Geochemical proxies of sea surface temperature from MIS 5e marine fossils in the Taranto Gulf (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy)

Well preserved fossil specimens of Thetystrombus latus, Spondylus gaederopus, Venus verrucosa, Pinna nobilis and Cladocora caespitosa, all coming from a MIS 5e fossiliferous calcarenite outcropping along the Mar Piccolo of Taranto coastline, were analyzed for trace elements and ∂18O and ∂13C isotopic composition in the carbonates of skeletons; with the aim to estimate the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) using different published equations. The adopted methods gave close values of the mean SST, even if with wide standard deviation values: 21.6 °C and of 21.1 °C, derived respectively from the Mg/Ca ratio of P. nobilis and from the Sr/ Ca ratio of C. caespitosa; 19.6 °C derived from the of C. caespitosa growth rate; 21.0 °C derived from the ∂18O. The similarity of these mean results could indicate that a moderate warming with an average of 2.8 °C, in respect to today, is the most likely climatic scenario of the Mar Piccolo of Taranto during the MIS 5e.