Albino rarity: a glowing white snail carnivorous albino Powelliphanta found living in New Zealand bush.
SNAIL FACTS
*Powelliphanta snails, found only in New Zealand, are the giants of the snail world with striking spiralled shells in an array of colours and patterns. They are carnivores, their favourite prey being earthworms. They also eat slugs.
*These snails live among the leaf litter on the forest floor from which they emerge in cool, wet weather. Shells are more often seen than snails out of their shells which are only spotted infrequently.
*The white snail is a brown-based Powelliphanta hochstetteri hochstetteri which grows up to 80 mm across. It is found on the Arthur and Lockett Ranges. A yellow-based form of the species lives north of Takaka Hill.
*The species is endangered due to predation by introduced pests: possums, rats, pigs and thrushes. DOC carries out possum control in the area primarily to protect the snails. The Friends of Flora community group also carries out pest control over around 5500 hectares in that part of the park to enhance the native vegetation and wildlife.
- © Fairfax NZ News
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6060984/Albino-rarity-a-glowing-white-snail
