Among the various superlatives that apply to Mount Etna is the enormous quantity of eruptive centers on its flanks, which occur as cones, craters, and fissure vents. No less than 319 individual flank cones on Etna's flanks were identified by Mazzarini and Armienti (2001), occurring between 475 and 2990 m elevation. These do not include the new cones formed during the 2001 and 2002-2003 eruptions - three large (>100 m tall) and four smaller (a few tens of meters tall; one of these, formed in 2001, has been buried by pyroclastics of the 2002-2003 eruption) as well as about 40 smaller vents ranging in size from a few meters and sometimes crowning hornitos, to tens of meters wide but lacking significant pyroclastic edifices.
Flank cones occur on all sides of Etna but their concentrations vary strongly from one area to another. Three sectors are particularly rich in such cones, namely the middle to lower southern to southeastern sector, the middle western flank, and the northeastern flank, including the Northeast Rift. It seems that larger cones tend to occur in the lower portions of these areas whereas higher upslope smaller cones, hornitos or craters without cones are more common. The large cones formed during the 2001 and 2002-2003 eruptions are a notable exception for they formed above 2500 m altitude, where until then flank cones had been extremely rare - only a single significant older cone, Monte Frumento Supino, on the upper southern flank, lies at about 2850 m elevation.
A peculiar feature of these eruptive centers on the flanks is that each erupts only one single time during its lifetime. This is due to the fact that none of them is fed by a long-lived conduit (differently from the summit craters, whose conduits are permanently supplied with magma). They form during instantaneous intrusive events that end when magma supply ceases. On the other hand, new eruptions may occur by coincidence at the site of a previously existing cone, once a new dike intrudes in that site, but this is not a reactivation of the conduit that once fed the old cone. A rare case of this type occurred in 1923 when a short eruptive fissure opened across the lower portion of the huge pyroclastic cone of Monte Nero, on the Northeast Rift, and formed during an eruption in 1646-1647. Equally, the enormous Monti Rossi cone of the 1669 eruption was built up on the side of an older, much smaller cone, of which now only about one half is protruding from the flank of the Monti Rossi.
The main physical parameters (base and summit elevation, basal diameter and age) of the 170 most conspicuous of Etna's flank cones, craters and eruptive fissures are shown in the table that follows. The cones are listed starting arbitrarily from the western flank, and going clockwise around the mountain. Historically active cones are shown in red font. By clicking on the name of a cone, you may see photos and read some background information. Morphological parameters as cone height, summit elevation and geographical coordinates (given in the respective files) are derived from 1999 GIS-based topography.

