Strata exposed near the town of Santa Maria di Catanzaro in southern Italy is the accepted stratotype for the Calabrian Stage (earliest Pleistocene). Although a Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary has been discussed as

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occurring in the section at nearby Le Castella, the results of the present study indicate that none of the earliest Calabrian is exposed at that locality. Most of the Quaternary section exposed at Le Castella is younger than the youngest sediment exposed at Santa Maria di Catanzaro.

At Santa Maria di Catanzaro, the range of Discoaster brouweri Tan Sin Hok was found to be concurrent with the planktonic foraminiferal species Globorotalia truncatulinoides (d'Orbigny). Most of the section represents cooler water deposition.

At Le Castella, most of the exposed Quaternary sediments represent warmer water deposition (Emilian = "late warm Calabrian"), with cooler water deposition represented near the top (Sicilian). At Le Castella, the range of Discoaster brouweri Tan Sin Hok was found to be concurrent with Gephyrocapsa caribbeanica Boudreaux and Hay.

The Calabrian at Santa Maria di Catanzaro, with the presence of both Discoaster brouweri and Globorotalia truncatulinoides in section deposited in cooler water, correlates very well with the American marine Nebraskan. The Emilian at Le Castella, with the occurrence of both Discoaster brouweri and Gephyrocapsa in section deposited in warmer water, is equivalent to the American marine Aftonian.

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