The unkown fossil from Spain is without doubt a fossil Melanopsis species,
a freshwater snail from the family Melanopsiidae. In the last five years
several articles have been devoted to Spanish Melanopsis species in
"Iberus",
the journal of the Spanish Malacological Society. The journal is present in
the
library of the British Museum of Natural History.

Henk K. Mienis

----- Original Message -----
From: Avril Bourquin <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 7:02 PM
Subject: Another Fossil ID urgently needed


> Hello Conchlers,
>
> This list is a GREAT help to those in need of assistance.  I have heard
from
> another gentleman, Neil Ross, in London, and he requires some urgent help
in
> IDing a couple of  fossils.  His mystery fossils are located at:
> http://www.manandmollusc.net/mystery_fossil_neil.html  which in turn is
now
> connected to the new Man and Mollusc Page, that of Mystery Shells at:
> http://www.manandmollusc.net/id_help.html.
>
> As Neil is not as yet a Conch-L member, he has given me permission to
> forward his letter to myself to this list in hopes that he will get some
> much needed help.  His letter follows:
>
> <"These fossils were taken from a site on the southern coast of Spain
(Near
> Nerja), and are from a loess/fluvial deposit radiocarbon dated at the base
> to 26,450+/-100yrs BP. The shells are approximately 20mm long. Admittedly
> preservation is not ideal, and I have had difficulty removing carbonate
> coatings from them.
>
> All the experts seem stumped due to the poor preservation and carbonate
> coating, but seem to think it might be fresh water in origin. It will
> certainly involve a little bit of a rewrite between now and next
> Thursday if this is true, as it tends to suggest that the deposit is a
> fluvially redeposited loess (this had been suspected due to a few gravel
> lenses in the sequence but I had interpreted these as more localised
> channelisation).
>
> I need them to be identified for a dissertation that I am completing. I
must
> stress that I have left this rather late in the day and that my
dissertation
> is to be submitted on August the 30th (Next Thursday). I would therefore
> very much appreciate as rapid an identification as is possible.
>
> Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to
contact
> me.
>
> Mr Neil Ross
> MSc Quaternary Science
> Department of Geography
> Royal Holloway College
> University of London
> Egham
> TW20 0EX
> Tel no: (07967) 821376
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>    [log in to unmask] " >
>
> I would like to thank each and everyone that has taken the time in the
past
> to help me find answers for the many questions and or requests for help
that
> I have not been able to answer personally.  Man and Mollusc generates many
> queries and as I am but an amateur, I often have to rely on your help.
This
> is so appreciated!  I think that slowly, we are gaining on educating the
> public as to how important and interesting the molluscan critters are and
> how they have and will continue to influence the world we live in.
>
> My best regards to everyone,
>
> Avril Bourquin
> P.O.Box 366
> Invermere, British Columbia
> Canada
> V0A 1K0
>
> Phone: (250) 342-7224
> EMail:  [log in to unmask]
> URL:  www.manandmollusc.net
>