This is the densest aggregation of black abs I’ve seen here since wilthering syndrome hit.
Oso Flaco Lake, San Luis Obispo County, California
Elfin Forest, San Luis Obispo County, California
False cowrie, Pusula solandri (formerly Trivia solandri), about 15 mm total length. Found crawling on the side of a cobble in a tidepool at Naples Point, Santa Barbara Co. Here, the distinctively ribbed shell is covered by the fleshy tuberculate mantle.
Modified by CombineZP. Collected with permit.
Coll. with permit.
Found stuck in the seaweed in a calm shallow bay on the island of Milos. Must have just washed up the night before bc the animal was still inside the shell
Organismo encontrado en el Intermareal alto sobre el sustrato duro o rocoso.
Presenta una forma ovalada, en la zona dorsal posee ocho placas calcáreas unidas. En el área lateral de cada placa se observan lineas intercaladas de color blancas y cafe y la zona central de ella tiene una tonalidad clara a excepción de la 5ta placa que se presenta de color negro. Las placas calcáreas están rodeadas por cinturón cubierto de escamas negras de textura porosa
I believe this is a new county record and a fairly large range extension for the species.
These were quite common in litter from steep dry ravines under wooded scrub on a north facing clay-sand slope.
Found 16 Ashmunella shells, most are mature and aged, in a 15 min search along the Comfort Spring drainage to the west of Ramsey Vista campground, Huachuca Mtns. Habitat is grassy and dirt hillside covered with leaf litter. Oak woodland plant community.
Red snail seen early in the morning on a rock step.
large snail, high elevation
Collected in leaflitter from a pukatea/hinau/rewarewa swamp forest remnant in Woodlands Retirement Village.
Note: This image was not taken in one shot. It is a compilation of 54 images with the shells scaled in size in relation to the penny. The identifications of these shells can be found on http://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/cedric_lee/2013/4/27.
Part of 55 yr old collection.
These were collected from Mt Eureka on the Big River watershed side.
One example was collected from nearby in the Saxon watershed, by whoever placed it in the Cawthron collection. I have lost track of which one but feel they match in every respect. It is likely the slightly lighter shell.
Grid Ref on old inch to mile series is 713858
This small charopid species is very tall and tightly coiled and cannot be confused with any other NZ landsnail species. snails of this species often found under bark on tree trunks.
We have collected it in the Wellington Region from East Harbour, Belmont-Kelson, Khandallah Park, Wainuiomata, Trelissick Park, Wilton, Karori, Kaitoke, Akatarawa, Pakuratahi, Rimutaka Hill.
A small endemic carnivorous rhytidid landsnail. We have collected it from East Harbour, Wainuiomata, Belmont-Kelson, Pakuratahi, Kaitoke, Akatarawa, Wilton and Karori. It ocurs elsewhere in North Island but only touches the Marlborough Sounds. The taxonomy is currently being reviewed and it is likely to be split up into several closely related species. (Photo: D.J. Roscoe, DOC)
mid-low intertidal, common
Powelliphanta superba - one of my favourite encounters on the Heaphy Track a couple of weeks ago. This individual was close to the upper size limit for the species, with a shell nearly 90mm across. No macro lens required!
Santa Barbara County, California.
Part of 55 yr old collection.
What's left of three specimens. The two intact ones exploded on drying out, this one partly damaged by weka survived!
Part of a 55 yr old collection.
This species has the most amazingly glossy finish. Making them rather difficult to photograph.The patchy colours are not true, these are reflections of a shadesail and sky.
The profile of the shell suggests a close alliance to the P superba group, but colouration favours the P. lignaria group with which it was originally associated as a subspecies.
I have highlighted two extremes of colour range
At this point in this specie's range the shells reach the peak of their magnificence in colourful patterns.
It about time some artist captured these as a symbol. The pinnacle of New Zealands natural beauty and uniqueness. No matter how many times I revisit, I never go away disappointed in their Creator.
I will post further individuals from here presented slightly more scientifically.
This is unquestionably Powelliphanta gilliesi subfusca.
From 1960's collection.
Sub-sp typified by dark umbilicus which blends into honey with no specific delineation.
Top side lighter coloured than s.s. Bands tend to be coarser as in sample photographed individually but range shown can be found.
Part of a 55 yr old collection.
Collected at Anatori north side, technically these are not within the natural boundaries possible of P gilliesi ssp kahurangica but seem to be the same [or similar] so possibly introduced from Kahurangi. They are on the same section of coast as P g. brunnea [between Patarau and Anatori rivers] but don't resemble this ssp in the slightest. The farmland here creating a huge hiatus in habitat.
Part of a 55 yr old collection.
Two specimens collected from the Parapara and Tukurua Ck watersheds which fall within the known distribution area of this species.
There has been little written about these creatures and even fewer photographs in the public domain [like virtually none]
At some undefined point this subspecies has the potential of meeting P. gilliesi compta. These photos may therefore represent either, both [as I rather suspect] or some form of hybrid and thereby should perhaps fall back to genus level in ID. I will endeavour to clear this up and revise if necessary after referring to the notable collection in the Takaka Museum repository next time I visit.
Closeup to demonstrate just how intricate the shell pattern is.
Notably specimens from this sub spp have decidedly more greenish tints than s.s. and very fine striations. The extremely high-gloss finish on the underside is entirely natural.
Part of 55 yr old collection.
This is the form with the honey coloured umbilicus typical of this location. Shells with a dark umbilicus exist on the ranges to the south. These snails have adapted to elevation and can get the bends and die if taken to sea-level, so are found in a relatively narrow elevation zone. This means they are often isolated on a single range of mountains. This has produced numerous sub-specific taxa.
An interesting thing happens in the Marlborough Sounds which is a ria coastline and has been gradually sinking for an extremely long time. Here the snails have adapted to lower elevations in places.
Black and dark brown, no stripes. About 1" across, under a conifer log.
Shell only of course. Looked like it had been pecked by a weka.