Laomarex
| Laomarex | |
|---|---|
| |
| Holotype of L. sericea | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Punctidae |
| Subfamily: | Laominae |
| Genus: | Laomarex A. W. B. Powell, 1948 |
| Type species | |
| L. sericea | |
Laomarex is a genus of land snails belonging to the family Punctidae.[1] All known members of the genus are endemic to New Zealand.
Description
[edit]
In the original description, Powell described the genus as below:
This genus is provided for a species which, although it resembles Phrixgnathus in form, lacks the translucent texture of that genus. It has the addition of dense membranous radials reminiscent of Therasiella and a strongly sculptured protoconch of beaded spirals. At first appearance the genus appears to be Therasiella, particularly on account of the dark brown membranous radials, but the protoconch is low and sculptured, not exsert, and smooth or practically smooth. The presence of an underlying radiate colour pattern is another feature foreign to Therasiella but common to the Laomidae.[2]
The genus can be identified due to the lack of peripheral lamellate processes, and by its delicate bristles at the intersection of the shell's radial and spiral sculpture.[3]
Taxonomy
[edit]The genus was first described by A. W. B. Powell in 1948, who named L. sericea as the type species.[2] The genus was monotypic until 1973, when Frank Climo moved the species' Thalassohelix regia and Thalassohelix minuta into this genus.[4] The holotypes of all three known species are held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum.[5]
Distribution
[edit]Both L. regia and L. sericea are endemic to Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, and L. minuta is endemic to the Aupōuri Peninsula of Northland, New Zealand,[2][4] with its type locality being Tapotupotu Bay.[5]
Species
[edit]Species within the genus Laomarex include:[1]
- Laomarex minuta (N. W. Gardner, 1967)
- Laomarex regia (N. W. Gardner, 1968)
- Laomarex sericea A. W. B. Powell, 1948
References
[edit]- ^ a b Laomarex A. W. B. Powell, 1948. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 9 October 2025.
- ^ a b c Powell, A. W. B. (1948). "Land Mollusca of the Three Kings Islands". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 3: 273–290. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906016. Wikidata Q58676663.
- ^ Powell, A.W.B. (1979). New Zealand Mollusca: Marine, Land and Freshwater Shells. Auckland: Collins. p. 332. ISBN 0002169061.
- ^ a b Climo, F. M. (December 1973). "The systematics, Biology and Zoogeography of the land snail fauna of Great Island, Three Kings Group, New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 3 (4): 565–627. doi:10.1080/03036758.1973.10421858. ISSN 0303-6758. Wikidata Q104026163.
- ^ a b Blom, Wilma M. (2025). "Annotated Catalogue of Fossil and Extant Molluscan Types in the Auckland War Memorial Museum". Bulletin of the Auckland Museum. 22. doi:10.32912/BULLETIN/22. ISSN 1176-3213. Wikidata Q135397912.