Evidence of brackish lagoons in the Pliocene of Irpinia (Southern Italy).

The sedimentary section outcropping in the locality S. Andrea near Montecalvo Irpino has indicated the presence of paleoenvironmental characters which are referred to as a marine basin margin evolving to the regressional phase. This succession is constituted by coastal sandy sediments which end at the top with silty-clays lagoonal sediments. The analysis of the sedimentary facies and the studied ostracod fauna allowed the definition of 4 facies assemblages (A1-A4) each of which is characteristic of different environmental conditions: upper shoreface-foreshore, coastal eolic dunes, washover fan and brackish lagoon. As far as the ostracodes are concerned, two new species are established and illustrated, Euxinocythere (Maeotocythere) nasserii n. sp. and Leptocythere lagunaris n. sp. from brackish environments.