Bollettino SPI: Vol. 50 (3) 2011

A study of the fossil leaves contained within the Perrando Collection from the lower Oligocene sections outcropping near Santa Giustina and Sassello (Tertiary Piedmont Basin, Central Liguria, NW Italy) is presented. The specimens were collected by Don Pietro Deogratias Perrando during the period 1857-1889 and are presently housed at the University of Genoa in Italy (Department for Studies on the Territory and its Resources). The exact location of the collecting sites has been verified in the field and the history of the Collection which had been subjected to repeated damage and deterioration over time has been reconstructed. Furthermore, the complete catalogue of the collection has been reconstructed and emphasis placed on the taxa identified by Principi and Squinabol traced to date.
A total of 771 fossil leaves of Dicotyledonous (Magnoliopsida) were measured in order to perform a paleoclimatic analysis utilizing the foliar physiognomy method. The data obtained allow the studied flora to be referred to the “tropical basal and premontane belt” as the group of large leaf species attained a proportion of 67.71%. In addition this study allows the paleoenvironmental setting of the sedimentary basin in which the leaves were buried to be better defined. The latter can be reconstructed as an alluvial plain with flooded areas, meanders and small lakes, located within the tropical basal and premontane belt.

Janulus spadinii n. sp. (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Gastrodontidae) is described herein from the Zanclean (early Pliocene) of Balze di Caspreno (Tuscany). It belongs to a Macaronesian genus occasionally reported from the Tertiary of Europe. The new species is very similar to the Recent Madeiran Janulus stephanophorus by virtue of its shape, dorsal sculpture and radial rows of palatal teeth. It is also apparently similar to some fossil European species, however, due to insufficient information regarding the latter, no well supported distinction may be proposed at present. A brief survey of all the nominal taxa of the species-group assigned to Janulus is also provided.

A new species of hipparionine horse, Hippotherium malpassii, is described from the MN13 interval from localities of the Baccinello V3 area (Italy). This species exhibits some advanced features of the facial region and cheek tooth dentition while other skull features and the postcranial skeleton are plesiomorphic. Research related to paleodiet suggests that Hippotherium malpassii was a mixed feeder, not as committed to grass feeding as many Central European species of Hippotherium. However, it may be considered as being similar to others such as Hippotherium primigenium from Eppelsheim (Germany) and Hippotherium microdon from Baltavar (Hungary). Studies of carbon and oxygen isotopes suggest that Hippotherium malpassii from the Baccinello V3 area lived in a forested context and it is inferred herein that it likely ate grass of relatively low abrasive character. Regarding the paleogeography of the species, Hippotherium originated in Central Europe early on in the MN9 interval (ca. 11 Ma) and underwent a modest evolutionary radiation there during the Vallesian and early Turolian (MN9-11). It is documented as having then dispersed throughout the Balkans into Greece during MN11/12 where it is represented by Hippotherium brachypus from the locality of Pikermi (Greece). During the interval MN12, the range of Hippotherium brachypus was extended and populations of very large size with massive metapodials evolved throughout this period. Hippotherium is not documented from the Baccinello area in Tuscany until the base of the MN13 interval (Baccinello V3 faunas) and may have immigrated from the Pannonian Basin, Hungary. The genus Hippotherium would appear to have become extinct at the end of MN12, the latter considered as being a result of increased continental drying and reduction of forest and woodland habitat. Its occurrence at Baccinello V3 in the MN 13 interval represents the latest occurrence of the genus in Europe.

Twelve new ostracod species and five new ostracod genera are described from Öjlemyr Flint glacial erratic boulders of Late Ordovician age from the Isles of Gotland (Baltic Sea) and Sylt (North Sea) as well as from western Niedersachsen (North Germany). These taxa include some micro-ostracodes with adults <0.5 mm: Laterophores ferrettii sp. n., Postceratia fossula sp. n., Sagittovum? glabrum sp. n., Sudon microporatus sp. n., Buckelopsis dyca gen. et sp. n., Epiclinia epiclinata gen. et sp. n., Immanisator punctatus gen. et sp. n., Longisyltherella erratica gen. et sp. n., Aviacypris planta sp. n., A. coartata sp. n., A. truncata sp. n., and Dornbuschia bospi sp. n. The early occurrence of a typical platycope with a limen, and of podocopes with duplicatures is noteworthy.