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The palaeontological analysis of the marine organisms (Fig. 8, 9, 10) . The upper, living part
sediments showed the presence of a lies at MSL and, consequently, is exposed during
‘‘Senegalese’’ fauna, with mollusks as S. low tide and submerged during high tide.
bubonius in several bioclastic lenses overlying Radiocarbon dating was carried out on the most
the VI-order Terrace of the geomorphological ancient, fossil part of the reefs, which is located at
map. 30–40 cm below the present sea-level. Because
Most carbonate rocky shores of NW Sicily are the whole studied area is tectonically stable, the
marked by a coalescence of living shells of the 30–40 cm which separate the living individuals
gastropod Dendropoma in a construction that is from the fossil Dendropoma are here deemed as
variably developed as a response to wave impact. indicative of the actual sea-level rise for the last
The fossil reefs are reliable sea-level indicators. 400–460 cal yrs (Antonioli et al., 1999).
The thickness of the reef samples never exceeds
30–40 cm below sea-level, whereas all 14C dates Stop 1 We will reach the inner margin of the MIS
fall within a range of few centuries. Some small 5.5 terrace in the Castelluzzo plain (8-13 m); will
fragments ejected by violent sea storms date back be also possible to see the fossil senegalese fauna
to 2500 years cal BP. No samples older than 6200 containing Strombus bubonius (Fig. 11). The
years cal BP have been detected so far. The continental early Pleistocene calacarenite, contain
present distribution of Mediterranean vermetid (near the Strombus b. site) also few but evident
platforms should result from a northward Elephas and Ippopotamus bones and teeth.
migration related to the long term effect of the Stop 2 Many kinds of different vermetids reef
Holocene sea surface temperature SST warming. will be visited; could be also possible (near the
Some consideration on the morphology of the Tonnara del Cofano) to snorkel in the sea to
reefs and the comparison with the available data observe thickness and structure of the reef. Some
point out that Dendropoma reefs are excellent vermetids reef seems to be presently faulted from
biological indicators of sea-level fluctuations strike-slipe faults.
especially when detected and sampled in Stop 3, Cornino, a faulted marine notch will be
tectonically stable areas as those in NW Sicily. visited, the notch is related with IInd order terraces
On the contrary, if the palaeosea level curve is (Middle Pleistocene, Fig. 12).
known Vermetids can be used as tectonic uplift Stop 4, near the Cefalù harbour was discovered,
marker. in little caves between 9 and 12 m, many marine
Due to the lack of palaeoclimatic indicators fossils shells, well preserved, associated with
comparable to coral reefs, geologists many Lithophaga holes (the bedrock is
investigating recent climatic changes in temperate limestone). The aminoacid analyses provided an
areas like the Mediterranean sea must rely on age of MIS 5.
substitute reef-like indicators. Dendropoma
platforms (Fig. 7) exhibit many characteristics Day 2 & Day 3
pertaining to good indicators: first of all, their
localization in warm-temperate areas such as Stop 1, Milazzo MIS 5.5 terrace and Holocene
Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, their uplifted marine notches; stop 2, Holocene
easy access for sampling and dating purposes uplifted deposits. Stop 3, Ganzirri (near Messina),
using 14C techniques, then their limited range marine Holocene uplifted conglomerate. Night at
vertical growth, restricted to the intertidal level Taormina. Stop 4, Taormina, Holocene uplifted
and, occasionally, to the uppermost part of the marine notches (by boat). Stop 5 uplifted
infralittoral tearraces at Taormina. Stop 6 S.Tecla, stop 7
zone. surfaces. The samples dated were collected Acitrezza. Catania Airport in late afternoon.
on flat areas where the Dendropoma reefs are
mostly developed in broadness and thickness. On MIS 5.5 deposits altitude
limestone promontories as S. Vito, Dendropoma In eastern Sicily, correlations of MIS 5.5
ledges are smaller, up to 1 m long and 10 cm highstands are based on Strombus bubonius
thick. In flat coastal areas, Dendropoma discovered at 86 m (Bonfiglio and Violanti 1983)
platforms, from 5 to 10 m broad, coalesce to form at Capo Peloro, correlated with the inner margin
a single, uninterrupted rim stretching for several terrace at 110m. On the Milazzo promontory the
kilometres. Each platform is 20 to 40 cm thick, MIS 5.5 terrace is well exposed up to the altitude
and the upper 8 to 10 cm consist of living between 70 and 85 m (Fig. 13), but Catalano and
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