Page 21 - Malatesta

Alberto Malatesta: 20 years of activity at the Geological Survey of Italy 31

of birds collected in a Pleistocene layer cropping out erior limbs is similar to those of Cervus elaphus,
at the “Cala della Calcina” inlet near Porto Conte while the percentage ratio between the vertebral
(Alghero) are described. Besides the morphological column and limbs length is comparable to that
description of the bony remains, the frequencies of showed by Rusa unicolor. The proportions of the
each recognized taxonomic group are mentioned: limb bones, the presence of strong hoofs and the
the mostly represented are Columbiformes, Falconi- tilted pastoral point out strong adaptation to run and
formes and Passeriformes. The occurrence of some to move in rocky environment. “Circa la penetrazio-
anatidis (Colymbus, Anser, and Branta and of Pyr- ne degli antenati di M.cazioti nelle isole diverse con-
rhocoras pyrrhocoras), currently absent in the Sar- siderazioni indicano che la migrazione verso queste
dinian fauna, points out relatively cold and damp regioni non potè iniziarsi prima del Siciliano” inoltre
climatic conditions referable to the Würm glacial. “… la povertà delle mammalofaune quaternarie ed
attuali di Sardegna e Corsica mostra che durante il
53. 1974 - CALOI L. & MALATESTA A., “Il cervo pleistoce- viaggio attraverso quei ponti continentali si dovette
nico in Sardegna”. esercitare una drastica azione filtrante tra le specie
This paper describes and discusses the very abun- emigranti” “I resti di M.cazioti provengono general-
dant bone remains belonging to the cervid Megace- mente da depositi wurmiani ma anche quelli raccolti
ros (Nesoleipoceros) cazioti (Deperet), recovered in in depositi più antichi (Capo Figari) non presentano
the Dragonara Cave, near Alghero and referable to caratteri diversi da quelli tipici della specie. Poiché
the Würm age. The fossil material was collected dur- neppure sul continente si riscontrano forme fossili
ing 15 years of repeated excavation campaigns. The che possano rappresentare fasi di transizione tra
main morphological characteristics of the species M.cazioti ed il suo presunto antenato (M. vertcornis),
can be synthetized as following: notably high teeth, si suppone che il processo di differenziazione si sia
and antlers with notable affinities with those of Me- svolto in una zona oggi sommersa dall’antico ponte
gaceros verticornis but differing for the absence of continentale.”
the beam right angle. Concerning the proportion of
the limb bones, a shortening of the proximal seg- 54. 1974 - MALATESTA A., “Malacofauna pliocenica um-
ments is noticed, with an elongation of the distal bra”. (Fig.18)
ones. The proportions between anterior and post-

Fig. 18 - Title page and introduction to the “Malacofauna pliocenica umbra” (MALATESTA 1974).
Frontespizio e introduzione della “Malacofauna pliocenica umbra”(MALATESTa,1974).