Climocella akarana

Climocella akarana
Holotype
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Superfamily: Punctoidea
Family: Charopidae
Genus: Climocella
Species:
C. akarana
Binomial name
Climocella akarana
Goulstone, 1996
Synonyms[1]
  • Charopa (Mocella) eta Climo 1970 (in part)
  • "Mocella" n. sp. aff. maculata Solem, Climo & Roscoe 1981
  • "Mocella" sp. 3 Goulstone 1983

Climocella akarana is a species of land snail belonging to the family Charopidae.[2] Endemic to New Zealand, the species is found in the upper North Island, often in association with decomposing logs.

Description

C. akarana has a shell that measures 2.8 mm (0.11 in) by 1.5 mm (0.059 in), which has up to four subdiscoidal whorls and has a spire that is typically slightly raised. The shells have a protoconch of 1.5 whorls, and 9-10 spiral lirae which are crowded near the centre. The species can vary in appearance based on location, such as specimens collected from Rangitoto which have bright colour markings.[1]

Taxonomy

The species was first described by James Frederick Goulstone in 1995, naming the species after the Māori language name for Auckland.[1] Goulstone collected the holotype of the species from Ngaheretuku Reserve near Clevedon on 1 October 1985, which is held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum.[3][4] In 1996, Goulstone described seven new species of Climocella, many of which included specimens that had previously been identified as C. akarana.[5]

Distribution and habitat

C. akarana is endemic to New Zealand, found on the North Island northwards from Taranaki north, on Great Mercury Island and the Hauraki Gulf islands.[6][1] The species is the most common member of Climocella found in Auckland.[1] The species is typically found in association with decomposing logs,[7] however specimens found on Rangitoto and in the crater of Māngere Mountain live in exposed dry scoria rocks.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Goulstone, J. F. (1995). "Five New Species of Climocella n. gen. (Punctoidea: Charopidae)". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 32: 63–90. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906453. Wikidata Q58677487.
  2. ^ Climocella akarana Goulstone, 1996. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 18 November 2025.
  3. ^ Blom, Wilma M. (2025). "Annotated Catalogue of Fossil and Extant Molluscan Types in the Auckland War Memorial Museum". Bulletin of the Auckland Museum. 22. doi:10.32912/BULLETIN/22. ISSN 1176-3213. OCLC 1550165130. Wikidata Q135397912.
  4. ^ "Climocella akarana". Collections Online. Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  5. ^ Goulstone, J. F. (1996). "Seven New Species of Climocella (Gastropoda: Punctoidea: Charopidae) from Northern New Zealand". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 33: 173–194. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42906463. Wikidata Q58677504.
  6. ^ "Details: Climocella akarana Goulstone, 1996". NZ Mollusca. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  7. ^ Barker, Gary M. (2005). "The character of the New Zealand land snail fauna and communities: some evolutionary and ecological perspectives". Records of the Western Australian Museum, supplement. 68 (1): 53. doi:10.18195/ISSN.0313-122X.68.2005.053-102. ISSN 0313-122X. Wikidata Q106728496.