The Upper Messinian paleontological site of Moncucco Torinese, provides a wealth of paleontological assemblages comprising the remains of ostracods, land and freshwater molluscs, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

The lithological sequence of Moncucco shows the transformation from saltwater environments to continental environments. The sedimentary deposits relate to the phases of fluvial deposit and of alluvial plain (Formation of the Cassano Spinola conglomerates) characterising the post-evaporative stages of the final Miocene on the southern edge of the “Piedmont Tertiary Basin”.

Moncucco is one of the few late Miocene paleontological sites in peninsular Italy with mixed assemblages of vertebrates and invertebrates. To date the following taxa have been identified: 10 species of saltwater molluscs and tens of unidentified land molluscs; hundreds of of amphibian, lizard, and snake remains(mainly vertebra and post-cranial elements); 6 species of birds (_Phasianidae, Columbidae, Strigidae_), including a carpal-metacarpal of a Palaeortyx belonging to a taxon that has yet to be described in literature; a very high number of micro-mammal remains from diverse systematic groups such as insectivores (e.g. Schizogaleris), lagomorphs (_Prolagus sorbinii and Leporidae_), muridae (e.g. Centralomys benericettii, Apodemus pl._ spp.), gliridae (e.g., Glir minor); sporadic remains of macro-mammals relating to primates (_Mesopithecus_), odd-toed ungulates (_Tapirus, Stephanorhinus_), and even-toed ungulates (deer and cattle).

The assemblage with mammals invests the late Micene site of Moncucco with a particular importance within the southern European paleo-biogeographic picture as it is situated in an intermediate position between the western and eastern European provinces and therefore assumes a role of a communication point in the migrant and population routes across continental Europe.

Other important aspects regard the correlation and comparison of population on equivalent paleontological sites along the Italian peninsula. The most significant parallel can be drawn with the Brisighella deposit in Romagna. Here the assemblage of mammals is very similar and the compendium of the two sites provides a general picture of mammals in the Upper Miocene, not only for Italy but also for the northern edge of the Mediterranean basin in general. Comparison with coeval associations on the Gargano is more complicated as here there is a dominance of endemic taxa limited by conditions of insularity. However, the presence of muridae of the Apodemus genus seems to guarantee a direct correlation.