Pteropoda (Gastropoda, Euthecosomata) from the Australian Cainozoic

All Tertiary euthecosomatous gastropods from the Australian continent known to the author are described. The species introduced by Ralph Tate (1887) are revised. Altogether 18 species are discussed. A new genus, Spoelia, and five new species, viz. Limacina curryi, L. lunata, L. tatei, Spoelia torquayensis and Vaginella victoriae, are introduced. Potential tools in the Australian pteropod fauna for a future biostratigraphical zonation and for long distance correlations are indicated. In an annex Vaginella sannicola sp. nov. is introduced for specimens from the Miocene of Gargano, Italy, which were incorrectly identified as V. eligmostoma Tate by d'Alessandro & Robba, 1980.