The stratigraphical importance of the Viviparus boeckhi Horizon of Serbia

Fossils of non-marine molluscs are among the most prominent in Pleistocene deposits. With stabilization of taxonomies in the 19th century, numerous publications appeared with faunal lists of Quaternary warm stage molluscs, but few attempts were made to use those data for interpretation. The purpose of this work, along with reevaluation of sites and their molluscan assemblages described in the literature, is to make it possible for non-marine molluscan faunas to be used as biostratigraphic indicators. Biostratigraphic data obtained in this work are comparable with parallel investigation of other fossil records and lithostratigraphy, combined with geochronologic methods. The four most important localities with Viviparus boeckhi in Serbia are Subotica, Sombor, Zrenjanin, and the vicinity of Belgrade. According to the available data, the molluscan assemblage of the V. boeckhi Horizon is identified as fluvial warm stage assemblage which corresponds to the oldest part of the Pleistocene Corbicula Beds.It is generally considered that the age of the V. boeckhi Horizon(s) corresponds to the younger parts of the Early Pleistocene. However, according to the regional data, the V. boeckhi Horizon of Serbia is younger than the Paludina Beds (of Pliocene–Early Lower Pleistocene age). According to the vertebrate fauna, it is older than the upper Biharian stage (younger part of the Middle Pleistocene).