CONE #	NAME	SECTOR	BASE ELEV*	SUMMIT ELEV**	BASE DIAMETER**	AGE and COMMENTS
1	Monte Barca	W	ca 650 m	758 m	0.4 x 0.65 km	Holocene
2	Monte Paparìa	W	ca 930 m	1005 m	0.33 x 0.46 km	early Holocene (?), mostly buried
3	Casa Incognito	W	ca 1090 m	1171 m	0.46 x 0.55 km	early Holocene (?), partially buried
4	Monte Ruvolo	W	ca 1230 m	1413 m	0.79 x 0.83 km	youthful (<5000 years?)
5	Monti Tre Frati I	W	1290 m	1386 m	0.37 x 0.44 km	Holocene
6	Monti Tre Frati II	W	1325 m	1374 m	0.24 x 0.26 km	Holocene
7	Monte Nuovo	W	1590 m	1674 m	0.33 x 0.34 km	Feb-Mar 1763
8	Monte Di Fiore I	W	ca. 1650 m	1730 m	0.35 x 0.51 km	Jan-Feb 1974
9	Monte Di Fiore II	W	1640 m	1688 m	0.18 x 0.23 km	March 1974
10	Monte Mezza Luna	W	1700 m	1755 m	0.21 x 0.22 km	"Feb-Mar 1763" but different event from Monte Nuovo (# 7) eruption, date unknown
11	Monte Rosso	W	1720 m	1878 m	0.57 x 0.68 km	Holocene
12	Monte Capre	W	1780 m	1883 m	0.42 x 0.69 km	Holocene; two craters
13	Nameless NE M. Capre	W	1840 m	1871 m	0.23 x n.d. km	early Holocene (?), mostly buried
14	Monte Fornello	W	1890 m	1935 m	0.24 x 0.28 km	early Holocene (?), partially buried
15	Nameless WSW M. Palestra	W	1925 m	1942 m	0.19 x 0.24 km	Holocene
16	Monte Palestra	W	1930 m	2033 m	0.29 x 0.39 km	Holocene
17	1843 eruptive fissure	W	ca 1850 m	2037 m	1.06 km	November 1843, numerous vents
18	1832 eruptive fissure	W	ca 1780 m	1962 m	0.4 km	October 1832, at least 4 vents
19	Monte Nunziata	W	ca 1700 m	1811 m	0.49 x 0.5 km	October 1832, several subsidiary vents on E flank
20	Monte Lepre	WNW	1440 m	1632 m	0.73 x 0.74 km	youthful (<5000 years?)
21	Monte Arso	WNW	1440 m	1515 m	0.28 x 0.39 km	youthful (<5000 years?)
22	Monte Egitto	WNW	1545 m	1611 m	0.23 x 0.33 km	Holocene
23	Nameless SE M. Scavo	NW	ca 1740 m	1840 m	0.26 x 0.4 km	Holocene
24	Monte Scavo	NW	ca 1710 m	1801 m	0.37 x 0.38 km	Holocene
25	Monte Maletto	NW	ca 1550 m	1771 m	0.69 x 0.86 km	Holocene
26	Monte Pomarazzo	NW	1210 m	1252 m	0.19 x 0.22 km	early Holocene (?), partially buried
27	Monte Piluso	NNW	ca 1300 m	1358 m	0.31 x 0.32 km	early Holocene (?), mostly buried
28	Monte Spagnolo (W)	NNW	ca 1400 m	1536 m	0.54 x 0.6 km	Holocene; subsidiary crater on NE flank
29	Monte Spagnolo (E)	NNW	ca 1430 m	1519 m	0.38 x 0.47	Holocene; subsidiary crater on E flank
30	Monte S. Maria	N	ca 1530 m	1632 m	0.32 x 0.42 km	Holocene
31	Nameless S M. S. Maria	N	1610 m	1639 m	0.18 x 0.19 km	Holocene (same as M. S. Maria)
32	Monte Moio	N	560 m	703 m	0.74 x 0.94 km	Holocene; this is the only cone of Etna that lies outside the province of Catania
33	Nameless ca 0.7 km S M. Pizillo	NNE	2415 m	2430 m	0.1 x 0.11 km	Historic but date unknown
34	1809 eruptive fissure	NNE	ca 2300 m	2390 m	0.86 km	1809; about 10 main vents
35	Monte Pizzillo	NNE	ca 2330 m	2413 m	0.35 x 0.47 km	Holocene, strongly faulted
36	1879 explosive vent I	NNE	ca 2350 m	ca 2380 m	0.14 x 0.17 km	May-June 1879
37	1879 explosive vent II	NNE	ca 2290 m	2335 m	0.25 x 0.36 km	May-June 1879
