Fossils from Italy

The country’s complex geology and history of marine deposition mean there are excellent fossil sites from the Triassic through to the Cretaceous and beyond.

The Altamura dinosaur quarry, in southern Italy, is a relatively recent but important site. It preserves thousands of dinosaur tracks from the Cretaceous, and although body fossils are rare, the site helps fill gaps in the understanding of dinosaur distribution in Europe.

Monte Bolca, in northern Italy, is one of the most famous fossil fish sites in the world. Dating to the Eocene, it has produced exceptionally preserved marine organisms, particularly fish, often with complete skeletons and sometimes skin impressions. The preservation is Lagerstätte-grade, and the site has been studied for centuries.

The Besano Formation, also called the Grenzbitumenzone, sits along the Swiss–Italian border and dates to the Middle Triassic. It is especially well known for its marine reptiles — including Tanystropheus, ichthyosaurs, and the peculiar Besanosaurus. The preservation here is excellent, with skeletons in fine-grained sediments.

The Moltrasio Formation consists mainly of limestone and shale and preserves marine fossils, including ammonoids, bivalves, and sometimes fish. It represents a deeper marine environment and complements the more coastal or lagoonal sites in the region.

The Rotzo Formation dates to the Jurassic. It is notable for preserving early terrestrial vertebrates and plants, including some of the earliest dinosaur-like tracks in Italy.

Pietraroja Plattenkalk, in southern Italy, is another Lagerstätte known for its fine preservation of small vertebrates. It dates to the Cretaceous and has yielded small reptiles, amphibians, fish, and even feathered dinosaur fragments. Its fossil beds are very finely laminated, allowing exceptional detail.

Italy’s fossil sites span a broad timescale and include both marine and terrestrial environments, often with excellent preservation. While not always well known outside academic circles, these localities are key to understanding European palaeontology and Mesozoic ecosystems in particular.

Italy