Marco Romano

TThe one-day field trip to the Lavini di Marco tracksite (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, NE Italy) offers the opportunity to appreciate one of the most extensive and interesting European dinosaur tracksites. The ichnoassemblage, Hettangian in age, is constituted by numerous quadrupedal trackways, referred to medium-sized sauropodomorphs, and hundreds of tridactyl footprints, produced by small- to large-sized theropods. The itinerary, developed in six stops, will focus on the most significant occurrences of the tracksite, highlighting the theropod biodiversity revealed by numerous tridactyl tracks, such as ROLM 198, ROLM 137 and ROLM 219, and the most spectacular and relevant quadrupedal trackways, such as ROLM 26, known as the "rock-climbing dinosaur" trackway, and ROLM 577, holotype of the ichnospecies .

The neosuchian crocodyliform clade Pholidosauridae had a near‐cosmopolitan distribution, spanning the Late Jurassic to the early Paleocene. Representatives of the group inhabited aquatic environments, ranging from freshwater to potentially fully marine forms. The phylogenetic placement of Pholidosauridae within Neosuchia remains debated: whereas most analyses place it as closely related to Dyrosauridae, some studies argue for a closer relationship with Goniopholididae. One skeletal region that could shed light on both the phylogenetic position of Pholidosauridae, as well as how it achieved its broad distribution, is the internal cranial anatomy, which has been shown to document morphological features with both an ecological and phylogenetic signal in other crocodyliforms. However, a natural endocast is currently the only available information on the internal cranial anatomy of a pholidosaurid. Here, we present new insights into the internal cranial anatomy of Pholidosaurus purbeckensis , based on CT‐scan data of material from the lowermost Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group, southern UK. Overall, the endocranial anatomy of P . purbeckensis is more similar to that of goniopholidids than dyrosaurids, especially the morphology of the olfactory tract and the cerebrum, which might represent a phylogenetic rather than ecological signal. However, this might merely reflect retention of the ‘standard’ crocodyliform skull and endocranial shape in pholidosaurids and goniopholids, rather than necessarily a close relationship, with the cranial anatomy of dyrosaurids instead representing an apomorphic departure from this morphology. We identify paired dorsolateral expansions in the olfactory region of the skull of P . purbeckensis , which have been interpreted as osteological correlates of nasal salt glands in some marine thalattosuchians, dyrosaurids, and extinct gavialoid crocodylians. If this interpretation is correct, it would suggest a higher tolerance for saltwater than previously hypothesised in Pholidosaurus , which would provide support for oceanic capabilities early in the evolution of Pholidosauridae that potentially enabled the group's near‐cosmopolitan distribution. Finally, we demonstrate external cranial anatomical variation amongst specimens attributed to P . purbeckensis , particularly in contemporaneous French remains provisionally referred to this species. However, this might best be regarded as individual variation: we therefore tentatively support the attribution of this material to P . purbeckensis pending the much‐needed revision of the type species of Pholidosaurus , P . schaumburgensis , from the earliest Cretaceous of Germany.

The Bajo de la Carpa Formation (Santonian, Late Cretaceous) of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina, represents a critical stratigraphic interval for understanding the evolution and diversity of South American titanosaurians. This study presents the description and comparative analysis of newly recovered titanosaurian remains from the Los Bastos locality, located near Senillosa (Neuquén Province). The material includes both cranial and postcranial elements belonging to distinct individuals, including an isolated cranial bone, appendicular and pelvic fragments, and some anterior to middle caudal vertebrae. Sedimentological and taphonomic data indicate a dynamic floodplain environment with episodic burial conditions conducive to the preservation of both associated and weathered remains. Detailed morphological comparisons suggest the presence of titanosaurs morphologically compatible with both Colossosauria and Saltasauridae within the same stratigraphic horizon. Notably, an associated series of caudal vertebrae (MMS-PV-75) exhibits characters diagnostic of Aeolosaurinae, while showing procoelousdistoplatyan centra and laterally expanded transverse processes. A separate pelvic specimen (MMS-PV-82), composed of an ilium, a pubis, and an ischium, displays some features of Saltasauroidea representing the earliest known occurrence of this clade in the Neuquén Basin. The coexistence of colossosaurian and saltasaurid titanosaurs within a single depositional context challenges models positing a rapid faunal replacement and instead suggests a more gradual, overlapping diversification. The presence of putative theropod feeding traces on some bones adds a rare ichnological dimension to the palaeoecological reconstruction. Collectively, these findings provide new information on titanosaurian evolution during the Santonian highlighting the importance of the Bajo de la Carpa Formation as a key window into Late Cretaceous Gondwanan dinosaur faunas.

