I Comitati regionali - Fossili Regionali

This page lists, region by region, all the professional figures who contributed to the selection of the fossil candidates for the Fossili Regionali initiative, providing essential information for the creation of fact sheets to assist voters.

Professors, researchers, museum curators, and dedicated enthusiasts: the initiative successfully engaged and highlighted the expertise of a broad community of specialists, bringing together professionalism and passion in a shared project.

Abruzzo

Regional committee:

A. Di Ciencio (Gruppo Avis Scandicci);
M. Romano (Sapienza Università Roma);
M.A. Rossi (Ministero Cultura).

Candidate fossils:

Mammuthus meridionalis – Mammoth skeleton
Prolagus cf. apricenicus – Skeleton of a small lagomorph
Hoplitomeryx sp. - Slab with remains of a ruminant mammal
Abruzzoichthys erminioi – Fish skeleton, holotype of the species
Monte Cagno tracksite – theropod dinosaur track-bearing surface

Basilicata

Regional committee:

A. Girone, P. Maiorano (Università di Bari).

Candidate fossils:

Palaeoloxodon antiquus – Nearly complete elephant skeleton
Goneplax rhomboides – Complete specimen of a crab
Makaira sp. - Partial fish skeleton on slab
Discospirina italica – Benthic foraminifer

Calabria

Regional committee:

M.P. Bernasconi, A. Guido, E. Perri (Università della Calabria);
A.C. Marra (Università di Messina).

Candidate fossils:

Metaxytherium serresii – Sirenians skull
Clypeaster reidii – Complete sea urchin shell
Samotherium cf. boissieri – Partial skeleton of an artiodactyl
Thetystrombus latus – Complete gastropod shell

Campania

Regional committee:

O. Amore, C. Argenio (Università del Sannio);
P. Raia, E.Ruggiero (Università di Napoli Federico II);
M. del Re (Museo di Paleontologia Napoli).

Candidate fossils:

Scipionyx samniticus “Ciro” – Dinosaur skeleton on slab, holotype of the species
Requienia tortilis – Partial shell of a bivalve
Amphiope bioculata – Complete sea urchin shell
Lepidotes minor – Complete fish skeleton on plate
Cervus elaphus tyrrhenicus – Left hemimandible of an adult deer

Emilia-Romagna

Regional committee:

C. Papazzoni (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia);
C. Francou (Museo Geologico G. Cortesi Castell’Arquato);
U. Thun Hohenstein (Università di Ferrara);
Daniele Scarponi (Università di Bologna).

Candidate fossils:

Mosasaurus cf. hoffmannii – Posterior portion of a mosasaur skull
Gypsum-replaced conifers – portion of a gypsum-replaced trunk
Cycadeoidea masseiana – Fossilized trunk, holotype of the species
Glossus humanus – Articulated bivalve shell
Plesiobalaenoptera quarantellii – Partial skeleton of a fin whale, holotype of the species

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Regional committee:

D. Arbulla (Museo di Storia Naturale Trieste).

Candidate fossils:

Tethyshadros insularis “Antonio” – Complete dinosaur skeleton, holotype of the species
Tethyshadros insularis "Bruno" – complete dinosaur skeleton
Ursus spelaeus – Complete bear skeleton
Acynodon adriaticus – Partial crocodile skeleton, holotype of the species

Lazio

Regional committee:

R. Sardella (Sapienza Università di Roma);
I. Mazzini (CNR).

Candidate fossils:

Palaeoloxodon antiquus – Complete skeleton of an elephant
Dama clactoniana – Complete deer skeleton
Mammuthus primigenius – Mammoth skull and mandible
Indeterminate Titanosauria "Tito" – isolated vertebra of a sauropod dinosaur
Vaccinites cornuvaccinum – Mollusk shell

Liguria

Regional committee:

C. Bellantuoni (Amici del Museo Doria);
A. Forchielli (ADM);
A. Baucon, M. Piazza, A. Briguglio (Università di Genova);
M. Tavano (Museo di Storia Naturale di Genova).

Candidate fossils:

Ursus spelaeus – Complete bear skeleton
Flabellaria mediterranea – Fossilized palm frond
Anthracotherium gastaldii – Mandible, teeth, vertebrae and other bone remains of
an artiodactyl mammal
Nereites irregularis – Ichnofossil
Nummulites perforatus – Aggregate of foraminifera shells

Lombardy

Regional committee:

M. Balini (Università degli Studi di Milano);
S. Guioli (Civico Museo di Scienze Naturali Voghera);
P. Schirolli (Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali Brescia);
D. Persico (Università di Parma);
C. Dal Sasso (Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano);
A. Aiello (Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali Bergamo).

Candidate fossils:

Eudimorphodon ranzii – Partial pterosaur skeleton, holotype of the species
Besanosaurus leptorhynchus – Complete ichthyosaur skeleton, holotype of the species
Saltriovenator zanellai – Fragmentary and disarticulated skeleton of a theropod dinosaur,
holotype of the species
Tanystropheus longobardicus – Complete skeleton of an archosauromorph reptile
Italophlebia gervasuttii – Complete specimen of dragonfly, holotype of the species

Marche

Regional committee:

F. Frontalini, N. Bedosti (Università di Urbino);
M.P. Ferretti (Università di Camerino).

Candidate fossils:

Italolestes stroppai – Complete specimen of dragonfly, holotype of the species
Hybonoticeras (Hybopeltoceras) paviai – Ammonite shell, holotype of the species
Gengasaurus nicosiai – Incomplete ichthyosaur skeleton
Harpoceras (Harpoceratoides) domaticus – Ammonite shell, holotype of the species
Hippopotamus antiquus – Hippopotamus skull with mandible

Molise

Regional committee:

J. Arnaud, C. Peretto, B. Sala, U.T. Hohenstein (Università di Ferrara);
F.M. Petti (Sapienza Università di Roma);
C. Rosskopf (Università del Molise);
E. Zullo (Museo nazionale del Paleolitico);
L. Bellucci (Istituto Italiano Paleontologia Umana).

