Lithophyllum stictaeforme (Areschoug) Hauck 1877- Asexual conceptacle. Mesophyllum sp. Phymatolithon calcareum (Pallas) W.H.Adey & D.L.McKibbin 1970 Neogoniolithon sp., trychocites. GEOLOGICAL SETTING Wide marine terraces are preserved in the area of the Crotone peninsula, Ionian Calabria, southern Italy (Figs. 1-2)(Zecchin et al., 2004; Nalin et al., 2006, 2009). The deposits are up to 10 m thick and consist of mixed carbonate and siliciclastic sediments, in which coralligenous build-ups and other red algal facies are dominant. The two youngest marine terraces are related to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and 5.1 (Gliozzi, 1987; Belluomini et al., 1988; Palmentola et al., 1990; Mauz & Hassler, 2000; Zecchin et al., 2004). The MIS 3 terrace outcrops in the area of Le Castella, S of Isola di Capo Rizzuto village, whereas the MIS 5.1 is located along the Capo Colonna cape, in the NE sector of the peninsula (Fig. 2) The Pleistocene coralligenous build-ups of Le Castella and Capo Colonna terraces (Calabria, Southern Italy). V. A. BRACCHI 1 , D. BASSO 1 , R. NALIN 2 & F. MASSARI 3 1 University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy; 2 Loma Linda University, USA; 3 University of Padova, Italy. Corresponding author V. A. BRACCHI: v.bracchi@campus.unimib.it INTRODUCTION Autochthonous coralligenous build-ups mainly formed by encrusting coralline algae, currently develop on Mediterranean hard and soft bottoms with a patchy distribution along the coast. However, few fossil examples have been described in the literature and their evolution in the context of a stratigraphic cycle has seldom been modelled in detail (Basso et al., 2007; Titschack et al., 2008). The algal reef characterizes the lower interval of all the stratigraphic sections (Fig. 3). In particular 4 main algal build-ups have been recognized on the basis of the studied sections. The build-ups range between 1 and 3 m thick, with lateral continuity of several meters (10 m), forming continuous banks. Subordinatelely.. ..and Mesophyllum expansum (Philippi) Cabioch & Mendoza 2003 Mesophyllum sp., Phymatolithon sp., Lithophyllum sp., Titanoderma sp., Amphiroa sp. MATERIALS AND METHODS 11 stratigraphic sections in both terraces have been measured and sampled. 120 thin sections have been prepared for red algae identification and to measure the diagnostic anatomical microfeatures of the algal thalli for statistical analysis. Sandstone and grainstone associated to build-ups have been disgregated in order to separate particles in a conservative way and conduct paleontological analysis of the algal fragments forming the sediment. This facies is characterized by a crustose red algae-dominated structure. The framework is dense, compact and shows a leafy fabric, usually with high frequency of algal crusts, in which a patchwork of corallines occurs, with plant overgrowing or being overgrown by neighbours. Titanoderma pustulatum (J.V.Lamouroux) Nägeli in Nägeli & Cramer 1858 Often encrusting other algae or shell fragments. Mesophyllum alternans (Foslie) Cabioch & Mendoza 1998 Asexual conceptacles into the perithallus of M. alternans crusts. Dominant red algae species: The deposits of Capo colonna marine terrace are characterized by algal build-ups growing over the basal conglomerate or, alternatively, over the hardground forming at the top of packstone, or over rhodoliths beds (Fig. 6). Moreover, prâlines rhodoliths and maërl bed also occur at Capo Colonna. Red algal reef Rhodoliths and maërl beds Separate algal build-ups, 1-3 m thick and 4 m long, and algal reef banks, 4 m thick and more than 40 m long. The algal bioconstruction shows a leafy growth structure. Throughout the algal reef facies, the red algal assemblage is dominated by: M. alternans , Lithophyllum sp. , P. calcareum and M. expansum. Branching rhodoliths are present sparsely into the packstone in sections CC5d and CC6. These rhodoliths are formed primarily by M. alternans and T. pustulatum. The nucleus of rhodoliths is characterized by fragments, both part of older bioconstructed bodies, and siliciclastic cobbles. Abraded branching rhodoliths are present also in section CC11, at the base of the algal build-up. These rhodoliths are completely integrated into the above bioconstruction and are formed mostly by Lithothamnion sp. Section 11 shows a well developed maërl bed (40 cm thick). The branches are at maximum 2 cm long, and 0,5 mm thick. A fine matrix lithified the branches. Maërl is formed by Lithothamnion corallioides (P.L.Crouan & H.M.Crouan) P.L.Crouan & H.M.Crouan 1867, Lithothamnion sp., Lithophyllum sp. and Phymatolithon sp. