Paleogene: i vertebrati continentali. In: BONFIGLIO L. (Ed.), Paleontologia dei Vertebrati in Italia Mem, Sci. Terra

Among non-marine Paleogene vertebrates of Italy, freshwater fishes, amphibians and birds are very rare. Also reptiles and mammals are few and they lack from Paleocene strata. Eocene reptiles have been collected in some localities of Veneto. Aquatic snakes have been described from Monte Bolca whilst in sediments of freshwater origin of the same sequence, at Purga di Bolca, relatively well .preserved turtles and crocodiles have been found. A beautiful skull of crocodile has been discovered in late Middle Eocene coastal sediments of Monte Duello (Veneto), together with scanty remains of a bird and abundant remains of marine organisms. Oligocene reptiles (turtles and crocodiles) have been collected at Monteviale (Veneto) and in some others sites of Veneto and Liguria. Eocene mammals have been described only from the Sulcis area (Sardinia). Two perissodactyls (the first of late Early Eocene and the second of early Middle Eocene age) and a marsupial (of early Middle Eocene age) have been collected. All the species indicate close affinities with taxa of western Europe. Affinities with central Europe and Balkan area faunas are testified by the oldest (Early Oligocene) and richest Oligocene mammalian assemblage, collected at Monteviale (Veneto). A small faunula from Agnana (Calabria), of late Early Oligocene age, immigrated into this area from Western Europe through Corsica-Sardinia. Typical western European mammalian faunas have been collected from some localities in Liguria and Piedmont. The most important fossiliferous sites in this area are Cadibona (Liguria) and Bagnasco (Piedmont) where slightly different faunas of early Late Oligocene age have been collected. In the same area isolated mammal remains of latest Oligocene age have been found.