Candidate fossils:

Homo sp. cf. heidelbergensis – Incisivo deciduo superiore di umano
Palaeoloxodon antiquus – Elephant palate with molars
Bison schoetensacki – Bison neurocranium
Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis – Complete rhinoceros skull
Hippopotamus cf. antiquus – Lower canine of a hippopotamus

Piedmont

Regional committee:

P. Damarco (Parco Paleontologico Astigiano);
E. Martinetto, M. Pavia (Università di Torino);
A. Pistarino (Museo di Scienze Naturali Torino);
G. Repetto (Museo Civico di Alba).

Candidate fossils:

Carya nux-taurinensis – Fossil walnut fruits
Protororqualus sp. - Complete skeleton of a baleen whale
Hemisyntrachelus cortesii – Near complete dolphin skeleton
Thetystrombus nodosus – Marine gastropod shell
Stephanorhinus jeanvireti – Near complete rhinoceros skeleton

Apulia

Regional committee:

M. Marino, R. la Perna, A. Girone, P. Maiorano, R. Francascangeli (Università di Bari);
F.M. Petti (Sapienza Università di Roma).

Candidate fossils:

Apulosauripus federicianus – Surface with dinosaur footprints
Balaenoptera sp. - Partially articulated baleen whale skeleton
Praechrysalidina infracretacea – Foraminifera specimen in section, holotype of the species
Joufia reticolata – Articulated bivalve shell in longitudinal section
Primitivus manduriensis – Articulated skeleton of a marine reptile, holotype of the species

Sardinia

Regional committee:

D. Zoboli, G.L. Pillola (Università di Cagliari);
L. Rook (Università di Firenze).

Candidate fossils:

Macaca majori – Primate skull
Tomistoma calaritanum – Crocodile skull and osteoderms
Arthropleura armata – Fragment of giant millipede carapace
Dolerolenus zoppii – Complete external and internal models of trilobite
Coscinocyathus sp. - Complete archaeocyath specimen

Sicily

Regional committee:

G. Insacco (Museo Civico di Comiso);
F. Lo Valvo (Museo Naturalistico Castelbuono);
A. Rosso (Università di Catania);
C. D’Arpa (Università di Palermo).

Candidate fossils:

Homo sapiens “Thea” – Skeleton of a female human
Cassidaria (Sconsia) minae – Gastropod shell, holotype of the species
Enchodus venator – Articulated fish skeleton on a slab
Enteletes waageni – Articulated brachiopod shell
Palaeoloxodon falconeri – Skeleton of a pygmy elephant

Tuscany

Regional committee:

L. Rook, S. Bartolini Lucenti (Università di Firenze);
G. Bianucci (Università di Pisa).

Candidate fossils:

Oreopithecus bambolii “Sandrone” – Slab with a nearly complete primate skeleton
Astropecten montalionis – Slab with a starfish
Pliophoca etrusca – Seal skeleton, holotype of the species
Psaronius sp. - Fossil fern frond
Thecodontichnus verrucae – Slab with tetrapod footprints

Trentino-South Tyrol

Regional committee:

E. Kustatscher, H. Prinoth, M. Pa (Museo Scienze Naturali Alto Adige);
M. Pallhuber (Provincia di Bolzano);
S. Planker (Museum Ladin);
P. Moroder (Museo di Ortisei);
C. Weber (Geoparc Bletterbach);
F. Bizzarrini (Museo Civico di Rovereto);
R. Tomasoni (Museo delle Dolomiti Predazzo);
V. Masè (Parco Adamello Brenta);
M. Zambotto (Servizio geologico Provincia di Trento);
M. Bernardi (MUSE).

Candidate fossils:

Lavini di Marco fossil footprint assemblage – dinosaur track-bearing surface
Claraia clarae – Bivalve shells on a slab
Megachirella wachtleri – Partial skeleton on a slab, holotype of the species
Ortiseia leonardii – Plant frond on a slab, holotype of the species
Tirolonautilus sebedinus – Nautiloid shell

Umbria

Regional committee:

M. Cherin, R. Rettori, A. Baldanza (Università di Perugia);
P. Romi (Sovrintendenza dell’Umbria);
G. Margaritelli (CNR);
S. Maganuco (Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano).

Candidate fossils:

Glyptostrobus europaeus – Fossil plant trunk
Balaenidae indet. – nearly complete whale skeleton
Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina – Planktonic foraminifer, holotype of the species
Lutraeximia umbra – Complete otter skull, holotype of the species
Praemegaceros obscurus – Partial deer skeleton

Aosta Valley

Regional committee:

E. Martinetto, D. Bertolino (Università di Torino);
A.P. Carniti (Università degli Studi di Milano).

Candidate fossils:

Pinus cf. uncinata – Fossil pinecone imprint
Scleractinia indet. – coral colony
Calamites cf. cistii – Fossil trunk imprint
Gandinella falsofriedli – Foraminifera fossil

Veneto

Regional committee:

L. Giusberti, M. Fornasiero (Università di Padova);
G. Roghi (CNR);
R. Zorzin (Museo di Storia Naturale Verona).

Candidate fossils:

Ceratoichthys pinnatiformis – Complete fish skeleton on plate
Latanites maximiliani – Fossil plant on slab
Cretodus sp. - Shark skeleton on slab
Prototherium veronense – Nearly complete Sirenia skeleton
Lathahypossia aculeata – complete crab fossil