Placostylus ambagiosus

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Placostylus ambagiosus
A shell of the subspecies Placostylus ambagiosus priscus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Bothriembryontidae
Genus: Placostylus
Species:
P. ambagiosus
Binomial name
Placostylus ambagiosus

Placostylus ambagiosus is a

gastropod mollusc in the family Bothriembryontidae
.

Description

This snail has a large (43–97 millimetres or 1.7–3.8 inches long)[5] shell, which is heavily calcified. The size of the adult shell is habitat dependent,[5] but the shell shape is not plastic.[4] Placostylus ambagiosus is highly valued by Te Aupōuri me Ngāti Kurī (the indigenous people of northern New Zealand) as a food source, musical instrument and in the past this snail provided alarm calls at night warning of approaching invaders.[6]

Distribution

This land snail species occurs in

Aupouri Peninsula and Motuopao Island.[7] In the past local Māori moved and propagated populations of Placostylus ambagiosus,[8][9] so today at least three extant populations are found on old pā sites (fortified settlements), along with other species that were cultivated such as karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus) and harakeke (Phormium tenax).[10][11]

Biology

This snail feeds at night on fallen leaves on the forest floor.[5] A favorite plant species is hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium). Placostylus ambagiosus needs year round moisture provided by deep leaf-litter. Eggs are laid in clutches (average 43 eggs) in the shallow hollows in the soil.[5] The species is slow-growing with a lifespan of 10–22 years and strong site fidelity[12] The same individual snail has been found under the same food plant for 12 years.[5] The species is endangered due to predation from rats[13] and birds,[14] habitat damage by pigs and horses and competition from introduced snails.[13]

Hypothetical subspecies

Based on

molecular phylogeny (mtDNA) and shell morphology research it was suggested in 2011 by Buckley et al.[15] that there are no subspecies of Placostylus ambagiosus.[15]
However, in the past, what were thought to be eight extant subspecies and a number of undescribed but distinct populations, were named;[7] six of these "subspecies" are now extinct[16] (marked with a †); conservation statuses were given according to the New Zealand Threat Classification System for the extant taxa: "nationally critical" and "nationally endangered":[17] At least five subspecies of Placostylus ambagiosus can be recognized using shell shape (not size or location) of individuals snails suggesting these represented distinct populations that require protection.[4]

  • Placostylus ambagiosus "Herangi Hill" †
  • Placostylus ambagiosus "nouvelle" - nationally endangered
  • Placostylus ambagiosus "Haupatoto" - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus "Kauaetewhakapeke Stream" - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus "Kohuronaki" - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus "Poroiki" - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus "Te Paki" - nationally endangered
  • Placostylus ambagiosus "Tirikawa" - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus ambagiosus Suter, 1906 - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus annectens Powell, 1938 2
  • Placostylus ambagiosus consobrinus Powell, 1938 - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus gardneri †
  • Placostylus ambagiosus hancoxi 1
  • Placostylus ambagiosus hinemoa †
  • Placostylus ambagiosus keenorum Powell, 1938 - nationally endangered
  • Placostylus ambagiosus lesleyae †
  • Placostylus ambagiosus michiei Powell, 1951 - nationally endangered
  • Placostylus ambagiosus pandora Powell, 1951 - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus paraspiritus Powell, 1951 - nationally endangered
  • Placostylus ambagiosus priscus †
  • Placostylus ambagiosus spiritus †
  • Placostylus ambagiosus watti Powell, 1947 - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus whareana Powell, 1951 - nationally critical
  • Placostylus ambagiosus worthyi †

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T17444A7072200.en
    . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ Suter H. (1906). J. de Conch. 54: 253, plate 8, figure 1-3.
  3. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
    . Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  4. ^
    doi:10.15451/ec2020-05-9.13-1-27
    .
  5. ^
    S2CID 85060133
    .
  6. ^ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "2. – Snails and slugs – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-478-14288-4
    .
  8. Wikidata Q58676647
    .
  9. Wikidata Q58676724
    .
  10. JSTOR 20707255
    .
  11. PMID 19323188
    .
  12. S2CID 89729069
    .
  13. ^
    S2CID 86580704
    .
  14. ISSN 0006-3207
    .
  15. ^
    doi:10.1080/03014223.2010.527997
    .
  16. ^ "Extinct Species of New Zealand". Natural Heritage Collection. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  17. ^ "Terrestrial invertebrate - part one". New Zealand Threat Classification System. Department of Conservation. 2002.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Placostylus ambagiosus.
Wikispecies has information related to Placostylus ambagiosus.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Placostylus_ambagiosus&oldid=1215397850"