Powelliphanta superba

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Powelliphanta superba
Powelliphanta superba superba 346442396.jpg
Powelliphana superba superba in its native habitat
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Rhytididae
Genus: Powelliphanta
Species:
P. superba
Binomial name
Powelliphanta superba
Powell, 1930
Synonyms

Paryphanta superba (Powell, 1930)

Powelliphanta superba is a species of large, carnivorous land snail in the family Rhytididae, which is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Five subspecies are recognised, [1] all of which are classified by the New Zealand Department of Conservation as being Nationally Endangered. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

Powelliphanta superba was originally described as Paryphanta superba by Arthur William Baden Powell in 1930. [3] The paratype specimens are located at Auckland War Memorial Museum. [3]

There are five subspecies of P. superba:

Description

Powelliphanta superba shell Powelliphanta superba 61251950.jpg
Powelliphanta superba shell
Powelliphanta superba richardsoni shell Powelliphanta superba richardsoni 1268484.jpg
Powelliphanta superba richardsoni shell
Powelliphanta superba shell Powelliphanta superba by Brett Sandford.jpg
Powelliphanta superba shell

The eggs are oval and seldom constant in dimensions 14 by 12 millimetres (0.55 in × 0.47 in). [4]

Conservation status

Each of the five subspecies are listed as Threatened under the most recent assessment (2007) of the New Zealand Threatened Classification for Powelliphanta. [5] [6] Four are listed as Nationally Endangered, while P. superba superba is listed as Serious Decline. [5] [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Powelliphanta</i> Genus of gastropods

Powelliphanta is a genus of large, air-breathing land snails, pulmonate gastropods in the family Rhytididae, found only in New Zealand. They are carnivorous, eating invertebrates, mostly native earthworms. Often restricted to very small areas of moist forest, they are prey to introduced mammalian predators, and many species are threatened or endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhytididae</span> Family of gastropods

Rhytididae is a taxonomic family of medium-sized predatory air-breathing land snails, carnivorous terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Rhytidoidea.

<i>Schizoglossa</i> Genus of gastropods

Schizoglossa, common name the Pāua slugs, is a genus of medium-sized to large predatory, air-breathing, land slugs, carnivorous terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Rhytididae. They are currently classified by the New Zealand Department of Conservation as Nationally Vulnerable.

<i>Powelliphanta spedeni</i> Species of gastropod

Powelliphanta spedeni, known as one of the amber snails, is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

<i>Powelliphanta annectens</i> Species of gastropod

Powelliphanta annectens is one of the amber snails, an air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae. It is a protected species with very limited distribution.

<i>Powelliphanta rossiana</i> Species of gastropod

Powelliphanta rossiana, known as Ross' land snail, is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae. This species is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Subspecies include:

<i>Powelliphanta patrickensis</i> Species of gastropod

Powelliphanta patrickensis is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae. This species is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Formerly, it was considered as a subspecies of Powelliphanta rossiana.

<i>Powelliphanta gilliesi</i> Species of gastropod

Powelliphanta gilliesi, one of the "amber snails", is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

<i>Powelliphanta hochstetteri</i> Species of land snail

Powelliphanta hochstetteri, known as one of the amber snails, is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

Powelliphanta hochstetteri anatokiensis, known as one of the amber snails, is a subspecies of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae. It is found in New Zealand.

<i>Powelliphanta hochstetteri bicolor</i> Subspecies of gastropod

Powelliphanta hochstetteri bicolor, known as one of the amber snails, is a subspecies of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

Powelliphanta hochstetteri consobrina, known as one of the amber snails, is a subspecies of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

Powelliphanta hochstetteri obscura, known as one of the amber snails, is a subspecies of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

<i>Powelliphanta traversi</i> Species of mollusc

Powelliphanta traversi, known as Travers' land snail, is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae. This species is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand between Wellington and Lake Waikaremoana.

<i>Powelliphanta lignaria</i> Species of gastropod

Powelliphanta lignaria, known as one of the amber snails, is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae. The eggs of P. lignaria are oval and seldom constant in dimensions 10 × 8.25, 9 × 7.75, 9 × 8, 8.75 × 7.75 mm.

Powelliphanta "Lodestone" is a provisional name for an as yet undescribed species of large, carnivorous land snail, an "amber snail", a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.

This is a yet-unnamed Powelliphanta species, provisionally known as Powelliphanta sp. from Mount Owen. 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.

This is a yet-unnamed Powelliphanta species, provisionally known as Powelliphanta "Matakitaki". 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baden Powell (malacologist)</span> New Zealand naturalist and paleontologist

Arthur William Baden Powell was a New Zealand malacologist, naturalist and palaeontologist, a major influence in the study and classification of New Zealand molluscs through much of the 20th century. He was known to his friends and family by his third name, "Baden".

<i>Placostylus ambagiosus</i> Species of gastropod

Placostylus ambagiosus is a species of flax snail, a large air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Bothriembryontidae.

References

  1. Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN   0-00-216906-1
  2. "New Zealand Threat Classification System lists - 2002 - Terrestrial invertebrate - part one". New Zealand Department of Conservation. 2002. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Powell, Arthur William Baden (1930-01-01). "The Paryphantidae of New Zealand: their Hypothetical Ancestry, with descriptions of New Species and a New Genus". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 1: 17–56.
  4. A. C. O'Connor (1945). "Notes on the eggs of New Zealand Paryphantidae, with description of a new subgenus". Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand . 5: 54–57.
  5. 1 2 "NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  6. 1 2 "New Zealand Threat Classification System Database". www.wikidata.org. Retrieved 2024-02-10.