Miocene land snails from Belchatow (Central Poland). IV. Pupilloidea (Gastropoda Pulmonata). Systematic, biostratigraphic and palaeoecological studies

Twenty five species of Pupilloidea of 10 genera have been found in the Miocene brown coal deposits of the open-cast mine Bełchatów. Four genera: Gastrocopta, Strobilops, Nesopupa and Negulus became extinct in Europe before the first major glaciation. Another one – Planogyra – is now represented by one extant species in southern Europe only. Three malacofauna-bearing horizons: Beł-C, Beł-B and Beł-A are correlated with biozones MN 4, MN 5 and MN 9, respectively. Analysis of ecological requirements of extant pupilloid snails, particularly of the taxa extinct in Europe and found in the Bełchatów mine, combined with palaeobotanical data, provide some palaeoecological and palaeoclimatic cues. Stratigraphic significance of some pupilloid species is discussed. A new combination, Nesopupa minor (Boettger, 1870), is proposed

Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney, 1841) – another alien species in Poland (Mollusca: gastropoda: zonitidae)

Hawaiia minuscula (A. Binney), yet another non-native snail, was found in Poland, in a greenhouse of the Jagiellonian University Botanic Garden in Kraków. Its accompanying terrestrial malacofauna is also presented

A new species of Miocene terrestrial gastropod Gastrocopta from Poland and the validity of Pupa [Vertigo] suevica

We describe Gastrocopta sandbergeri sp. nov. from the Miocene brown coal deposits of the open−cast mine Bełchatów (central Poland) and identify it as conspecific with Pupa (Vertigo) suevica Sandberger, 1875 (nomen nudum) from the Miocene of Steinheim. The new name “sandbergeri” has been introduced in substitution because Sandberger’s name “suevica” has been later proposed again for a valid species Gastrocopta (Albinula) suevica by Boettger (1889). We could not use the name “minor” proposed by Miller (1900) as form of Pupa (Leucochilus) suevica because it is preoccupied by another Gastrocopta species: Bifidaria ashmuni f. minor Sterki, 1898 [= Gastrocopta ashmuni (Sterki, 1898)]. In consequence Sandberger’s Pupa (Vertigo) suevica is recognized as the senior synonym of Gastrocopta sandbergeri sp. nov. The new species is most similar to Gastrocopta nouletiana (Dupuy, 1850) but differs in having smaller and always slender shell, less convex whorls, much weaker crest on the body whorl (or even absent) and generally rather weakly developed teeth (6–7) in the aperture

On the subgeneric classification of vertigo O.F.Muller, 1774 (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Vertiginidae)

The following subgeneric names are synonymized: Vertigo s. str. O. F. Müller, 1774 = Isthmia Gray, 1821 = Alaea Jeffreys, 1830 = Angustula Sterki, 1888 syn. n. = Vertillaria Pilsbry, 1919 syn. n. = Ungulidenta Popova et Shileyko, 1981 syn. n.; Vertilla Moquin-Tandon, 1855 = Alloptyx Pilsbry, 1953 syn. n. = Angustella Steklov, 1967 syn. n. Of the two resulting subgenera Vertilla Moquin-Tandon, with the type species V. angustior Jeffreys, includes also V. angulifera O. Boettger, V. oecsensis (Halaváts), V. bicolumellata Steklov and V. hinkleyi Pilsbry; Vertigo s. str., with the type species V. pusilla O. F. Müller, includes all the remaining members of the genus