Kalimnan Gasteropods.—
Species of Gasteropods restricted to the Kalimnan Stage, or only passing upwards include:—Bankivia howitti ([Fig. 104 A]), Liopyrga quadricingulata, Calyptraea corrugata, Natica subvarians, Turritella pagodula, Eglisia triplicata ([Fig. 104 B]), Tylospira clathrata, Cypraea jonesiana, Lotorium ovoideum, Sistrum subreticulatum, Voluta masoni ([Fig. 104 C]), Ancilla papillata ([Fig. 104 D]), Cancellaria wannonensis, Drillia wanganuiensis (also in the Petane Series of New Zealand), Terebra catenifera, T. geniculata ([Fig. 104 E]) and Ringicula tatei.
New Zealand Cainozoic Gasteropods.—
Characteristic Gasteropoda of the Oamaru Series in New Zealand are Pleurotomaria tertiaria (also in the Australian Janjukian), Scala lyrata, Natica darwinii, Turritella cavershamensis, Ancilla hebera (also in the Australian Balcombian and Janjukian) and Pleurotoma hamiltoni. Gasteropods of the Awatere Series in New Zealand are Natica ovata, Struthiolaria sulcata ([Fig. 103 F]), and Scaphella corrugata (found also in the Oamaru Series). The Putiki beds of the Petane Series in New Zealand contain Trophon expansus, Pisania drewi and Pleurotoma wanganuiensis.
Werrikooian Gasteropods.—
The marine gasteropods of the Werrikooian of southern Australia, as found at Limestone Creek, Glenelg River, Western Victoria, and the Moorabool Viaduct near Geelong, are nearly all living at the present time, with the exception of a few older Cainozoic species. Amongst these latter are Conus ralphi, Pleurotoma murndaliana, Volutilithes antiscalaris and Columbarium craspedotum.
Pleistocene Gasteropoda.—
The Pleistocene land mollusca, and especially the gasteropods of Australia, present some striking points of interest, for whilst most of the species are still living, some appear to be extinct. The travertine deposits of Geilston, near Hobart, Tasmania contain Helix geilstonensis and H. stanleyana, the latter still living. The calcareous Helix sandstone of the islands in Bass Strait are largely composed of shells of that genus and generally represent consolidated sand-dunes which have undergone a certain amount of elevation. One of the prevalent species is Helix simsoniana ([Fig. 104 F]), a handsome keeled form, somewhat related to the living H. launcestonensis. It is found in some abundance in the Kent’s Group and in the adjacent islands.
The large ovoid land-shells, Panda atomata, although still existing, are found associated with extinct marsupials, as Thylacoleo, in the stalagmitic floor of the Buchan Caves, Gippsland.
The Diprotodon-breccias of Queensland have afforded several species of Helix and other land-shells, as well as the brackish-water genus Melania. The Raised Beaches of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania all contain species of land and freshwater shells identical with those now found living in the same localities.