Abstract
Fossil species of Melanopsis from a freshwater formation in the Jordan Valley (near Al-Qam) were investigated and the deposits containing these species are formally described as Al-Qarn Formation. Four species were found: Melanopsis buccinoldea OLIVIER, M. tchernovi HELLER & SIVAN, M. costata OLIVIER and M. aaronsohni BLANCKENHORN. Melanopsis costata was represented by two groups, "stepped" and "non-stepped", the latter differing in its lower figurativity index. Intermediates were found between M. buccinoidea and M. tchernovi; they may be hybrids. The Melanopsis assemblage bridges the faunal gap, in the Jordan Valley, between the 2 Ma lake of 'Erq el Ahmar on the one hand and the 0.8-1.7 Ma lake of 'Ubeidiya on the other. This suggests an early Pleistocene age of about 1.8 million years for the Al-Qam Formation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 304-315 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Palaontologische Zeitschrift |
Volume | 81 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2007 |
Keywords
- Al-Qarn
- Al-Qarn formation
- Fresh water
- Gastropods
- Jordan Valley
- Melanopsis
- Systematics