comes fror.n beach deposit belonging to the HST of the PG2 sequence, cor- The mammal fossil record significance in the related with the OIS 12. An age older than those of the systems tracts Isernia-La Pineta local fauna has been hypothesised by Petronio & Sardella (1999) on the basis of the persist- The previous discussed stratisraphic and paleonto- ence of Axys eurygonoi and the presence of both Mega- losical data sussest that the mammal fauna renewal oc- loceros saoini and "Praemegaceros" oefiicornis as well as curred in relation to the main Pleistocene clin-ratic changes and the exclusive occurrence ol "Boi' galerianus arPonte that determined a diversification of the fauna in response Galeria. Moreover, in the following beach deposit of PG3 to environmental opportunities and pressure. Climate and sequence, correlated to OIS 15 (data also confirmed by the related slacio-eustatic sea-level chanses conditioned radiometric ages reported in Karner 8c Renne 1998), the (allocyclic control) the stratigraphic organization of the mammal assemblage shows more affinities with the Is- sedimentary successions in which mammal faunas occur ernia-La Pineta fauna. producinu unconformities and transgressive surfaces (se- During the passage fron-r Galerian (Early-Mid- qLlence boundtrries and flooding surfaces) and prograda- dle Pleistocene) to Aurelian mammal ages (Middle-Late tional and retrogradational depositional systems in which Pleistocene) a faunal turnover occurred in Italit rvith a the boundaries between biofacies are diachronous surfaces variation in the structure of large mammal asser.nblages (see also Armentrout 1987).The biofacies term, here uti- (Palombo & Mussi 2001; Palombo in press). This faunal lised to indicate "an association of organisms represenr- renewal was probably related to climatic changes, that ine a particular depositional environment" should not be in the Mediterranean area determined an expansion of confused either with the "faunal unit" one, or the "paleo- the forest cover before to OIS 11 (Vergnaud-Grazzini et community" one. The abundance of mammal remains can al. 1990) . The renewed Late Middle Pleistocene faunas, suggest either one or more episodes of mass mortality or previously ascribed to Torre in Pietra and Vitinia FUs, the fossil accumulation over substantial period of time show quite similar composition and have recently been (Liebig et aI.2003). Consequently a mammal assemblage referred to a single FlJ, named Torre in Pietra. Moreover not necessarily can be found in the deposits representa- at Ponte Galeria area, tn the case of isolated findings, it tive of the sedimentary environments in which these or- is quite difficult to individuate at which FU the mammal sanisnls lived. In the successions here analysed the mam- remains belong to, especially when the stratieraphic data mal fossil assemblages are essenrially found in highstand do not clarify their occurrence in deposits of the PG6 or coastal-barrier lagoon deposits (HST) and in transgressive of PG7 sequences. fluvial and fluvio-palustrine deposìts (TST). On the basis of sedimentological-stratirraphicirl data and mammal fossil record it seems possible to dis- HST mammal assemblage tinguish in the Ponte Galeria area two n-rajor faunal com- piexes: the Galerian complex and the Aurelian complex. In this case mammal faunas have been found in pro- The Galerian complex includes the faunal assemblases, gradational beach gravel and sandy-eravel deposits passing already ascribed to Slivia, Ponte Galeria, Isernia and Fon- landwards to a lacoonal and fluvial deposits and seawards tana Ranuccio FUs, which have been essentially found to a shelf deposits. The taphonomic context of fossil as- in coastal-barrier lagoon deposits (sequences from PG1 senrblaqes suqgest a transport into a marine environment to PG3) and subordinately in fluvio-lacustrine deposits through fluvial floods as drowned still-living animals, as a (P4 to PG5 sequences). The complex is characterised by part of a decaying carcass or as solitary bones. The vari- 566 S. Milli. M. R. Palotttbo. C. Pch'onio Et R. Sartlclla

