Powelliphanta superba
Powelliphanta superba | |
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Powelliphana superba superba in its native habitat | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Order: | Stylommatophora |
Family: | Rhytididae |
Genus: | Powelliphanta |
Species: | P. superba
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Binomial name | |
Powelliphanta superba Powell, 1930
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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]
Taxonomy
[edit]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:
- Powelliphanta superba harveyi
- Powelliphanta superba mouatae
- Powelliphanta superba prouseorum
- Powelliphanta superba richardsoni
- Powelliphanta superba superba
Description
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Powelliphanta_superba_61251950.jpg/220px-Powelliphanta_superba_61251950.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Powelliphanta_superba_richardsoni_1268484.jpg/220px-Powelliphanta_superba_richardsoni_1268484.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Powelliphanta_superba_by_Brett_Sandford.jpg/220px-Powelliphanta_superba_by_Brett_Sandford.jpg)
The eggs are oval and seldom constant in dimensions 14 by 12 millimetres (0.55 in × 0.47 in).[4]
Conservation status
[edit]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
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- ^ "New Zealand Threat Classification System lists - 2002 - Terrestrial invertebrate - part one". New Zealand Department of Conservation. 2002. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
- ^ a b Powell, A. W. B. (1930). "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. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42905933. Wikidata Q58676532.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
- ^ a b "New Zealand Threat Classification System Database". www.wikidata.org. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
External links
[edit]- Powelliphanta superba discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 26 January 2024