38	Monte Corbara SW	NNE	ca 2230 m	2272 m	0.28 x 0.31 km	Holocene
39	Monte Corbara NE	NNE	ca 2200 m	2272 m	0.24 x 0.27 km	Holocene
40	"Crateri Umberto e Margherita (1879)"	NNE	ca 2120 m	2159 m	0.19 x 0.29 km	Holocene; clearly older than the 1879 eruption
41	Monte Cacciatore I	NNE	ca 2220 m	ca 2230 m	0.13 x 0.18 km	Holocene; cone almost absent
42	Monte Cacciatore II	NNE	ca 2180 m	2186 m	0.12 x 0.16 km	Holocene; cone almost absent
43	Monte Cacciatore III	NNE	2130 m	ca 2170 m	0.18 x 0.23 km	Holocene; cone almost absent
44	Monte Timparossa	NNE	ca. 1920 m	2093 m	0.52 x 0.56 km	very early Holocene or older
45	Monte Ponte di Ferro	NNE	ca 1990 m	2017 m	0.2 x 0.3 km	1646-1647; two main vents
46	Monte Nero	NNE	ca 1850 m	2055 m	0.55 x 0.56 km	1646-1647
47	1923 cone SW M. Nero	NNE	ca 1980 m	1990 m	0.058 x 0.06 km	June-July 1923
48	1923 fissure E M. Nero	NNE	ca 1860 m	ca 1900 m	0.58 km	June-July 1923
49	Monte Rosso	NNE	ca 1600 m	1758 m	0.44 x 0.47 km	Holocene
50	Monte Dolce	NNE	ca 770 m	861 m	0.34 x 0.42 km	Holocene, partially buried
51	Monte Tanaurpi	NNE	ca 1850 m	1926 m	0.3 x 0.62 km	early (?) Holocene; two craters
52	Monte Conca	NNE	ca 1810 m	1864 m	0.28 x 0.36 km	early (?) Holocene; partially buried
53	Monte Nero delle Concazze	NNE	ca 2100 m	2191 m	0.26 x 0.31 km	Holocene
54	Monte Corvo	NE	ca 1750 m	1865 m	0.32 x 0.51 km	early Holocene, strongly eroded
55	Monte Baracca	NE	ca 1680 m	1755 m	0.33 x 0.47 km	Holocene
56	Monte Santo	NE	ca 630 m	706 m	0.41 x 0.61 km	Holocene
57	Monte Pomiciaro	NE	ca 580 m	650 m	0.35 x 0.5 km	Holocene
58	Monti Conconi	NE	ca 1700 m	1802 m	0.32 x 0.35 km	Holocene
59	Monte Zappinazzo	NE	ca 1800 m	1907 m	0.32 x 0.52 km	Holocene; several craters
60	I Due Monti I	NE	ca 1600 m	1657 m	0.32 x 0.33 km	Holocene
61	I Due Monti II	NE	ca 1550 m	1636 m	0.4 x 0.41 km	Holocene
62	Monte Frumento delle Concazze	ENE	ca 1800 m	2151 m	0.86 x 0.89 km	Holocene
63	Monti Sartorius	ENE	ca 1650 m	ca 1770 m	1.27 km	January-June 1865; about 20 distinct vents
64	Monte Concazza	ENE	ca 1670 m	1745 m	0.26 x 0.37 km	Holocene
65	Nameless NE M. Concazza	ENE	ca 1650 m	ca 1670 m	0.15 x 0.25 km	Holocene; two small craters
66	Upper 1928 fissure	ENE	ca 2070 m	ca 2300 m	0.73 km	November 1928; partially coincides with 1979 fissure
67	Nameless NW M. Rinatu	E	ca 1600 m	1700 m	0.24 x 0.27 km	early Holocene (?), strongly eroded
68	Monte Rinatu	E	ca 1530 m	ca 1630 m	0.45 x 0.46 km	Holocene
69	Monte Simone	E (VdB)	1980 m	2086 m	0.38 x 0.46 km	1811-1812
70	Monte Rittmann	E (VdB)	ca 2300 m	ca 2360 m	0.24 x 0.3 km	October 1986-February 1987
71	Monte Lepre	E (VdB)	ca 1850 m	ca 1950 m	0.232 x 0.32 km	Holocene
72	Monti Centenari	ESE (VdB)	ca 1750 m	1806 m	0.34 x 0.46 km	1852-1853
73	Monte Serra	SE	ca 440 m	559 m	0.53 x 0.62 km	possibly Roman age (ca 2000 BP)
74	Nameless cone at Trecastagni	SE	ca 580 m	624 m	0.31 x 0.45 km	unknown; occupied by Trecastagni village
