Early Pliocene heteropods and pteropods (Mollusca, Gastropoda) from Le Puget-sur-Argens (Var), France

Almost 14,000 identifiable specimens of holoplanktonic Mollusca, belonging to 23 species (Pterotracheoidea 5, Euthecosomata 15, Pseudothecosomata 3) are recorded from early Pliocene (Zanclean) rocks exposed in the Les Escavaratiers claypit at Le Puget-sur- Argens (France, Var department). Among the heteropods the presence of Atlanta plana Richter, 1972 (predominantly known from the Indo-Pacific) and a presumably undescribed species of Protatlanta are noteworthy. Of the Euthecosomata the species Striolimacina imitans (Gabb, 1873) is a first record for the Mediterranean, whereas Heliconoides vonhachti sp. nov. is introduced on the basis of more than a thousand specimens. Creseis spina (Reuss, 1867), so far only known from the late Eocene-Miocene interval, is recorded as a common species during the early Pliocene as well. The pseudothecosomatous species Peracle reticulata (d’Orbigny, 1834), hitherto only known from the Recent fauna and Holocene to late Pleistocene deposits, is also recorded for the first time from early Pliocene rocks.