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Benthic foraminifera from seep carbonates and from enclosing non-seep marls present within Miocene formations in the Northern Apennines (Italy) were investigated as proxies of methane seepage in the marine environment. Negative δ¹³C values of benthic foraminifera from these seeps indicate unambiguously the local influence of CO₂ produced by microbial anaerobic methane oxidation on the benthic ecosystem. Calcareous species living within methane seeps display δ¹³C values ranging from −9.04 to −25.74‰ PDB, whereas in the coeval surrounding marls the same species display δ¹³C values from −1.54 to 0.62‰ PDB. Different species (Cibicidoides kullenbergi, C. pachyderma, Siphonina rethiculata, Planulina wuellestorfi, Bolivina miocenica, Brizalina dilatata, Vulvulina pennatula, and Cibicides praecinctus) in different seep carbonates indicate that benthic foraminifera, independently of the taxa and of …