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.
| Placostylus ambagiosus | |
|---|---|
| |
| A shell of the subspecies Placostylus ambagiosus priscus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Bothriembryontidae |
| Genus: | Placostylus |
| Species: | P. ambagiosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Placostylus ambagiosus | |
Description
editThis 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
editThis 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
editThis 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
editBased 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
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ Suter H. (1906). J. de Conch. 54: 253, plate 8, figure 1-3.
- ^ "Object: Placostylus ambagiosus Suter, 1907; lectotype; lectotype of Placostylus hongii ambagiosus Suter, 1907". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ a b c d e 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Powell, A. W. B. (1947). "Distribution of Placostylus Land Snails in Northernmost New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 3: 173–188. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906006. Wikidata Q58676647.
- ^ Powell, A. W. B. (1951). "On Further Colonies of Placostylus Land Snails from Northernmost New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 4: 134–140. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906054. Wikidata Q58676724.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ "Extinct Species of New Zealand". Natural Heritage Collection. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ "Terrestrial invertebrate - part one". New Zealand Threat Classification System. Department of Conservation. 2002.
Further reading
edit
- Powell A. W. B. (1979). New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand, ISBN 0-00-216906-1.
- Suter H. (1913). Manual of the New Zealand Mollusca. Wellington, 1120 pp., page 768.