Tetrapod Remains from the Ladinian (Middle Triassic) Seltrich Beds of Monte San Giorgio UNESCO Site

Paleontologists have uncovered rare tetrapod remains from the Ladinian (Middle Triassic) Sceltrich beds of Monte San Giorgio. The findings include isolated teeth and bones, revealing the presence of large to mid-sized eusauropterygians and the terrestrial tanystropheid Macrocnemus, providing the first documented evidence of reptile fauna in these strata. The research suggests that the tetrapod composition of the Sceltrich beds mirrors that of the upper Cassina beds, with taphonomic conditions likely involving disarticulation during a floating phase or prolonged residence allowing soft tissue decomposition before current removal of isolated elements.

RENESTO, S., & MAGNANI, F. (2025). TETRAPOD REMAINS FROM THE LADINIAN (MIDDLE TRIASSIC) SCELTRICH BEDS OF MONTE SAN GIORGIO UNESCO SITE. Rivista Italiana Di Paleontologia E Stratigrafia, 131(1). https://doi.org/10.54103/2039-4942/27087