LAND SNAILS FROM THE LAST GLACIAL MAXIMUM ON ANDIKITHIRA, SOUTHERN GREECE AND THEIR PALEOCLIMATIC IMPLICATIONS

An assemblage of land snails from an aeolianite deposit on the coast o f the southern Greek island of Andikithira is shown to date to 16000 y r BP and thus represents the period of the last glacial maximum (LGM; Oxygen Isotope Stage 2). The assemblage has no modern analogue. Five o f the ten species are extinct on the island and some of these now live only at high elevations (> 950 m). Significantly cooler temperatures, some 5-8-degrees-C below present, and slightly drier moisture conditi ons (lower rainfall, partially offset by reduced evapotranspiration at the lower temperature) are inferred. The large temperature depression at the LGM, well documented in northern and central Europe, extended also to the Mediterranean climate of southern Europe. Late Quaternary climatic changes had a considerable impact on the fauna of this isolat ed island.