Laomarex

Laomarex is a genus of land snails belonging to the family Punctidae.^[1] All known members of the genus are endemic to New Zealand.

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

Description

Holotype of L. regia

Holotype of L. minuta

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 nov. (described in this paper) 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]

Taxonomy

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.^[3] The holotypes of all three known species are held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum.^[4]

Distribution

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][3] with its type locality being Tapotupotu Bay.^[4]

Species

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