A detailed taphonomic analysis of the large mammal assemblage from 1998 to 2006 excavations at San Teodoro Cave is presented, taking into account the stratigraphic context of the deposits. Three not ...strictly contemporary fossiliferous levels having different lithological features have been detected, here named B-I, B-II, and B-III. Fossil remains are prevalently accumulated in B-I and B-II. The three levels are characterized by evidence of
Crocuta crocuta spelaea occupation, represented by their skeletal remains, coprolites, and distinctive damages on the bones, similar to fossil and modern spotted hyena dens from Europe and Africa. A differential distribution of coprolites and small digested bones, probably due to different humidity conditions, has been recognized in B-I and B-II, and can be related to different topographic locations within the cave or to different climate conditions during the sedimentation phases. The very low density of fossil remains in B-III, which is the oldest level, could indicate an area that was less inhabited by hyenas, probably due to geomorphological conditions. Taphonomic comparison of the three fossiliferous levels of the San Teodoro Cave deposits points to a long-term, perhaps cyclic, occupation of the cave by hyenas and confirms the cave as one of the most important Pleistocene hyena dens in Europe.
► Taphonomic study of the S. Teodoro Cave large mammal fossil assemblage is presented. ► The study takes into account the stratigraphic context of the deposits. ► Materials from three fossiliferous levels have been analyzed and compared. ► Collected data point to a long-term, perhaps cyclic, occupation of the cave by hyenas.
Excavations conducted in 2006 inside San Teodoro Cave (north-eastern Sicily) retrieved remains of
Hippopotamus pentlandi
; of a medium-sized, dwarf
Palaeoloxodon
; and of
Ursus
cf.
arctos
. The ...specimens were found under a blackish phosphatic crust, dated to about 120 ky. This stratigraphic position sets an important constraint on the arrival time of the ancestors of both
H. pentlandi
and
Palaeoloxodon
elephants in Sicily. The elephant has a size compatible with that of a female individual of the Puntali Cave representatives. By providing insights into its dimorphism, the finds contribute important new information on this still undescribed Sicilian dwarf elephant species. More in general, the San Teodoro elephant adds clues to the possible timing of the arrival of palaeoloxodon proboscideans in Sicily in the course of the second half of the Pleistocene. On the other hand, the presence of
Hippopotamus pentlandi
confirms that the species survived at least to the late Middle Pleistocene.
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.
Associated and partially articulated fossil remains of the endemic reduced size elephant Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis have been recently discovered at San Teodoro Cave, a large Late Pleistocene hyena ...den in Sicily. The skeletal elements belong to both cranial and post-cranial portions, and are represented by a semi-complete mandible, a tusk fragment, a cervical vertebra, three thoracic vertebrae, a rib fragment, a scapula, a distal epiphysis of radius, a pyramidal bone, a III metacarpal bone, a coxal bone fragment, a femur shaft, two symmetrical pairs of tibias and fibulas, a patella and an astragalus. The bones were recovered mixed with remains belonging to other taxa, numerous hyena coprolites and with a juvenile elephant mandible in the perinatal stage.
On the basis of anatomical representation, spatial distribution and development stages, the partially articulated elephant bones from the San Teodoro Cave belong to a single adult individual, perhaps a female, which probably entered the cave before its death, and was afterwards scavenged and disarticulated by hyenas. This is the first finding of a partially articulated elephant skeleton from a fossil hyena den, and may attest to the intermittent use of the cave by hyenas and elephants.
The distinctive features and fossil content of some caves from eastern Sicily (San Teodoro, Donnavilla, Fulco, Taormina, Tremilia, Spinagallo), altogether spanning from the middle Pleistocene until ...the beginning of the Holocene, are discussed. Although dating on vertebrate and/or invertebrate remains is available in few instances, coastal notches and marine terraces correlate with the caves, provide further chronological constraint. The San Teodoro and Spinagallo caves are the best known, whereas the Tremilia cave deserves to be better analysed. Most caves, but not the San Teodoro one (including only terrestrial faunas), testify to the transition from submarine coastal environments (documented by biogenic crusts, borings, shelly sediments), to continental conditions (vertebrate remains of the Paleoloxodon falconeri, Maccagnone and San Teodoro Faunistic Complexes). The fossil register preserved in these cavities represents a source of information useful to (1) reconstruct the palaeogeography of Sicily and its coastline, largely resulting from the interplay between tectonic and sea-level changes linked to climate fluctuations; and (2) the consequent evolution of the terrestrial biota, including the dominance of insular endemic taxa later replaced by species shared with continental Italy, after the establishment of temporary connection through the Messina Strait.
