Middle Triassic gastropods from the Besano Formation of Monte San Giorgio, Switzerland

AbstractFor the first time gastropods from the Besano Formation (Anisian/Ladinian boundary) are documented. The material was collected from three different outcrops at Monte San Giorgio (Southern Alps, Ticino, Switzerland). The taxa here described are Worthenia (Humiliworthenia)? aff. microstriata, Frederikella cf. cancellata, ?Trachynerita sp., ?Omphaloptycha sp. 1 and ?Omphaloptycha sp. 2. They represent the best preserved specimens of a larger collection and document the presence in this formation of the clades Vetigastropoda, Neritimorpha and Caenogastropoda that were widespread on the Alpine Triassic carbonate platforms. True benthic molluscs are very rarely documented in the Besano Formation, which is interpreted as intra-platform basin sediments deposited in usually anoxic condition. Small and juvenile gastropods could have been lived as pseudoplankton attached to floating algae or as free-swimming veliger planktotrophic larval stages. Accumulations of larval specimens suggest unfavorable living conditions with prevailing disturbance in the planktic realm or mass mortality events. However, larger gastropods more probably were washed in with sediments disturbed by slumping and turbidite currents along the basin edge or storm activity across the platform of the time equivalent Middle San Salvatore Dolomite

MIDDLE TRIASSIC ECHINODERMS FROM THE SAN SALVATORE FORMATION OF LOMBARDY (ITALY) AND CANTON TICINO (SWITZERLAND)

An echinoderm fauna from the San Salvatore Formation (Middle Triassic, Southern Alps) is here  described in detail for the first time. Identifiable crinoids and echinoids were collected from three different localities: Mt. San Salvatore (Ticino, Switzerland), Rasa di Varese and San Michele (Lombardy, Italy). Crinoid taxa include Encrinus cf. aculeatus, Holocrinus sp. indet., Zardinicrinus cf. granulosus, Encrinidae gen. et sp. indet. Echinoid taxa include “Cidaris” cf. roemeri, Serpianotiaris sp. indet., Triadocidaris transversa, Triadocidaris sp. indet., and an indetermined form (Cidaridae). Most of the material was collected from Rasa di Varese, along with a rich upper Anisian ammonoid and conodont fauna, belonging to the upper Reitzi Zone and the Secedensis Zone. Migration of crinoids have been documented during the upper Anisian (from upper Pelsonian to lower Illyrian), mainly from the westernmost Tethyan Realm northward to the Germanic basin. Crinoid taxa already reported in the lower and upper Illyrian of the Germanic basin have also been collected, dated here to the late Illyrian (upper Reitzi Z.-Secedensis Z.) suggesting that several taxa migrated southwards in the Tethys realm during the late Illyrian

A registry for Dravet syndrome: The Italian experience

Objectives: We describe the Residras registry, dedicated to Dravet syndrome (DS) and to other phenotypes related to SCN1A mutations, as a paradigm of registry for rare and complex epilepsies. Our primary objectives are to present the tools and framework of the integrative platform, the main characteristics emerging from the patient cohort included in the registry, with emphasis on demographic, clinical outcome, and mortality. / Methods: Standardized data of enrolled pediatric and adult patients were collected in 24 Italian expert centers and regularly updated at least on a yearly basis. Patients were prospectively enrolled, at registry starting, but historical retrospective data were also included. / Results: At present, 281 individuals with DS and a confirmed SCN1A mutation are included. Most patients have data available on epilepsy (n = 263) and their overall neurological condition (n = 255), based on at least one follow-up update. Median age at first clinical assessment was 2 years (IQR 0–9) while at last follow-up was 11 years (IQR 5–18.5). During the 7-year activity of the registry, five patients died resulting in a mortality rate of 1.84 per 1000-person-years. When analyzing clinical changes over the first 5-year follow-up, we observed a significant difference in cognitive function (P < 0.001), an increased prevalence of behavioral disorders including attention deficit (P < 0.001), a significant worsening of language (P = 0.001), and intellectual disability (P < 0.001). / Significance: The Residras registry represents a large collection of standardized national data for the DS population. The registry platform relies on a shareable and interoperable framework, which promotes multicenter high-quality data collection. In the future, such integrated platform may represent an invaluable asset for easing access to cohorts of patients that may benefit from clinical trials with emerging novel therapies, for drug safety monitoring, and for delineating natural history. Its framework makes it improvable based on growing experience with its use and easily adaptable to other rare and complex epilepsy syndromes

