They are found in New Zealand.
They live in the wet leaf litter on the forest floor in wetter high altitude forests (some species live on grasslands).
Their shells can be red, brown, yellow or black. This largest species can reach 3.5 inches across (the size of a man’s fist) and weigh more than 3 ounces.
They are active at night (nocturnal).
They are carnivorous and eat earthworms and slugs.
Predators brought by visitors to the island like rats, possums and pigs eat them. Their native predators include thrushes (small bird) and hedgehogs.
Each snail has both female and male reproductive body parts (hermaphrodites) so can mate with any other snail. They lay 5-10 pink, half-inch long, hard-shelled eggs.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: ?
Family: Rhytididae
Genus: Powelliphanta
Species: P. superba
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Amsel, Sheri. "Snail (Giant Land)" Exploring Nature Educational Resource ©2005-2024. March 29, 2024
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