Abstract Two main lacustrine episodes punctuated the continental evolution of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Rieti intraapennine basin (Central Apennines, Italy): the mostancient during the early Pleistocene (Case Strinati Madonnadella Torricella lake) and the more recent during the Holocene. These lacustrine episodes show different characteristics both sedimentologically and paleontologically. The Case Strinati-Madonna della Torricellalake, located in the northern sector of the basin, was a shallow saline-to-freshwater lake initially influencedby the nearby lower Pleistocene sea. The lake was formed during the second filling phase of the basin,when the subsidence rate decreased allowing deposition of fine-grained sediments. The Holocene lacustrine systemcontains at least two freshwater large lakes (Southernlake and Lago Lungo-Ripa Sottile lake), located in the south and north of the basin, respectively. They are divided by a travertine barrier (Rieti-Colarieti travertine).The setting of the Holocene lakes is strictly linked to the changes in the recent global climatic pattern.

Abstract The Bemaraha Formation preserves a unique and abundant record of dinosaur footprints, the only occurrence of this type known from Madagascar. Theropod and sauropod tracks occur in Middle Jurassic strata and form an important record from this otherwise poorly documented time interval. Here we report on 18 new tracksites, raising the total number of known localities in the Bemaraha to 31. The majority of these sites occur at the same stratigraphic level that can be traced over an area of at least 30 km 2 , which makes it one of the most laterally extensive occurrences of dinosaur tracks on record in the Southern Hemisphere. Dinosaur tracks are restricted to a few bedding surfaces representing times of sea-level lowstand within a normally marine environment. Theropod tracks are by far more abundant than sauropod tracks and typically are orientated towards the palaeocoastline. This pattern is interpreted as evidence of a short-scale migration between feeding and resting grounds. The Bemaraha Formation thus allows a rare glimpse into dinosaur behaviour in a marginal-marine environment of Jurassic age.