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Powelliphanta are carnivorous, eating mostly earthworms or slugs. These snails need moist surroundings, otherwise the outer layer ( periostracum) dries, shrinks and cracks this sometimes happens in museum shells of this genus which have been stored dry. The structure of these shells is very delicate, with a very thin layer of calcium carbonate, covered by a thicker chitinous outer layer. The striking delicately patterned shells of Powelliphanta come in an array of shades, from brown or red to yellow or black. The largest species, Powelliphanta superba prouseorum, has a shell up to 9 cm across and can weigh 90 g. Powelliphanta traversi traversi at Lake Papaitonga Powelliphanta require a moist environment because, unlike other land snails, they cannot seal off their shells with a protective mucous membrane. Several species only inhabit forests on limestone soils they require calcium to build their shells and eggs, and this is obtained from eating invertebrates (including other snails) which have taken up calcium from the limestone environment. Other species live in upland forest, or even under tussock grasses above the treeline. traversi traversi, which is nationally endangered and has its own 10 ha reserve of kahikatea forest and raupo swamp near Levin. These snails live mostly in moist native forest.
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Some species have an extremely restricted distribution, such as Powelliphanta gilliesi brunnea, which is only found in a 1 ha remnant of coastal forest. Their greatest diversity is in the mountains of northwest Nelson and north Westland. Powelliphanta are endemic to New Zealand, ranging in the North Island from Lake Waikaremoana to the Kapiti Coast, and in the South Island from the Marlborough Sounds to Fiordland and Southland. The relationship between the species is complex, and it has been suggested that the group Powelliphanta gilliesi-traversi-hochstetteri-rossiana-lignaria-superba forms a ring species. There are at least 21 species and 51 subspecies within the genus. In 1977 Climo raised Powelliphanta to genus rank, retaining just two species in Paryphanta. busbyi (Gray, 1840) which is confined to the North Auckland Peninsula. Powelliphanta will include all New Zealand species previously included in Paryphanta except the type of that genus, P.
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More important is the paucity of lime compared with conchin in the shell.Įgg always with cuticle, pale buff when laid.ĭistribution: North Island of New Zealand, in and south of the Ruahine Range (possibly once as far north as East Cape) and South Island. Shell generally, similar to Paryphanta Albers, but with the last whorl pulled in closer to the preceding whorl, and with a colour pattern of concentric or radially arranged bands, usually of alternating and contrasting colours.