Massimo Delfino
YOU?
Author Swipe
View article: A new anguine lizard (Squamata, Anguidae, Anguinae) from the Late Miocene (Vallesian) of the Vallès-Penedès Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula)
A new anguine lizard (Squamata, Anguidae, Anguinae) from the Late Miocene (Vallesian) of the Vallès-Penedès Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula) Open
Post-Palaeogene anguids from Europe have been referred to three extant genera: Anguis , Ophisaurus s.l. (including Dopasia and Hyalosaurus ), and Pseudopus . In recent years, a higher generic diversity has started to be recognised, with ex…
View article: New palaeoecological insights for the early human occupation in Europe: amphibians and reptiles from the Early Pleistocene of Pirro Nord 13 (Apricena, southern Italy)
New palaeoecological insights for the early human occupation in Europe: amphibians and reptiles from the Early Pleistocene of Pirro Nord 13 (Apricena, southern Italy) Open
The Early Pleistocene site of Pirro Nord 13, dated between 1.6 and 1.3 Ma, is one of the fissures of the karstic complex of the Pirro Nord quarry (Apricena, Foggia, southern Italy), a well-known locality for its rich and well-preserved pal…
View article: A small vertebrate (Urodela, Anura, Squamata, Rodentia) assemblage from Fada Nana Cave (Quaternary, northern Italy)
A small vertebrate (Urodela, Anura, Squamata, Rodentia) assemblage from Fada Nana Cave (Quaternary, northern Italy) Open
The Italian Peninsula is commonly interpreted as a Quaternary refuge, with a particularly important role for taxa requiring humid environments. This is testified by a relatively high diversity of amphibians on the peninsula nowadays, and a…
View article: On the maxillary dentition of the Western whip snake, Hierophis viridiflavus (Lacépède, 1789): heterodonty is not opisthoglyphy
On the maxillary dentition of the Western whip snake, Hierophis viridiflavus (Lacépède, 1789): heterodonty is not opisthoglyphy Open
The Western whip snake (Hierophis viridiflavus) is a colubroid snake typically considered aglyphous and non-venomous, although this is currently a subject of debate. Indeed, the maxillary dentition of this species has recently been describ…
View article: The tooth-bearing skeletal elements of the Italian urodeles, a comparative tool for osteological identification
The tooth-bearing skeletal elements of the Italian urodeles, a comparative tool for osteological identification Open
Urodele osteology is characterised by simplified skulls, loss of several bones and a specific sequence of cranial and limb ossification. The relatively few studies devoted to the comparative analysis of isolated urodele bones are mostly fo…
View article: The rise and fall of the Iberian cobras (Elapidae, <i>Naja</i>) in the context of their European and global fossil record
The rise and fall of the Iberian cobras (Elapidae, <i>Naja</i>) in the context of their European and global fossil record Open
Very few remains of elapid snakes are known from the Iberian Peninsula, but these include a probable endemic extinct species of cobra, Naja iberica from the Late Miocene. We here describe isolated cobra vertebrae from several Middle–Late M…
View article: Acynodon adriaticus from Villaggio del Pescatore (Campanian of Italy): Anatomical and chronostratigraphic integration improves phylogenetic resolution in Hylaeochampsidae (Eusuchia)
Acynodon adriaticus from Villaggio del Pescatore (Campanian of Italy): Anatomical and chronostratigraphic integration improves phylogenetic resolution in Hylaeochampsidae (Eusuchia) Open
The hylaeochampsid crocodylomorph Acynodon adriaticus, from the uppermost Cretaceous ‘Villaggio del Pescatore’ site, belongs to an early diverging lineage in Eusuchia. Here an additional specimen, MCSNT 57031, is osteologically and osteohi…
View article: A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations
A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations Open
This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Macaluso, Loredana, Wencker, Lukardis C M, Castrovilli, Maria, Carnevale, Giorgio, Delfino, Massimo (2023): A comparative atlas of selected skele…
View article: Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution
Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution Open
The disjunct geographical range of many lineages of caudates points to a complex evolutionary and biogeographic history that cannot be disentangled by only considering the present-day distribution of salamander biodiversity. Here, we provi…
View article: A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations
A comparative atlas of selected skeletal elements of European urodeles (Amphibia: Urodela) for palaeontological investigations Open
