Placostylus ambagiosus michiei

Taxobox
name = "Placostylus ambagiosus michiei"


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status = EN
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Gastropoda
ordo = Pulmonata
familia = Bulimulidae
genus = "Placostylus"
species = "P. ambagiosus"
subspecies = "P. ambagiosus michiei"
trinomial = "Placostylus ambagiosus michiei"
trinomial_authority = Powell, 1951

"Placostylus ambagiosus michiei" is a subspecies of very large, air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Bulimulidae, the bulimulus snails and their allies.

This subspecies is endangered.

Distribution

This subspecies is endemic to the North Cape area in Northland in the North Island of New Zealand.

Habitat

This land snail is found on the Kerr Point herbfield, along the seaward edge of a plateau.

hell description

The shell is of moderate size and light build, with only the basal-lip tubercle well developed. The outer lip is very little thickened and the surface sometimes shows faint traces of the malleated spirals of "Placostylus ambagiosus watti". The coloration differs from that of all the mainland subspecies in being chestnut-brown externally, with an orange peristome, and bluish-grey within the aperture. The shell height is up to 74 mm, and width up to 31 mm.

Conservation status

"Placostylus ambagiosus michiei" is classified by the New Zealand Department of Conservation as being "Nationally Endangered".

References

* Powell A. W. B., "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
* [http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/MultipageDocumentPage.aspx?id=39593 New Zealand Department of Conservation Threatened Species Classification]