▁of ▁the ▁Ap enn ine ▁Platform , ▁which ▁piece ▁possibly ▁formed ▁a ▁small ▁island ▁between ▁the ▁present ▁middle ▁of ▁Italy ▁and ▁Tun is ia . ▁From ▁this ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁concluded ▁that ▁the ▁habitat ▁of ▁Sci p iony x ▁in ▁general ▁consisted ▁of ▁small ▁islands ▁and ▁it ▁represented ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁larger ▁animals ▁of ▁its ▁e cos ystem . ▁ ▁However , ▁there ▁are ▁also ▁indic ations ▁that ▁the ▁ter ran es ▁regularly ▁inter connected ▁to ▁form ▁far ▁more ▁extensive ▁islands , ▁land ▁brid ges ▁allowing ▁a ▁dispers al ▁of ▁much ▁larger ▁animals , ▁such ▁as ▁sau rop ods ▁and ▁large ▁ther op ods . ▁If ▁so , ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁present ▁for ▁long ▁when ▁the ▁land ▁surface ▁fragment ed ▁again , ▁because ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁signs ▁of ▁ins ular ▁d war f ism , ▁a ▁size ▁reduction ▁as ▁an ▁adaptation ▁to ▁decre ased ▁resources . ▁Like wise , ▁Sci p iony x ▁itself ▁is ▁no ▁d war f ▁among ▁its ▁relatives . ▁Due ▁to ▁its ▁small ▁absolute ▁size , ▁Sci p iony x ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁maintain ▁itself ▁when ▁the ▁dry ▁land ▁sh rank . ▁Nevertheless , ▁Dal ▁S asso ▁& ▁Mag anu co ▁did ▁not ▁consider ▁Sci p iony x ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁permanent ▁resident ▁of ▁small ▁islands ▁throughout ▁tens ▁of ▁millions ▁of ▁years , ▁but ▁more ▁likely ▁a ▁recent ▁imm igr ant ▁arriv ing ▁during ▁a ▁dispers al ▁wave , ▁probably ▁from ▁North - A frica . ▁They ▁admitted ▁this ▁was ▁at ▁odd s ▁with ▁their ▁own