In this contribution, we described and figured a nearly complete and exquisitely preserved fossil hind wing of a roachoid insect (Holopandictyoptera) from the late Moscovian (Pennsylvanian, Carboniferous) of southwestern Sardinia. The specimen is characterised by distinctive darkened seams along the main veins and a fenestrate-type colour pattern, and can be tentatively attributed to the family Spiloblattinidae Handlirsch, 1906, a family known between the Moscovian and the Kungurian (315.2 ± 0.2 to 274.4 ± 0.4 Ma) from China, Europe, North America, North Africa, and Southern Africa. At this stage an assignment at a generic level is not possible, due to the fragmentary nature of the fossil and the limited knowledge of hind wings within this group. The fossil was recovered from the carbon-rich lacustrine deposits of the San Giorgio Basin, a well-known continental late Carboniferous sequence rich in ichnofossils and plant remains. This discovery represents, to date, the oldest fossil insect ever documented in Italy and the first formal record of an insect from Sardinia, also constituting the earliest occurrence of a spiloblattinid in the Italian Peninsula. Comparisons with other spiloblattinid and compsoblattid hind wings, including those from the Gzhelian and Permian of Europe and North Africa, support its assignment based on venation architecture, width of interveinal areas, and absence of reticulated cross venation. Our results demonstrate the considerable promise of integrative palaeontological research in Sardinia’s Carboniferous strata and underline the need for sustained fieldwork and rigorous taxonomic study of the region’s still poorly documented insect assemblages.

This paper examines the palaeontological contributions of 17th-century Italian botanist Paolo Silvio Boccone, a multifaceted naturalist whose work spanned botany, palaeontology, and geology. Boccone played a crucial role in the early development of Earth Sciences and the debate on the origin of fossils. He was among the first to advocate for the organic origin of fossils, rejecting views that saw them as inorganic formations. Through detailed field observations and comparisons with modern organisms, he accurately identified fossils such as shark teeth, echinoderms, and molluscs as lithified remains of once-living beings. Notably, Boccone supported the organic interpretation of “Glossopetrae” (shark teeth), countering his time’s mythical and inorganic theories. He also advanced the understanding of taphonomic processes, describing how fine sediments preserved imprints of organic structures and rejecting the notion of a “petrifying juice” in favour of sedimentary infilling mechanisms. However, Boccone occasionally treated certain fossils ambiguously, such as “Belemnites” and “Fossil Unicorns”, exploring alternative perspectives, including their medicinal uses. Acting as a mediator of ideas from key figures like Steno and Scilla, Boccone contributed significantly to disseminating foundational palaeontological concepts. His work marks a critical transitional phase toward modern palaeontology, emphasising empirical observation and actualistic approaches.

A new ichnological study was carried out on the dinosaur tracks from the Lavini di Marco ichnosite (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, NE Italy), on the framework of a joint project between the Sapienza University of Rome and the MUSE - Sciences Museum of Trento, withthe cooperation of the Geological Survey and the Fire Department of the Autonomous Province of Trento. The project consisted of anew analysis, made possible through modern digital technologies, of the Lower Jurassic tracks attributed to theropod and sauropoddinosaurs. Additionally, it included the realization of a geothematic map of the entire site, representing the objective of this contribution.Two different approaches were used during the ichnological mapping: i) traditional methods and ii) aerial- and close-range photogrammetry. Aerial photogrammetry was performed using two distinct drones, obtaining orthophotos and orthoplanes of the tracks-bearing horizons, to produce a detailed geothematic map. Close-range photogrammetry led to the production of more than seventy 3D color-coded models of the best-preserved dinosaur footprints.The map was produced in digital vector format with different levels of knowledge. The final geothematic map represents a completemultilayer documentation that will be useful for future work of conservation, dissemination, and valorization of the tracksite.