75	Monte Troina	SE	ca 530 m	636 m	0.45 x 0.73 km	early Holocene
76	Nameless vent at Pedara	SE	ca 620 m	nd	nd	unknown; occupied by Pedara village
77	Tre Monti south	SE	ca 660 m	726 m	0.32 x 0.38 km	Holocene, occupied by "Villaggio Tre Monti"
78	Tre Monti west	SE	ca 690 m	749 m	0.32 x 0.37 km	Holocene, crater rim partly removed for construction work
79	Tre Monti north	SE	ca 670 m	756 m	0.37 x 0.39 km	Holocene
80	Nameless cones W M. S. Nicolò	SE	ca 600 m	678 m	0.26 x 0.72 km	Holocene; several N-S aligned vents
81	Monte S. Nicolò	SE	550 m	683 m	0.46 x 0.5 km	early (?) Holocene
82	Monte Gorna	SE	ca 600 m	851 m	0.7 x 0.8 km	youthful (<5000 years)
83	Monte Caterratte	SE	ca 550 m	643 m	0.37 x 0.42 km	early Holocene, strongly degraded
84	Monte Rosso	SE	ca 520 m	596 m	0.42 x 0.48 km	1329; area is now densely populated
85	Monte Arcimis	SE	ca 1160 m	1289 m	0.26 x0.45 km	early (?) Holocene, partially buried
86	Monte Monaco	SE	ca 1330 m	1430 m	0.4 x 0.46 km	Holocene
87	Monte Pomiciaro	SE	ca 1600 m	1715 m	0.46 x0.52 km	early Holocene, strongly eroded
88	Monte Salto del Cane	SSE	ca 1410 m	1491 m	0.4 x 0.58 km	youthful, dated 2960 ±60 BP
89	Upper 1792-1793 vent	SSE	ca 2030 m	2040 m	0.13 x 0.18 km	1792-1793; simple pit crater
90	Main 1792-1793 fissure	SSE	ca 1940 m	ca 1960 m	0.148 km	1792-1793; short row of hornitos
91	Monte Solfizio	SSE	ca 1700 m	1850 m	0.26 x 0.43 km	Holocene
92	Monte Serra Pizzuto Calvarina	SSE	ca 1550 m	1702 m	0.48 x 0.61 km	Holocene
93	Monte Solfizio	SSE	ca 1700 m	1850 m	0.26 x 0.43 km	Holocene
94	1634-1638 eruptive fissure	SSE	ca 2050 m	ca 2200 m	0.44 km	1634-1638; row of large hornitos
95	Monte Difeso	SSE	ca 810 m	932 m	0.42 x 0.46 km	Holocene
96	Monte Serra di Falco	SSE	ca 580 m	776 m	0.46 x 0.49 km	Holocene
97	"1381" eruptive fissure ("Cavòli")	SSE	ca 350 m	ca 550 m	3.6 km	Medieval (A.D. 1160 ±30, possibly 1169); eruptive fissure now extensively covered with buildings
98	Monpeloso (or Mompeloso)	S	ca 820 m	943 m	0.51 x 0.63 km	post-dates 122 BC pyroclastic deposit, probably erupted A.D. 252-253
99	Monpeloso lower vents	S	ca 750 m	ca 830 m	0.67 km	post-dates 122 BC pyroclastic deposit, probably erupted A.D. 252-253
100	Monte Arso	S	ca 850 m	1034 m	0.58 x 0.82 km	youthful, but uncertain age
101	Monte Gervasi	S	ca 880 m	987 m	0.4 x 0.49 km	younger than A.D. 252-253
102	Nameless SW Monpeloso	S	ca 780 m	827 m	0.33 x 0.34 km	Holocene, partially buried
103	Monte S. Nicolò (or Monte S. Nicola)	S	ca 860 m	944 m	0.45 x 0.47 km	Holocene
104	Monte Serra Pizzuta	S	ca 920 m	1041 m	0.48 x 0.55 km	Holocene
105	Nameless on W side of Monti Rossi	S	ca 750 m	858 m	0.34 x 0.48 km	Holocene, partially buried by Monti Rossi (1669)
106	Monpilieri (or Mompilieri)	S	ca 630 m	773 m	0.64 x 0.71 km	Holocene
107	Monti Rossi	S	ca 740 m	946 m	0.78 x 0.83 km	1669; two summit vents
108	Monte Fusaro	S	ca 850 m	904 m	0.33 x 0.41 km	Holocene
109	Monte Nocilla	S	ca 930 m	954 m	0.23 x 0.3 km	Holocene; largely buried by younger lavas
