Placostylus

Taxobox
name = "Placostylus"


image_caption = "Placostylus ambagiosus priscus"
status =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
subclassis = Orthogastropoda
superordo = Heterobranchia
ordo = Pulmonata
subordo = Eupulmonata
familia = Bulimulidae
genus = "Placostylus"
genus_authority = Beck, 1837
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

"Placostylus", or flax snails, are a genus of very large, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Bulimulidae.

The shells of the snails in this genus can be as large as 4.5 inches (11 cm) in maximum dimension.

Distribution

This genus of snails is endemic to the island groups of the Melanesian Plateau; the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Lord Howe Island, and Northland in New Zealand including offshore islands.

Habitat

In this genus there are some arboreal (tree-living) species which are thin-shelled, and some ground-dwelling species which are solid and often massive in their shell structure.

All of the New Zealand species are ground dwelling in their adult stages, but the juveniles are sometimes found in Astelia and other epiphytic growth on trees.

Conservation status

Many species in this genus have become extinct.

pecies

* "Placostylus ambagiosus ambagiosus" Suter, 1906
* "Placostylus ambagiosus annectens" Powell, 1938
* "Placostylus ambagiosus consobrinus" Powell, 1938
* "Placostylus ambagiosus gardneri" † Powell, 1951
* "Placostylus ambagiosus hinemoa" † Powell, 1947
* "Placostylus ambagiosus keenorum" Powell, 1947
* "Placostylus ambagiosus lesleyae" † Powell, 1947
* "Placostylus ambagiosus michiei" Powell, 1951
* "Placostylus ambagiosus pandora" Powelll, 1951
* "Placostylus ambagiosus paraspiritus" Powell, 1951
* "Placostylus ambagiosus priscus" † Powell, 1938
* "Placostylus ambagiosus spiritus" † Powell, 1947
* "Placostylus ambagiosus watti" Powell, 1947
* "Placostylus ambagiosus whareana" Powell, 1951
* "Placostylus ambagiosus worthyi" † Powell, 1947
* "Placostylus bivaricosus" Gaskoin, 1855
* "Placostylus bollonsi arbutus" Powell, 1948
* "Placostylus bollonsi bollonsi" Suter, 1908
* "Placostylus bollonsi caperatus" Powell, 1948
* "Placostylus caledonicus" Petit, 1845
* "Placostylus cuniculinsulae" Cox, 1872
* "Placostylus eddystonensis" Pfeiffer, 1855
* "Placostylus fibratus" Martyn, 1789
* "Placostylus hongii" (Lesson, 1830)
* "Placostylus manni" Clapp, 1923
* "Placostylus miltocheilus" Reeve, 1848
* "Placostylus porphyrostomus" Pfeiffer, 1851

References

* Powell A. W. B., "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
* [http://www.mollusca.co.nz/checklist/checklist_frameset.htm NZ Molluscs]