Page 10 - 36 Elevation of the last interglacial highstand in Sicily

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12 F. Antonioli et al. / Quaternary International 145– 146 (2006) 3–18
Violanti, 1983) at Capo Peloro (site 26 of Fig. 1) and
correlated with the inner margin terrace at +110 m. In the
Catania/Etna volcano area, Monaco et al. (2000) mapped
and dated the MIS 5.5 inner margin of terrace at elevations
between 175 m (Aci Trezza) and 165 m at Catania, based
on geomorphological correlation of the inner margin of the
terraces and the age of underlying lava. The terrace,
correlated with MIS 5.5, incised 180 ka-old lava.
In the Taormina area, Bonfiglio (1981) described a
cave at +130 m containing a marine notch and
Serpulids. We discovered a fossiliferous marine con-
glomerate deposit on a terrace with an inner margin at
115 m, in an area where undated terrace morphology
and elevation data have been published (Catalano and
De Guidi, 2003) at an elevation of 200 m. Palaeontolo-
gical analysis (Patella coerulea, Vermetids, Conus
mediterraneus, Bolma rugosa, Osilinus Turbinatus, Ve-
nerupide) indicates that the sea was few metres deep, but
do not establish an age (no Senegalese fauna). Based on
ESR methodology applied to a Patella and venerupid
shells (sample nos. K-4343 and K-4244, University of
Koln) collected at +105 m, we obtained ages of
76.477.2 and 103.3712.5 ka. If the age is calculated
using a constant Uranium-uptake model, the value is
124.5715.0 ka. We attribute these terraces to MIS 5,
probably MIS 5.5 (Figs. 3C, D and 6). This age allows
us to constrain the date of one point in a very long
coastline that is otherwise undated.
Further north, at Capo St. Alessio and Capo d’Alı` , we
measured a terrace geomorphologically correlated with
the Capo Peloro one that shows an inner margin at
140 m. The deposits are marine conglomerate without
any possibility of age determination using a fossil
assemblage. The depositional terrace of Capo Peloro,
which contained S. bubonius (Bonfiglio and Violanti
1983; Hearty et al., 1986a, b), was recently mapped at
110 m by Antonioli et al. (2004b) and at 125 m by
Fig. 6. Marine terraces at Taormina. Terrace 1 inner margin (i.m.) is
at 225 m; terrace 2 i.m. is at 205 m; terrace 3 i.m. is at 115 m. A sample
from Terrace 3 (location highlighted on the diagram, has revealed an
age consistent with MIS5.5; see text for discussion.
Catalano and De Guidi (2003). Catalano et al. (2003)
identified a terrace at Capo Rasolcomo at +125 m, and
geomorphologically correlated it with MIS 5.5.
On the Milazzo promontory the MIS 5.5 terrace is
well exposed up to +70 and +85 m (Fig. 7A). The
terrace was dated by Hearty (1986) with AAR on Arca
and Glycymeris, giving a clear result of Aminozone E.
According to Catalano and Cinque (1995), the inner
margin of this terrace occurs south of the Milazzo
promontory on the mountain of Sicily at +120 m.
On the coast west of Capo Milazzo, Gliozzi and
Malatesta (1982) studied fossil Megacerine bones and a
skull in a cave at Capo Tindari. The cave shows a band
of Lithophaga holes at 85 m which the authors attributed
to MIS 5.5. There is no possibility of determining a
precise age at this level. Dating of Cervus bones using
AAR indicated MIS 6. The Naso promontory (C.
D’Orlando, site 30 of Fig. 1) presents a series of terraces
at different elevations up to 650 m. Some Middle
Pleistocene terraces have been dated (Catalano and Di
Stefano, 1997) on the basis of the micropalaeontological
fauna. The MIS 5.5 terrace occurs at +130 m. Finally,
at Acquedolci (site 31 of Fig. 2), Bonfiglio (1991)
attributed a terrace at +131 m to MIS 5.5.
3.5. Islands
Apart from the Egadi Islands described in Section 3.1
(Fig. 2, sites 12–14), other islands close to Sicily contain
some MIS 5.5 data, which is reported here. However,
the islands lie in different places with different geological
and structural places and it is not possible compare the
uplift rates.
For the Aeolian islands (Fig. 1, sites 32–35), two
recent publications (Lucchi et al., 2004a, b) present
findings where age and elevation of the terraces are
correlated with MIS 5.5 for Lipari, Salina, Panarea, and
Filicudi. The correlations are based on the age of the
lavas into which the terraces were carved.
For Ustica (Fig. 1, site 36) there are numerous studies
of the terraces and deposits using AAR and U/Th ages
(Hearty 1986; de Vita et al., 1998). An U/Th age of
11976 ka was obtained for a Cladocora caespitosa coral,
where the terrace is at an elevation of 30 m. This
attribution is fully confirmed by Ruggieri and Buccheri
(1968) who also found S. bubonius.
At Lampedusa (Fig. 2, site 37) Segre (1960) described
deposits containing S. bubonius. Buccheri et al. (1999)
provided palaeontological analyses on a fossil beach, the
maximum elevation of which reaches 4 m.
4. Comparison with Holocene uplift
Because sea level fell between MIS 5.5 and modern
times, there is no record of the intervening MIS times.