The first Cyclida from the Triassic of Italy

Abstract A well-preserved carapace of the crustacean Halicyne is here described. The finding comes from the Sostegno Basin (Piedmont, Italy). This is the first occurrence of a well-preserved arthropod from the Middle Triassic San Salvatore Formation of the Biellese area and the first report of a Triassic Cyclida from Italy. Cyclida often occurs in shallow marine environments with rapidly changing salinity conditions. The finding from the Sostegno area suggests a hypersaline paleoenvironment similar to that of Monte San Salvatore (Ticino, Switzerland) upper levels, where the same taxon was previously documented. These fossiliferous localities are shortly compared with that of Rasa di Varese (Lombardy, Italy)

A new caenogastropod genus from the upper Rhaetian of Lombardy: palaeobiogeographical history and implications for the Early Jurassic gastropod recovery

A new gastropod genus and its type species, namely Ederazyga fanchini gen. et sp. nov., are described from the upper Rhaetian deposits of Lombardy (northern Italy) and tentatively placed into the family Zygopleuridae. The first appearance of Ederazyga is recorded in the lower Carnian deposits of Southern Alps and the stratigraphical distribution of the genus ends almost at the Triassic/Jurassic boundary. Its occurrence in Norian beds of the Nayband Basin (central Iran) suggests an eastward extension of the distribution during that time. Ederazyga is probably one of the Alpine gastropod taxa appearing in this area after the formation of the basin. The genus is possibly related to a group of Early Jurassic, medium to large Zygopleura-like species that are well represented in the Sinemurian and Pliensbachian carbonate platform deposits of the Mediterranean region and in the Hettangian to Pliensbachian successions of the European epicontinental shelf. This group shows an apparent species radiation in these areas testifying to the gastropod recovery following the Late Triassic decline in biodiversity. Ederazyga fanchini is shown to be congeneric with Cerithium? lateplicatum Klipstein, 1843, which is the type species of Camponaxis Bandel, 1995. The definition and diagnosis of Camponaxis was based on specimens that are clearly different, at generic and higher taxonomic levels, from the holotype of C.? lateplicatum. They belong to a distinct species here named Camponaxis bandeli sp. nov. Several species have been subsequently ascribed to Camponaxis following its original diagnosis. Therefore, we invoke ICZN Art. 70.3.2 in order to preserve the unambiguous identity of the genus and to ensure its nomenclatural stability. Camponaxis bandeli is fixed as the new type species for Camponaxis and C.? lateplicatum is here assigned to Ederazyga

RASATOMARIA GENTILII GEN. N. SP. N. - A NEW MIDDLE TRIASSIC PLEUROTOMARIOID GASTROPOD GENUS AND SPECIES FROM RASA DI VARESE (SAN SALVATORE FORMATION, SOUTHERN ALPS)

A new Middle Triassic (Uppermost Anisian, Illyrian) gastropod genus and species, Rasatomaria gentilii gen. n. sp. n. , is described from the San Salvatore Formation from Rasa, an outer district of the town Varese (Lombardy, Italy). The studied specimens come from a diverse benthic marine assemblage, which is dominated by gastropods and bivalves. Based on ammonoids, this assemblage belongs to the Nevadites secedensis Zone. The new gastropod taxon is very low-spired, widely phaneromphalous, has a selenizone slightly above the periphery of the whorls and a dominant spiral ornament. It belongs to the superfamily Pleurotomarioidea and its knowledge improves our understanding of the Middle and Late Triassic radiation of this group

La Collezione Tommasi dei fossili della “Lumachella di Ghegna” (Roncobello, Val Brembana, BG) conservata nel Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Pavia, ed altre collezioni triassiche

Annibale Tommasi si occupò principalmente delle faune a invertebrati marini del Triassico alpino. Una di queste, di notevole importanza paleontologica e stratigrafica, è la fauna della “Lumachella di Ghegna” rinvenuta nella Pineta di Ghegna presso Roncobello, in Val Brembana (Bergamo). La “Lumachella di Ghegna” è una facies particolare della base del Calcare di Esino (Triassico Medio). Tale facies viene attribuita, almeno in parte, al limite Anisico/Ladinico grazie alla presenza di alcuni ammonoidi di sicuro valore stratigrafico. Su questa fauna Tommasi pubblicò un importante lavoro, diviso in due parti: la prima (1911b) dedicata ai brachiopodi, bivalvi, alghe e coralli; la seconda (1913) dedicata ai gasteropodi, cefalopodi e scafopodi. Viene inoltre resa nota la presenza di altre collezioni triassiche pubblicate da Tommasi formate da materiali provenienti dalle seguenti località lombarde: Rasa di Varese (VA), Varenna (LC), Valle del Dezzo (Orobie), Valsecca presso Roncobello (BG), da siti tipici per la formazione della Dolomia Principale compresi nelle province di Bergamo e Brescia, e da altre località italiane: Monte Clapsavon (Alpi Carniche), Marmolada (Dolomiti)