Powelliphanta
| Powelliphanta | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Shell of Powelliphanta hochstetteri bicolor | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): |
clade Heterobranchia
clade Euthyneura |
| Superfamily: | Rhytidoidea |
| Family: | Rhytididae |
| Genus: |
Powelliphanta O'Connor, 1945 |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
 Snail Attack (Powelliphanta feeding) |
clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata
clade Eupulmonata
clade Stylommatophora
informal group Sigmurethra
See text.
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.
Powelliphanta was originally described by A. C. O'Connor in 1945 as a subgenus of the kauri snails, Paryphanta. They were named "in recognition of the great service rendered to the study of the family by Mr A. W. B. Powell", and from their similarity to Paryphanta.
Sub-genus POWELLIPHANTA nov.
Shell generally, similar to Paryphanta Albers, but with the last whorl pulled in closer to the preceding whorl, and with a colour pattern of concentric or radially arranged bands, usually of alternating and contrasting colours. More important is the paucity of lime compared with conchin in the shell.
Egg always with cuticle, pale buff when laid.
Distribution: North Island of New Zealand, in and south of the Ruahine Range (possibly once as far north as East Cape) and South Island.
Type: Helix hochstetteri Pfeiffer, Mal. Bl., viii, 146, 1862 (see PI. 6, Figs. 5–8).
Powelliphanta will include all New Zealand species previously included in Paryphanta except the type of that genus, P. busbyi (Gray, 1840) which is confined to the North Auckland Peninsula.
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