able concentration of bones in these beach sedin.rents lenrs related to the actual possibility to ascribe a mammal should be also caused b1, waves and currents xcrions as assemblirge to a siven FU, taking into account only the recognised in similar present en\rironmenrs (Liebig et al. sequence stratigraphic framervork of a sedimentarv suc- 2003). Anyway, the presence of fossils renrains belonring cession, especiallv when ch;'rracteristic taxl are lacking. to terrestrial taxa in marine environments can be used to The sar.r.re problenr occurs when the new FUs are defined indicate the proximity of fluvial mouths; rt the srnre tinre on the basis of thc local appearance of a new taxon in an such kind of assemblages can be considered as thc result ,rssemblase for rvhich the ch:rracters of the sedin.rentary of a rearrangement of remains belonging ro one o nlore environnrcnt and thc physic,rl stratigraphic context have coeval communities, whose organisms lived in conrigu- not defined yet. ous depositional systems. Anyr'"'ay, the chronolouical setting of a faunal assen-rblage can be inferred and supported by the sequence- TST mammal assemblage stratieraphic franrework even if the preservation of the depositionirl sequcnces is not complete owing to the ero- In this case, mammal faunas have been found in sion processes conncct to sea-level falls. The widespread fluvial and fluvio-palustrine deposits constitutins part of unconformity surfirces (sequence boundaries) boundine incised valleys filling near to the coast. These incised val- at the blse and at the top these depositional units have leys represented a by-passing zone during the deposition in fact a tirne-stratiuraphic or chronosrratigraphic sig- of the LSTs and were filled only during the deposition of nificance because, althoueh all points on the sequence the TSTs. These last ones show a general backsteppine of boundarv do not represent the same duration of time, one the depositional systems (with fluvial deposits at its base instant of tinre is conrmon to all points (Van Wagoner et passing upwards to lacustrine and lagoonal deposits) mi- al. 1990). This synchronicity is ren.rarkable i) to define grating landwards concomitantly with the rapid rises in the tenrporal bound;rries of the faunal assemblages; ii) sea-level. The sea-level changes determined a modification to enable to better verify the problenrs connected to the of the fluvial base-level and this produces a deposition of non correspondence between fossil record and actual lo- the most coarser sediment load upstrean.r, in the nlonrane cirl lowest/hishest occurrences of a given taxon and iii) to zone. This suggests that the fluvial gravel and coarse sands verify the relative chronology of a rnammal assen.rblage, filling the incised valleys near the coasr essenrially derived independently b1, thc'ir precise correlation q,ith the geo- from erosion and short transport of the underh,inq irnd chronolosical sc,rle. lateral sediments belonging to the previous depositional sequences. Consequently in these deposits the nrarnmal assemblages are often represented by a nrixing of bones Conclusions derived by i ) contem porary orsanisms living in srme or in contiguous environments and by ii) mantmal remains of The biochronological and sequence-stratigraphic different age, and possibly referable to distinct FUs, oc- scheme proposed for the Ponte Galeria area represenrs curred in the pre-existing deposits. The major variery of a valid tool to define and to correlate physical and bi- bones types characterising the TST fluvial-palustrine de- ological events. This schenre also highlighrs as rhe se- posits is the consequence of the terrestrial mammal skel- quence stratigraphy framework can constrain the pos- etal construction, which are more resisrant to decay as sible chronological interval in which a bioevent, even if highlighted by Behrensmeyer (1978) and Behrensmeyer local, occurred. Nevertheless many problems remain ro Er Dechant Boaz (1980). clarify before to consider definitive either the correlation between events and the seochronological framework, or Biochronology and sequence stratigraphy the significance and the biochronological value of each assemblage. Crucial in this sense is the characrerisation The need to recognise reworked fossils is a com- of the depositional and taphonomic contexr of the differ- mon problem in biostratigraphy as well in biochronology; ent fossiliferous levels, which can be solved only through such mechanism can be associated to erosion related to ir detailed facies and physical stratieraphic analysis of the sedimentary processes acting in the depositional environ- studied succession. This is remarkable because can clarify ment or could be associated with the erosion connected the coeval or non coeval character and the actual strucrure to the transgressive surfaces and/or sequence boundaries of the recovery fauna, in relation to the differenr sysrenls formation. Thus the presence of these fossil assemblalges, tracts in rvhich the fossil renrains occur. might be used to identify discontinuity surfaces in rhe In the Ponte Galeria area this nrethodological ap- stratigraphic record or to confirm the interpretation of proach has highlighted as an integrated analysis being a such surfaces in term of sequence stratigraphic approach necessary assumption in order to define biochrons which (i.e. sequence boundary, flooding or maximum flooding can be utilised on a large scale; at the same time this ena- surface; Sturrock 1996). ble us to recosnise two main faunal complexes that group Such considerations highlight the operative prob- faunal assemblages already ascribed to different FUs: Middle Pleistocene deposits of tbe Roman Basin 567

i) the Galerian complex, including the faunal re- temporal ranges can allow to better arrange the faunal mains referred to Slivia. Ponte Galeria. Isernia and Fon- complexes in a chronological framework, which take into tana Ranuccio FUs, found in essentially coastal-barrier account the climatic and sedimentary processes influencing lagoon depositional systems; the evolution of the depositional environments. ii) the Aurelian complex includine the faunal remains referred Torre in Pietra and Vitinia FUs, founds to Ahnotledgntenrs. The Authors x'ish to thank Rarnon Julià for in fluvial and fluvio-palustrine depositional systems. the critical reading of a preliminary version of the manuscript. The The integrated mammal biochronology and sequence careful revision of Lars \ùTerdelin and Eduardo Garzanti contributed to improve manuscript. we w'ish Marco Albano stratigraphy approach allowed to test how sequence strati- the Finally to thank and Massimiliano Moscatelli for the drawing and preparation of the graphic subdivisions represent a valid support to establish figurcs. Funds u'ere provided by the Italian "Ministero per la Ricerca a local chronostratigraphic fran-rework in which faunal re- Scientifica e Tecnologica" and by CNR, Istituto di Geologia Ambien- mains can be arranged. Also the definition at local scale tale e Geoingegneria.

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