This contribution examines the palaeontological and geological aspects found in abbot Fortis’s letter to Cavalier Giuseppe Cobres, focusing on fossil elephant remains discovered in the Serbaro di Romagnano locality (Grezzana, Verona). While the letter addresses these specific findings, it also delves into broader discussions encompassing key topics in Earth Sciences. Abbot Fortis accurately attributes the large bones to ancient elephant skeletons, dismissing interpretations linking them to ‘mythological creatures’ or ‘ancient giants’. However, questions surrounding the presence of these fossils remain unresolved, including, for example, the discovery of remains of animals at the time considered as typical of warm climates in areas that are now very cold such as present-day Siberia. Fortis highlights the sedimentary features of Romagnano, indicating an extensive formation period spanning countless centuries, challenging Buffon’s proposed Epochs. The gradual accumulation of marine organism remains and river-carried sediments forming seabed deposits, leads Fortis to strengthen the central concept of “deep time”, which would be necessary in the following century to the birth of modern Geology. Drawing on his previous work, Fortis employs the Romagnano description to counter theoretical models and geological systems. He uses the large valleys and small river incisions to critique Bourguet’s “salienti ed entranti” theory, which attributes large incisions to ancient sea currents. Fortis also opposes diluvialist theories that explain valley systems as the withdrawal of the Deluge water.The author evaluates various theories regarding the elephant remains, refuting them albeit suggesting an even more imaginative and naive hypothesis. Despite Fortis’s extravagant interpretation, his work introduces geological arguments and principles that later become pivotal in Earth Sciences. He delves into the biology and ecology of elephants, discussing their potential presence in European territories. He also anticipates taphonomic analysis concepts, considering biostratinomic and diagenetic processes that affected bone preservation. The author acknowledges the importance of studying fossil remains in their original context for understanding taphonomy.In conclusion, abbot Fortis’s letter offers significant insights into early Earth Sciences, tackling palaeontological, geological, and taphonomic aspects. His discussions and observations foreshadowed essential concepts that would later shape the field, demonstrating the forward-thinking perspectives of eighteenth-century Italian naturalists.

During the sampling of a stratigraphic section along the shore of the Fiastra Lake (Carg Project - Sheet 313 “Camerino” of the Geological Map of Italy at 1:50 000 scale), a small rock boulder with partially exposed bony material was discovered at the base of a small cliff at the northern termination of the Sibillini Mts. In this area, the classical facies of Umbria-Marche stratigraphic succession are well exposed. The Oligocene-Miocene portion of the succession is represented by the ~200 m-thick Scaglia Cinerea Formation, passing upwards to the ~100 m-thick Bisciaro Formation. The microfossil assemblage has allowed the specimen to be constrained to the lower Burdigalian. The skeletal remains were examined using a CT-SCAN, a non-invasive method that has proven to be highly performing. The analysis revealed some articulated vertebrae, deformed by lithostatic compaction, which are attributed to a shark of the Order Lamniformes. Subsequently, the vertebrae were digitally isolated, extracted from the surrounding matrix, and rendered into three-dimensional prints. Through digital retro-deformation, the body length of the lamniform shark was estimated to be approximately 4 metres. Further considerations on the vertebrae allowed us to infer that the studied shark had similarities to either Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810 or Carcharodon carcharias Linnaeus, 1758. The development of a dead-fall microbial community likely facilitated the preservation of the vertebrae. The studied specimen represents the first occurrence of a lamniform shark in the Lower Miocene of the Umbria-Marche Domain and represents one of the very rare recorded occurrences of lamniforms from the Lower Miocene of Italy.