Powelliphanta gilliesi, one of the "amber snails", is a species of large, carnivorous land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Rhytididae.
Distribution
This species is endemic to the West Nelson area of the South Island of New Zealand.
There are nine subspecies, some of which are listed by the New Zealand Department of Conservation:
- Powelliphanta gilliesi aurea <small>Powell, 1946</small>
- Powelliphanta gilliesi brunnea <small>Powell, 1938</small>
- Powelliphanta gilliesi compta <small>Powell, 1930</small> â Nationally Vulnerable
- Powelliphanta gilliesi fallax <small>Powell, 1930</small> â National Decline
- Powelliphanta gilliesi gilliesi <small>Smith, 1880</small>
- Powelliphanta gilliesi jamesoni <small>Powell, 1936</small>
- Powelliphanta gilliesi kahurangica <small>Powell, 1936</small>
- Powelliphanta gilliesi montana <small>Powell, 1936</small>
- Powelliphanta gilliesi subfusca <small>Powell, 1930</small> â Gradual Decline
Life cycle
The eggs of this species are oval in shape and are rarely constant in dimensions, varying from , to , and .
References