Paryphanta busbyi
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| Paryphanta busbyi | ||||||||||||||
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| Paryphanta busbyi (Gray, 1840) |
Paryphanta busbyi is a species of large predatory land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Rhytididae.
This species was thought to be almost extinct by 1913. It is classified by the New Zealand Department of Conservation as being in "Gradual Decline".
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[edit] Distribution
This species is endemic to the district of Northland in the North Island of New Zealand, from Awanui to Warkworth.
[edit] Shell description
The shell is large, solid and depressed, with rapidly increasing whorls. It has a thick, shining, dark green periostracum, and a solid calcareous under-layer. The shell is bluish within the aperture.
The maximum diameter is up to 79 mm, and the height is up to 44 mm. The dimensions of the egg of this snail are length 12 mm, and width 10 mm.
[edit] Life habits
These snails are nocturnal, coming out at night from daytime resting places under leaf litter to forage for earthworms and other invertebrates.
It shows a tendency to move out of the forest to areas of scrub and fern where its staple food, the earthworm, is more abundant.
[edit] References
- Powell A W B, New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
- New Zealand Department of Conservation Threatened Species Classification
