Fossil Viviparidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Levant

Today there are no representatives of the freshwater family Viviparidae in the Levant but Pliocene-Pleistocene remains are abundant. This conchometric study explores their taxonomical position within the family. All Levantine fossils
are here assigned to the African-Asian sub-family Bellamyinae and not to the Eurasian-N. American sub-family Viviparinae on the basis of their high apex and high conicality index. Two genera are recognized: Bellamya with three species and a new genus, Apameaus, with one species.