Late Paleozoic continental gastropods from Poland: systematic, evolutionary and paleoecological approach

Abstract

Two taxa of the Late Carboniferous and four species of the Early Permian terrestrial snails have been found in the Late Paleozoic continental molasse sediments of the Upper Silesian-Cracow Upland (Southern Poland). Discovery of Anthracopupa ohioensis and Protodiscus priscus indicates that, besides in North America, they occurred also in the European part of the Pangea supercontinent. According to the general sedimentary facies context and the accompanying floral and faunal assemblages, the gastropods lived in swamp environments, including a topogenous fen.