Malacofauna of Late Quaternary loess-like deposits in the Polish Carpathians

Abstract

Quaternary loess-like loams covering the major part of the Polish Carpathians locally contain plant remains, snail shells and mammal bones. Molluscan assemblages found in loamy sediments are similar to malacofauna described from the loess series of the Carpathian Foreland. They comprise nearly 20 taxa, the most characteristic being Succinea oblonga elongata SANDBERGER, Pupilla loessica LO¦EK and Vallonia tenuilabris (BRAUN). The malacofauna is mainly connected with the descending phases of the Brørup interstadial and the interpleniglacial period, which were dated by C-14 method, as well as with the late glacial sediments. The variation of malacofauna, analysed with taxonomic methods, reflects the environmentaI conditions of deposition and the ecological conditions under which fauna and flora deveIoped during the last glacial period.