110	Monte S. Leo	S	ca 1050 m	1197 m	0.56 x 0.57 km	Holocene; two summit vents
111	Monte S. Leo lower vents	S	1030 m	1065 m	0.28 x 0.4 km	Holocene; several small vents
112	Monte Leone	S	ca 1090 m	1101 m	0.092 x 0.13 km	1883
113	Monte Rinazzi	S	ca 1070 m	1169 m	0.37 x 0.35 km	Holocene
114	Monte Rinazzelli	S	ca 1090 m	1178 m	0.28 x 0.36 km	Holocene
115	Monte Concilio	S	ca 1180 m	1274 m	0.37 x 0.4 km	Holocene
116	Monte Albero	S	ca 1150 m	1246 m	0.33 x 0.42 km	Holocene
117	Monte Grosso	S	ca 1270 m	1382 m	0.33 x 0.36 km	Holocene
118	Monte Ardicazzi	S	ca 1320 m	1391 m	0.35 x 0.4 km	Holocene
119	Monte Ardicazzi lower vent	S	ca 1300 m	1323 m	0.17 x 0.22	Holocene
120	Monte Sona	S	ca 1240 m	1394 m	0.43 x 0.47	Holocene
121	Monte Sona SW cone	S	ca 1240 m	1340 m	0.4 x 0.41 km	Holocene
122	Monte Manfrè	S	ca 1330 m	1452 m	0.49 x 0.5 km	Holocene
123	eruptive fissure NE M. Manfrè	S	ca 1400 m	ca 1580 m	1.23 km	youthful, possibly erupted in 1536
124	Monte Gemmellaro	S	ca 1410 m	1537 m	0.35 x 0.43 km	1886
125	Monte Capriolo	S	ca 1440 m	1522 m	0.3 x 0.44 km	Holocene, partially buried
126	Monte Faggi	S	ca 1570 m	1672 m	0.21 x 0.29 km	Holocene, partially buried
127	Monte Vetore	S	ca 1660 m	1823 m	0.49 x 0.64 km	Holocene
128	Nameless W M. Nero	S	ca 1800 m	ca 1835 m	0.13 x 0.19 km	Holocene, almost completely buried before 2001 and probably covred by 2001 lava
129	Monte Nero	S	ca 1800 m	1880 m	0.25 x 0.31 km	July-December 1892
130	Monte Silvestri inferiore	S	ca 1840 m	1912 m	0.26 x 0.31 km	July-December 1892
131	Monte Silvestri superiore	S	1900 m	2001 m	0.34 x 0.45 km	July-December 1892
132	Upper 1892 vent	S	ca 1940 m	1969 m	0.12 x 0.12 km	July-December 1892
133	Monti Calcarazzi	S	1940 m	2064 m	0.22 x 0.31 km	1766
134	lowest 2001 eruptive fissure	S	2100 m	ca 2200 m	ca 0.35 km	July-August 2001, consisting of a horseshoe-shaped cone about 60 m tall, and about five maar-like explosion craters
135	Montagnola	S	ca 2400 m	2660 m	0.7 x 0.78 km	June-September 1763; large complex of nested pyroclastic cones
136	Monte Josémaría Escrivá	S	ca 2570 m	ca 2650 m	0.25 x 0.3 km	July-August 2001, including cluster of smaller vents at south base of main cone
137	2001 intermediate cone	S	ca 2700 m	ca 2720 m	n.d.	July-August 2001, completely buried by 2002-2003 pyroclastics
138	Monte Frumento Supino	S	ca 2700 m	2845 m	0.45 x 0.57 km	Holocene
139	2002-2003 cone cluster	S	ca 2700 m	ca 2950 m	0.6 x 0.79 km	October 2002-January 2003
140	1971 "Observatory cone"	S	2980 m	3008 m	0.11 x 0.12 km	April-May 1971
141	Monte Rinatura	SSW	ca 2200 m	2231 m	0.12 x 0.16 km	Holocene
142	Monte Nero	SSW	ca 2080 m	2184 m	0.38 x 0.4 km	Holocene
143	Monte Castellazzo	SSW	ca 2150 m	2172 m	0.12 x 0.13 km	Holocene
144	lower 1910 vent	SSW	ca 1920 m	1945 m	0.08 x 0.09 km	May-June 1910
145	Monte Nero degli Zappini	SSW	ca 1850 m	1980 m	0.23 x 0.73 km	youthful, allegedly erupted in 1535; two main craters and several smaller fissure vents
