Powelliphanta "Baton"

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Powelliphanta sp. from the Baton River
A Powelliphanta of unknown species.
A Powelliphanta of unknown species.
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Pulmonata
Family: Rhytididae
Genus: Powelliphanta
Species: Not yet described

This is a yet-unnamed Powelliphanta species, provisionally known as Powelliphanta sp. from the Baton River. This is one of the amber snails. It is an undescribed species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

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[edit] Distribution

This unnamed snail is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. It is found only at the headwaters of the Baton River in the Kahurangi National Park in the north west of the South Island.

[edit] Shell description

The shiny shell has a rounded bulbous appearance and a raised apex. It is a warm mid-brown to tan colour, with a few, very sparse, narrow reddish axial streaks. The colour of the mantle and mucous is faint blue, unlike the transparent appearance in most other Powelliphanta.

The shell diameter is up to 39 mm, and height up to 19 mm.

[edit] Conservation status

Powelliphanta sp. from the Baton River is classified as Nationally Critical by the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

[edit] References