Placostylus ambagiosus
A shell of the subspecies Placostylus ambagiosus priscus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Bothriembryontidae
Genus: Placostylus
Species:
P. ambagiosus
Binomial name
Placostylus ambagiosus

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.

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]

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]

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 †

References

  1. ↑ Sherley, G. (1996). "Placostylus ambagiosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T17444A7072200. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T17444A7072200.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Suter H. (1906). J. de Conch. 54: 253, plate 8, figure 1-3.
  3. ↑ "Object: Placostylus ambagiosus Suter, 1907; lectotype; lectotype of Placostylus hongii ambagiosus Suter, 1907". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 E. Daly, Elizabeth; A. Trewick, Steven; J. Dowle, Eddy; S. Crampton, James; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2020). "Conservation of pūpū whakarongotaua - the snail that listens for the war party". Ethnobiology and Conservation. 9. doi:10.15451/ec2020-05-9.13-1-27.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Parrish, G. Richard; Stringer, Ian A. N.; Sherley, Greg H. (2014). "The biology of Placostylus ambagiosus (Pulmonata: Bulimulidae) in New Zealand: Part 1. Behaviour, habitat use, abundance, site fidelity, homing and the dimensions of eggs and snails". Molluscan Research. 34 (3): 139–154. doi:10.1080/13235818.2014.888980. ISSN 1323-5818. S2CID 85060133.
  6. ↑ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "2. – Snails and slugs – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  7. 1 2 I. A. N. Stringer & E. A. Grant (2007). Captive rearing and biology of the endangered giant land snails Placostylus ambagiosus and P. hongii (Pulmonata: Bulimulidae) (PDF). DOC Research & Development Series 279. Department of Conservation. ISBN 978-0-478-14288-4.
  8. ↑ Powell, AWB (1947). "Distribution of Placostylus Land Snails in Northern most New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 3: 173–188.
  9. ↑ Powell, AWB (1951). "On Further Colonies of Placostylus Land Snails from Northernmost New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 4: 134–140.
  10. ↑ LEACH, HELEN; STOWE, CHRIS (2005). "OCEANIC ARBORICULTURE AT THE MARGINS—THE CASE OF THE KARAKA (CORYNOCARPUS LAEVIGATUS) IN AOTEAROA". The Journal of the Polynesian Society. 114 (1): 7–27. ISSN 0032-4000. JSTOR 20707255.
  11. ↑ Wehi, Priscilla M. (2009). "Indigenous Ancestral Sayings Contribute to Modern Conservation Partnerships: Examples Using Phormium Tenax". Ecological Applications. 19 (1): 267–275. doi:10.1890/07-1693.1. ISSN 1051-0761. JSTOR 27645964. PMID 19323188.
  12. ↑ Stringer, Ian Alexander Noel; Parrish, Glen Richard; Sherley, Gregory Howard (2018). "Homing, dispersal and mortality after translocation of long-lived land snails Placostylus ambagiosus and P. hongii (Gastropoda: Bothriembryontidae) in New Zealand". Molluscan Research. 38 (1): 56–76. doi:10.1080/13235818.2017.1323368. ISSN 1323-5818. S2CID 89729069.
  13. 1 2 Stringer, Ian A. N.; Parrish, G. Richard; Sherley, Greg H.; MacKenzie, Darryl I. (2014). "The biology of Placostylus ambagiosus (Pulmonata: Bulimulidae) in New Zealand: Part 2. Population changes, growth, mortality and life expectancy". Molluscan Research. 34 (3): 155–175. doi:10.1080/13235818.2014.888985. ISSN 1323-5818. S2CID 86580704.
  14. ↑ Sherley, G. H.; Stringer, I. A. N.; Parrish, G. R.; Flux, I. (1998). "Demography of two landsnail populations (Placostylus ambagiosus, Pulmonata: Bulimulidae) in relation to predator control in the far north of New Zealand". Biological Conservation. 84 (1): 83–88. doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(97)00086-4. ISSN 0006-3207.
  15. 1 2 Buckley T. R., Stringer I., Gleeson D., Howitt R., Attanayake D., Parrish R., Sherley G. & Rohan M. (2011). "A revision of the New Zealand Placostylus land snails using mitochondrial DNA and shell morphometric analyses, with implications for conservation". New Zealand Journal of Zoology 38(1): 55-81. doi:10.1080/03014223.2010.527997.
  16. ↑ "Extinct Species of New Zealand". Natural Heritage Collection. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Terrestrial invertebrate - part one". New Zealand Threat Classification System. Department of Conservation. 2002.

Further reading

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