Waters of Mt. Etna are the main source of drinking water for the local population and are also distributed in municipal supply systems to neighbouring areas. Radioactivity in underground waters and ...surrounding rocks from the eastern flank of Mt.Etnawas investigated on the basis of 9 water and 8 rocks samples from 12 localities altogether. Three samples were from water drainage galleries and six from water wells. All water intakes are used for consumption. Activity concentration of uranium isotopes 234,238U, radium isotopes 226,228Ra and radon 222Rn were determined with the use different nuclear spectrometry techniques. The determination of uranium isotopes was carried out with the use of alpha spectrometry. The measurements of radium and radon activity concentration in water were performed with the use of a liquid scintillation technique. Additionally, rocks surrounding the intakes were examined with gamma spectrometry. All water samples showed uranium concentration above Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA), with the highest total uranium (234U + 238U) activity concentration equal to 149.2±6 mBq/L. Conversely, all samples showed radium isotopes activity concentrations below MDA. Radon activity concentration was within the range from 2.91±0.36 to 21.21±1.10 Bq/L, hence these waters can be classified as low – radon waters. Gamma natural background of the rocks surrounding the water sampling sites was found on the same levels as other volcanic rocks of Italy.
This paper deals with the chronology and the possible correlations among levels of different excavated areas in the Pleistocene vertebrate-bearing deposits at the large San Teodoro Cave ...(North-Eastern Sicily). Two trenches have been excavated along the eastern side of the cave, located at a distance from the entrance, respectively, of 8
m (
α trench) and 28
m (
β trench) and at different depths. Lithological features, biometrical data from small mammals and ecological data from molluscs point to similar environmental conditions for the
α trench deposits and those located along the eastern wall of the cave in the eastern part of the
β trench. The same evidence, and the taphonomic features of large mammals, points to different environmental conditions and perhaps to different ages for the deposits located in the western part of the
β trench. The survival of elephants in Sicily up to 32,000 years ago is a new significant result of the
230Th/
234U dating carried out from a concretionary stratum from the
β trench and represents the youngest elephant survival in the western Mediterranean islands.
Equus hydruntinus was a small equid that ranged from the Iberian Peninsula to Middle East. In Italy it has been considered present from the Middle Pleistocene to its extinction in the Middle-Late ...Holocene. E. hydruntinus shares plesiomorphic traits with other known Pleistocene equids. As a consequence, its classification has always been problematic. Genetic analyses on few fossil remains from Iran and Crimea have revealed that E. hydruntinus was more closely related to extant hemiones. To further investigate its systematic position, using target-enrichment capture and next-generation sequencing, we reconstructed a near complete mitogenome of a specimen from San Teodoro Cave from Sicily radiocarbon dated at 23-21 ka cal. BP. Comparisons with extant and extinct equids demonstrate close relationship between this specimen and the Asian wild asses, supporting previous genetic and morphological studies. Furthermore, our findings confirm the occurrence of E. hydruntinus species in Sicily, that presumably might have represented a typical glacial refugium during the LGM.
•First complete mtDNA genome obtained from a Late Quaternary specimen of E. hydruntinus from Southern Mediterranean.•Sicilian specimen shows a substantial affinity with Asiatic wild asses, supporting previous genetic and morphological studies.
Characteristics of radon transport in porous media were studied through both in situ and lab-scale measurements. In situ measurements of radon activity concentration, together with soil thoron and ...carbon dioxide efflux, were carried out on Mt. Etna volcano. More detailed information on radon transport mechanisms has been obtained from laboratory measurements. In particular, we report the first results of a systematic study carried out at the University of Catania (Italy) by means of a facility consisting of a large cylindrical stainless steel vessel, homogeneously filled with different materials. Radon concentration vertical profiles were extracted in low-moisture samples for different advective fluxes, temperatures and porosities.
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