Stratigraphic superposition of mammal fossil-rich localities makes the Galera section (Baza Fm, Guadix-Baza Basin, Betics) very appropriate for magnetostratigraphic dating of the Late Pliocene continental biochronology. Independent correlation to the geomagnetic polarity time scale provides a precise calibration of the late Ruscinian and Villanian local mamma! zones. The Mimomys occitanus zone (MN15) ranges from chron C2Ar to the upper half of C2An, the Ruscinian/Villanian boundary being placed between 2 .7 and 3 .3 Ma. Earliest record of the Mimomys cappettai zone is found above the Gauss/Matuyama boundary (2An/2r at 2.58 Ma). The early/late Villanian boundary (MN16/MN17) is recorded in the upper half o f C2r, between 2 ,0 Ma and 2.3 Ma. A sedimentary hiatus o f 3 0 0 k y r is suggested to correlate to a lower Villanian basin-wide unconformity