The osteology of European urodeles was studied extensively in the past, but comparative analyses of isolated bones are rare, despite being the most useful tool for the identification of fossil remains. The present work is focused on the mo…
View article: The last of the large-sized tortoises of the Mediterranean islands
The last of the large-sized tortoises of the Mediterranean islands Open
Archaeological investigations carried out in the cave Zubbio di Cozzo San Pietro, Bagheria, Sicily, revealed the presence of a few skeletal elements of a large-sized tortoise in a funerary area dating to the Copper/Bronze Age. The tortoise…
View article: Els Casots (Subirats, Catalonia), a key site for the Miocene vertebrate record of Southwestern Europe
Els Casots (Subirats, Catalonia), a key site for the Miocene vertebrate record of Southwestern Europe Open
Els Casots is one of the richest fossil vertebrate sites of the Vallès-Penedès Basin (Catalonia, Spain). It was discovered in 1989 and excavated briefly during the 1990s, resulting in the recovery of thousands of remains and the erection o…
View article: First fossil of Varanus Merrem, 1820 (Squamata: Varanidae) from the Miocene Siwaliks of Pakistan
First fossil of Varanus Merrem, 1820 (Squamata: Varanidae) from the Miocene Siwaliks of Pakistan Open
Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya
View article: occurrences of Palearctic fossil caudates from Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution
occurrences of Palearctic fossil caudates from Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution Open
Appendix S1. List of occurrences of Palearctic fossil caudates. Each line corresponds to a taxon/locality occurrence. Previous taxonomic identifications are between brackets.
View article: Completeness of the different time bins from Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution
Completeness of the different time bins from Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution Open
Appendix S2. Quantitative evaluation of the completeness of the different time bins (in absolute and percentage values).
View article: occurrences of Palearctic fossil caudates from Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution
occurrences of Palearctic fossil caudates from Biogeographic history of Palearctic caudates revealed by a critical appraisal of their fossil record quality and spatio-temporal distribution Open
Appendix S1. List of occurrences of Palearctic fossil caudates. Each line corresponds to a taxon/locality occurrence. Previous taxonomic identifications are between brackets.
View article: The last of the large-sized tortoises of the Mediterranean islands
The last of the large-sized tortoises of the Mediterranean islands Open
This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Valenti, Pietro, Vlachos, Evangelos, Kehlmaier, Christian, Fritz, Uwe, Georgalis, Georgios L., Luján, Àngel Hernández, Miccichè, Roberto, Sineo, …
View article: How to Render Species Comparable Taxonomic Units Through Deep Time: A Case Study on Intraspecific Osteological Variability in Extant and Extinct Lacertid Lizards
How to Render Species Comparable Taxonomic Units Through Deep Time: A Case Study on Intraspecific Osteological Variability in Extant and Extinct Lacertid Lizards Open
Generally, the species is considered to be the only naturally occurring taxon. However, species recognized and defined using different species delimitation criteria cannot readily be compared, impacting studies of biodiversity through Deep…
View article: The crocodile that crossed an ocean
The crocodile that crossed an ocean Open
The study of a forgotten crocodile skull collected in Libya back in 1939 suggests that the extinct Crocodylus checchiai may be the link between the Nile and the American crocodiles. This discovery would support the hypotheses of crocodiles…
View article: A Messinian (latest Miocene) occurrence for Albanerpeton Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976 (Lissamphibia: Albanerpetontidae) at Moncucco Torinese, Piedmont Basin, northwestern Italy, and a review of the European Cenozoic record for albanerpetontids
A Messinian (latest Miocene) occurrence for Albanerpeton Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976 (Lissamphibia: Albanerpetontidae) at Moncucco Torinese, Piedmont Basin, northwestern Italy, and a review of the European Cenozoic record for albanerpetontids Open
Albanerpetontids are an extinct clade of superficially salamander-like lissamphibians that range from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian)-Early Pleistocene and have a primarily Laurasian distribution. The best Cenozoic record for the clade is …