Delle Rose M., Medagli P.,, 2007, Some inputs to the pre-Tyrrhenian sea level stands reconstruction (southern Apulia)., Epitome (Udine) 2 (2007): 391.,
URL: http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/118244

Several marine terraces are reported in the Southern Apulia literature, although their number and age are differently interpreted by the Authors. As well know marine terraces, and best their inner margin, allow the identification of paleo-shorelines with variable degrees of uncertainty. Until the Seventies, the higher Apulia uplift coastline were referred to Pliocene, instead currently all the reconstructed paleo-shorelines are assigned to the Pleistocene. This study deals with the paleontological features of some south Apulia deposits having reference to pre-Tyrrhenian sea level stands. Stratigraphic, tectonic and morphological aspects are discussed, too. At about 190 m asl, above Agnano Cave (Ostuni), a slightly cemented volcaniclastic-biogenic-terrigenous deposit filles karstified fractures of Cretaceous limestone. Together with rhyolitic pumices, calcium sulphate-carbonate nodules, paleo-soil residual clay chips and other clasts, a large amount of gastropods and bivalves shells are present, a number of which are suitable to reconstruct paleo-ecological features. Well preserved Melaraphe neritoides, a Littorinidae typical of the Eulittoral zone and several species belong to Turbinidae, Trochidae, Rissoidae and Cerithiidae, characteristics of presently Posidonia mattes, have been identified. Moreover, very abundant are the juvenile specimens. As a consequence, this deposit appears a reliable sea level indicator. Unlike the macro fossils content of the south Apulia marine terraces are usually poorly preserved and don't allow to acquire careful paleo-environmental knowledge. It can be considered the neighbourhood of Montemesola, where the calcarenites at the top of local Quaternary succession are referred to distinct marine terraces and considered key-level to the study of the Apulia Quaternary sea level stands. In any case, their macro fauna contents can be only generically referred to shallow sea environment. Moreover, geological survey carries out that the top calcarenites, cropping out south east of Montemesola between 190 and 130 m asl, are faulted and frequently involved within landslides which could have made overestimate the number of the terraces described in literature. The southern Apulia terraces are suitable to sedimentological analyses rather than paleontological studies, such as the Mazzucchi deposits (Parabita), which cover a wide terraced landscape comprised between the inner margin at about 145 m asl, coincident with a fault involving the Cretaceous substratum, and the outer margin at 125 m asl. At present fossils are not found and the deposit appears as a transgressive systems tract. To perplex the sea level stands reconstruction of the south Apulia contribute also some generic stratigraphic correlation. Signorella district (Cutrofiano) example can be examined. It is part of wide area where a recent literature consider the top of the local succession as marine terraces in disagreement with the Geological map of Italy at the scale 1 at 100000, that refers it to the sandy informal member of the "Gallipoli Fm" which, in turn, belongs to the Argille Azzurre group. Here, vulcaniclastic and continental deposits (calcretes, reddish sands, brown pelites) overly the aforementioned informal unit, whereas below its base occurs a metric level of ochre sands containing shell concentrations of Terebratula scillae and Arctica islandica among a number of molluscs and gastropods. Some specimens of Misticeta occur below the base. Such level can be related to the so called "sabbie a brachiopodi" unit, indicates in literature by a possible marine terrace deposited. Taphonomic compositions, biofabric, geometry and stratigraphic-sedimentological features of the concentrations suggest optimal ecological conditions and subordinate hydrodinamic processes. Moreover, some recognized ecological key-species are typical of subtidal muds biocenosis and presently characterize the external zone of the Apulian shelf.

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