The Early Pleistocene carnivoran of Coste San Giacomo (Anagni, Central Italy). Biochronological implications

Coste San Giacomo (CSG) represents a significant paleontological site to investigate the faunal and environmental changes that occurred in Mediterranean Europe during the Early Pleistocene. In this work, we described for the first time the Carnivoran assemblage. We ascribed the fossil remains to the following taxa: Ursus sp., Homotherium latidens, Canis etruscus, Pliocrocuta perrieri, Martellictis ardea and Vulpes alopecoides. Considering the value of the carnivoran taxa here identified, we discuss their particular biochronological significance, since the CSG site records the last occurrence of P. perrieri and the first occurrences of H. latidens, C. etruscus, M. ardea and V. alopecoides for the Italian Peninsula. These results will allow us to improve the data of the biochronological scheme of the Villafranchian European Land Mammal Age, recognizing the earliest dispersals and latest occurrences across Europe.