Skip to content

Micropaleontology Laboratory of Pisa

The laboratory is housed in the IGG Pisa headquarter

The Laboratory

Ostracods are small, mostly benthic crustaceans adapted to diverse aquatic environments. Their average size is less than 1 mm. Becouse their calcareous carapece fossilize, ostracods are widely used in stratigraphy, paleoecology, and in paleoclimatology. Ostracods have a long fossil record dating back to the Paleozoic and are well represented in marine and continental sediments. They are particularly sensitive to changes in environmental parameters. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of fossil assemblages allows for a detailed reconstruction of the depositional paleoenvironments. Sample collection, preparation, and study procedures depend on the type of sedimentary rock. Ostracods are studied using a stereomicroscope.

The Micropaleontology Laboratory at the CNR Area in Pisa.

Instruments

Sample preparation laboratory:

  • Hood for samples treatment.
  • Oven for drying residues.

Sample analysis:

  • LEITZ LABORLUX POL 12 microscope
  • SLT Series Dual OPTECH zoom stereomicroscope
  • LEICA S9D microscope
  • Photographic equipment for the microscope
Metodo di raccolta campioni per lo studio ad alta definizione dei microfossili.

Staff and Contacts

Responsable:

  • Dr. Simone Da Prato (CNR Reseracher)

Contacts:

Telefono: 050 6212388

email: simone.daprarto@cnr.it

Methods and Applications

Sampling, preparation and studying techniques use the standard methods adopted for micropaleontology and are different for the diverse kind of microfossils investigated.

  • Study of calcareous nannofossil assemblages consists in collecting tiny fragments of rock (about 3 cm3), preparing them as smear-slides and observing under optical polarizing microscope, both in cross and transmitted light, at 1250 magnification.
  • Ostracods are extracted from disaggregated rocks (about 250 g) that are washed with H2O2, dried and analysed for the picking and observation of the species through a reflected and transmitted light microscope at 100 magnification.
  • Data collected with quantitative and semi-quantitative methods prove to be a reliable and consistent dating tool, moreover allow observations on environment and climate changes.

The Micropaleontology Lab’s activity is precious for solving geological problems, in the Earth’s natural resource exploration, and for paleoclimatic studies.

Tosya Basin succession along the North Anatolia Fault Zone (Northern Turkey).
Mt. Antola Flysch in the Trebbia Valley area (Piacenza Apennine).
Sampling of the Val Luretta Flysch along Luretta Valley (Piacenza Apennine).
Tectonic contact between Acquerino and Carigiola units along Tavaiano Creek (Futa Pass, Tuscan-Emilian Apennine).

Scientific Projects and Interests

The laboratory can operate within multidisciplinary projects covering a wide variety of topics (geological, stratigraphic, hydrogeological, geotechnical, etc.).

  • 2022-2025 Official Geological Map of Italy at 1:50,000 scale (CARG Project): micropaleontological analyses, Sheet n. 274 “Empoli” (Geological Survey of Italy, ISPRA).
  • 2025 Official Geological Map of Italy at 1:50,000 scale (CARG Project): analysis of ostracod fauna in samples from deep core, Sheet n. 087 “Palmanova” (Geological Survey of Italy, ISPRA).
  • 2024 Official Geological Map of Italy at 1:50,000 scale (CARG Project): analysis of ostracod assemblages from Pliocene continental deposits, Sheet n. 286 “Poggibonsi” (Geological Survey of Italy, ISPRA).
  • 2018: Geological and geomorphological study of the Val di Fine and Volterra-Cerbaie basins, Province of Pisa (Union of Municipalities of Valdera).
Litho-, bio-, and chrono-stratigraphy of the Boeotian Flysch between Iti Mountains and Levadhia area (Central Greece). For details see Nirta et al. 2015 - The Boeotian flysch revisited: new constraints on ophiolite obduction in central Greece. Ofioliti. 40, 107-123.
Eocene biozones and biohorizons of Agnini et al. 2014 with diagnostic calcareous nannofossil species and climatic events. For details see Agnini et al. 2014 - Biozonation and biochronology of Paleogene calcareous nannofossils from low and middle latitudes. Newsletters on Stratigraphy. 47, 131-181.
Integrated high-resolution stratigraphic framework of the Palaeocene–early Eocene Contessa composite section with documented and suspected hyperthermals. For details see Coccioni et al., 2012- An integrated stratigraphic record of the Palaeocene–lower Eocene at Gubbio (Italy): new insights into the early Palaeogene hyperthermals and carbon isotope excursions. Terra Nova, 24, 380-386.
Synthetic curves for the cyclostratigraphic study of Messinian Cava Serredi section.
Idrostructural 3D model of a Versilian Plane area and idrogeology.

Publications

  • CATANZARITI R. & DA PRATO S. (2020) – New biostratigraphic and lithological data on the Neogene and Quaternary of the Livorno area (Tuscany, Central Italy). Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research in Paleontology and Stratigraphy) vol. 126(3): 725-749.