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.

The paleontological site of Moncucco Torinese is one of the few Upper Miocene sites in mainland Italy with mixed assemblages of vertebrates and invertebrates. The site provides a rich paleontological assemblage with the remains of molluschs, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The sedimentary deposits (Formation of Cassano Spinola conglomerates) are part of the fan-delta alluvial deposits facing the “Lake-sea” basin resulting from the post-evaporative stages of the Messianic period at the southern edge of the “Tertiary Piemonte Basin”. The 2013 excavation was undertaken by hand and recovered numerous moderately sized fossil remains. Large quantities of sediment were removed: a first selection of productive sediments was made _in situ_; these were completely removed and transferred to the laboratory where they were wet sieved with 10, 2, and 0.87 mm mesh. The residue was then picked over in order to recover the minute fossil remains. Overall 300 sacks of sediment weighing a total of 6,000 kg, c. 4 m3, were removed. The fossils are currently being studied at Turin University in collaboration with the Universities of Florence and Rome, Vienna Natural History Museum and the Catalan Institute of Paleontology in Barcelona. Including the fossils collected in 2012, the following species were identified: 10 species of saltwater molluscs and over 40 species of land and freshwater molluscs; hundreds of amphibian remains, lizards, snakes; fossils of at least 6 bird species (Phasianidae, Columbidae, Strigidae), including a carpal-metacarpal from a _Palaeortyx_ of an unpublished species; thousands of micro-mammal bone remains from insectivores (e.g, _Schizogaleris_ ), lagomorphs ( _Prolagus sorbinii_ and Leporidae), muridae (e.g., _Centralomys benericettii_, _Apodemus_ pl. spp.), gliridae (e.g. _Glis minor_); numerous skeletal elements from macro-mammals with primates (_Macaca_ and _ Mesopithecus_), perissodactyla (_Tapirus_, _Stephanorhinus_), and artiodactyla (cervidae and bovidae). Other important aspects regard the correlation and comparison of population with similar paleontological sites in other parts of the Italian peninsular. Among these the main parallel can be drawn with the deposit of Brisighella in Romagna: the association with mammals is very similar and the compendium of the two localities provides an overall picture of the fauna and mammals of the Upper Miocene period, not only in Italy, but the northern edge of the Mediterranean basin in general. Comparisons with coeval associations from the Gargano are more complex as they present predominantly endemic species limited by its insularity. However, the presence of muridae of the _Apodemus_ genus seems to guarantee a direct link.