A possible Upper Pleistocene global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP): The Fronte Section at Taranto (Italy)

The Fronte Section at Taranto (Southern Italy) show a 6,25 m thick pelitic unit characterized by lithologically homogeneous marine sediments occurring above a calcareinitic bed in which ”Senegalese fauna” and in particular Persististrombus latus occur. U-Th dating provide reliable age, consistent with the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5.5. The recently collected data evidence that the pelitic unit is continuous, and stable isotope, micropaleontological and palynological analyses suggest a long and undisturbed sedimentary interval correlating to the MIS 5.5 peak (plateau). High sedimentation rates and a successful paleomagnetic pilot study indicate the probability of locating brief chronostratigraphic events useful for correlation with both continental and marine succession elsewhere. These data show the section to be a very promising candidate in the search for the Upper Pleistocene global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP). Here we present the preliminary lithological, micropaleontological and magnetic susceptibiliy data from a multiple core drilled at the Fronte locality.