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The two most recent warm Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stages have been both characterized by a well developed and active carbonate factory in the area of Isola di Capo Rizzuto. Calcareous red algae represents the most important carbonate producer, showing a high floral biodiversity able to produce different facies within the deposits. Le Castella marine terrace deposits are characterized by algal build-ups developed in shallow water (15-30 m) and dominated by M. alternans and T. pustulatum. Capo Colonna marine terrace deposits are more heterogeneous, showing both algal build- ups and banks, dominated by M. alternans, P. calcareum and M. expansum. The prâlines facies as well as maërl bed are typically circalittoral in the present-day Mediterranean. Prâlines are formed by M. alternans, T. pustulatum and Lithothamnion sp.; maërl is dominated by L. corallioides , Phymatolithon sp. and Lithothamnion sp. Further analyses on coralline algae and other biogenic producers are in progress in order to describe the major features of these Pleistocene carbonate factories. REFERENCES Basso D., Nalin R., Massari F., 2007. - Genesis and composition of the Pleistocene Coralligène de plateau of the Cutro Terrace (Calabria, southern Italy). N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh. 244/2: 73–182 Belluomini G., Gliozzi E., Ruggieri G., Branca M., Delitala L., 1987. – First dates on the terraces of the Crotone Peninsula (Calabria, Southern Italy). Boll. Soc. Geol. It. 7:249-254. Gliozzi E., 1987. I terrazzi marini del Pleistocene superioro della penisola di Crotone (Calabria). Geologica Romana 26:17-79. Mauz B., Hassler U., 2000. - Luminescence chronology 0f Late Pleistocene raised beaches on southern Italy: new data on relative sea-level changes. Marine Geology 170: 187-203. Nalin R., 2006. – Marine terraces of the Crotone Peninsula (Calabria) and insights into red-algal deposits from central Mediterranean and New Zealand. Ph.D. unpublished thesis, XVIII cycle, Università degli studi di Padova, Dipartimento di Geologia, Paleontologia e Geofisica. Nalin R., Basso D., Massari F., 2006. - Pleistocene coralline algal build-ups (coralligène du plateau) and associated bioclastic deposits in the sedimentary cover of Cutro marine terrace (Calabria, southern Italy). In: Pedley H.M. and Carannante G. (eds.), Cool-Water Carbonates: Depositional System and Palaeoenvironmental Controls, Geological Society, London, Special Publications 255:11-22. Palmentola G., Carobene L., Mastronuzzi G., Sanso P., 1990. I Terrazzi marini pleistocenici della penisola di Crotone (Calabria). Geog. Fis. Din. Quat. 13:75-80. Titschack J., Nelson C.S., Beck T., Freiwald A. & Radtke U. (2008) Sedimentary evolution of a late Pleistocene temperate red algal reef (Coralligène) on Rhodes, Greece: correlation with global sea-level fluctuation. Sedimentology, 55: 1747-1776. Zecchin M., Nalin R., Roda C., 2004b. – Raised Pleistocene marine terraces of the Crotone peninsula (Calabria, southern Italy): facies analysis and organization of their deposits. Sedimentary geology 172:165-185. Fig. 2:Redigitalized geological map of Crotone peninsula from Palmentola et al. (1990) and Zecchin et al. (2004). Fig. 1: Map of Calabria region Thin section of L. corallioides free branch Fig. 3: Topographic map of Le Castella village and schemes of the studied stratigraphic sections. Fig. 4: Pictures of section 2, samples Lca5, thin section and details with identified algae species. Fig. 5: Pictures of section 9, samples Lca27 and 29, thin section and details with identified algae species. Fig. 6: Topographic map of Capo Colonna peninsula and schemes of the studied stratigraphic sections.