Powelliphanta "Urewera"
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| Powelliphanta "Urewera" | ||||||||||||||
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 A Powelliphanta of unknown species.
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This is a yet-unnamed Powelliphanta species, provisionally known as Powelliphanta "Urewera". 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
The species is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is found only on Mount Manuoha, the highest peak in the Urewera National Park, and was not discovered until 1962.
[edit] Habitat
This snail lives under litter and vegetation in cool cloud silver beech forest at altitudes of between 900 and 1,350 m above sea level.
[edit] Shell description
The shell has a smooth, dark brown parietal callus. It is richly coloured, having a golden background with numerous narrow, dark purplish brown spiral stripes on both the top and bottom of the shell.
The shell diameter is up to 48 mm, and the height is up to 22 mm.
[edit] Predators and other threats
This snail is preyed upon by introduced rats and thrushes, and introduced red deer and possums are responsible for opening up the forest understory by browsing and drying out the ground, which also negatively impacts the survival of this snail species.
[edit] Conservation status
Powelliphanta "Urewera" is classified in the New Zealand Threat Classification System as being Nationally Vulnerable.
[edit] References
- Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- Department of Conservation Recovery Plans
- New Zealand Department of Conservation Threatened Species Classification
