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Placostylus ambagiosus
Species of gastropod From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Placostylus ambagiosus is a species of flax snail (Māori: pūpū whakarongotaua[4]), a large air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Bothriembryontidae.
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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]
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Distribution
This land snail species occurs in New Zealand. It is restricted to a small fragmented area of Northland Region, including the 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]
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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 †
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References
Further reading
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