Pleistocene mammals of Sicily: integrated data from Catania and Milano palaeontological Museum collections

The Pleistocene mammal fossils of Sicily are some of the most known Quaternary faunas in Italy, especially famous because of the phenomenon of “insular dwarfism”, which led to the occurrence of dwarf mammals, such as elephants and hippos, which thrived within the island. Because of the uniqueness of these remains, during the 20th century many mammal fossils from Sicily were distributed and sold to several institutions both in Italy and abroad, including the Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano that currently houses at least 410 remains, among which the skeleton of an almost complete but disarticulated Hippopotamus pentlandi, the Sicilian dwarf hippopotamus. Through a partnership between the Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, the Università Statale degli Studi di Milano and the Università degli Studi di Catania, a new investigation concerning the mammal fossils of Sicily currently housed in the Milan museum is here proposed, by integrating the collection to the one housed within the Museo Paleontologico of the Università degli Studi di Catania employing photogrammetries captured with 3D portable laser scanners and CT-scans. A further aim of this study is to offer a new analysis and enhancement to the collection of Pleistocene fossils of Sicily belonging to the Milan museum, investigating the adaptations of the endemic extinct faunas and potential palaeopathologies. The acquired 3D models, suitable for possible future exhibitions, will implement the digital database of the Milan museum, to enhance conservation and sharing of the collections.