New Pliocene and Oligocene Olividae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) from France and the Mediterranean area

Two olivid species, Olivella clanzigi n. sp. and Amalda cf. obsoleta (Brocchi, 1814), are recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Pliocene of Tunisia and Spain, respectively. It has generally been assumed that the Olividae had disappeared from the Mediterranean area during the Late Miocene, having fallen victim to the Messinian salinity crisis. The climatic deterioration during the Pliocene would not have permitted their re-introduction into the area. In addition, a new species of Amalda, A. abessensis, from the Late Oligocene of France is described and illustrated. This species appears to have no match in European Cainozoic faunas and is close to Amalda papillata Tate, 1885, the type species of the subgenus Alocospira Cossmann, 1899, from the Early Miocene of Australia. In view of this, the most important Late Oligocene-Miocene Ancillinae of Europe are here illustrated; it is shown that Gracilancilla Thiele, 1925 (type species: G. sumatrana Thiele, 1925, western Indo-Pacific) is a junior synonym of Ancillina Bellardi, 1882 (type species: Ancilla pusilla Fuchs in Karrer, 1877, European Miocene).