Late Pleistocene mammals from «Grotta Parignana» (Monte Pisano, Italy): Biochronological implications

The classification of the fossil mammalian remains from «Grotta Parignana» is updated. Of the many taxa represented in the sample, some have never before been reported. These include Felis silvestris and Cricetus sp. Basic information allowed to assess the minimum number of individuals and to make assumptions on the environmental conditions under which the fauna lived. The study permits to hypothesize the occurrence of two faunal assemblages (Parignana A and B). A comparison of the Parignana fauna with several other past mammal associations from central Italy indicates that it should be dated to an interval spanning the end of the MIS 5a or the beginning of MIS 4 (Parignana A) and the MIS 3 (Parignana B).