146	Nameless W "Grande Albergo"	SSW	ca 1600 m	1643 m	0.26 x 0.28 km	Holocene (?)
147	Monte Torcicoda	SSW	ca 1550 m	1617 m	0.21 x 0.29 km	Holocene (?)
148	Monte Parmentelli	SSW	ca 1400 m	1517 m	0.43 x 0.48 km	Holocene
149	Monte Elici	SSW	1140 m	1215 m	0.32 x 0.38 km	youthful; post-dates 122 BC pyroclastic deposit
150	Monte Mazzo	SSW	ca 1070 m	1127 m	0.32 x 0.42 km	Holocene
151	Monte Arso	SSW	1050 m	1098 m	0.24 x 0.3 km	Holocene
152	Monte Denza	SW	1740 m	1816 m	0.34 x 0.47 km	Holocene
153	Monte Scavo	SW	ca 1850 m	1920 m	0.2 x 0.29 km	Holocene
154	Monte Palomba	SW	ca 1700 m	1753 m	0.33 x 0.4 km	early Holocene (?), partially buried
155	Monte Fontanelle	SW	ca 1690 m	1774 m	0.37 x 0.41 km	Holocene
156	Monte Turchio	WSW	ca 1150 m	1291 m	0.63 x 0.71 km	Holocene
157	Monte Gallobianco	WSW	ca 1300 m	1387 m	0.35 x 0.41 km	youthful, erupted in A.D. 1200 ±30
158	Monte Intraleo	WSW	ca 1450 m	1563 m	0.48 x 0.62 km	youthful, erupted in A.D. 1200 ±30
159	Monte Gallo	WSW	ca 1500 m	1568 m	0.29 x 0.35 km	youthful, erupted in A.D. 1200 ±30
160	Monte Testa	WSW	ca 1520 m	1599 m	0.27 x 0.36 km	youthful, erupted in A.D. 1200 ±30
161	Monte Forno	WSW	ca 1550 m	1675 m	0.44 x 0.62 km	youthful, erupted in A.D. 1200 ±30
162	Monte Albano	WSW	ca 1620 m	1739 m	0.49 x 0.57 km	Holocene
163	Monte Vituddi	WSW	ca 1830 m	1878 m	0.24 x 0.31	early Holocene(?)
164	Monte Pecoraro	WSW	ca 2150 m	2263 m	0.48 x 0.52 km	Holocene, strongly eroded
165	Monte Leporello	WSW	ca 1670 m	1749 m	0.24 x 0.3 km	Holocene
166	Monte Nespole E	WSW	ca 1610 m	1727 m	0.36 x 0.58	Holocene; two vents
167	Monte Nespole W	WSW	ca 1550 m	1635 m	0.31 x 0.38 km	Holocene; two vents
168	Monte Sellato	WSW	ca 1150 m	1299 m	0.58 x 0.89 km	Holocene; strongly elongate, horseshoe-shaped cone
169	Monte Peloso	WSW	ca 1150 m	1271 m	0.5 x 0.84 km	Holocene
170	Monte Minardo	WSW	ca 1100 m	1304 m	0.88 x 0.89 km	Holocene

*lowest point of the cone base; in case of eruptive fissures lower end of fissure; **in case of eruptive fissures upper end of fissure; ***where only one value is given, this is the length of an eruptive fissure

Page set up on 2 December 2003, last modified on 21 December 2003