Placostylus

Placostylus
	Placostylus fibratus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Stylommatophora
Family:	Bothriembryontidae
Subfamily:	Placostylinae
Genus:	Placostylus; Beck, 1837
Type species
	Limax fibratus; Martyn, 1784
Synonyms
	Bulimus (Placostylus) H. Beck, 1837 (original rank); Maoristylus F. Haas, 1935; Placostylus (Maoristylus) Haas, 1935;

Placostylus, or flax snails, are a genus of very large, air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Bothriembryontidae.^[3]^[2]

The shells of the snails in this genus can be as large as 4.5 inches (11 cm) in maximum dimension.

Many species within this genus are now extinct.

Taxonomy

Placostylus is the type genus of the family Placostylidae.^[4] It was placed within Placostylidae.^[4]

Breure et al. (2010)^[5] moved Prestonella and Bothriembryon to Placostylidae. Subsequently, Breure & Romero (2012)^[3] confirmed previous results from 2010 and they renamed Placostylidae to Bothriembryontidae.^[3]

Distribution

This genus of snails occurs in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Lord Howe Island, and Northland in New Zealand. There are three species in New Zealand and no subspecies.^[6]

Species

In former classification, two subgenera were recognized: subgenus Basileostylus Haas, 1935^[7]^[8] subgenus Maoristylus Haas, 1935^[9]^[8]

Species within this genus include:

† Placostylus abbreviatus (Gassies, 1871)
Placostylus bondeensis (Crosse & Souverbie, 1869)
Placostylus caledonicus (Petit, 1845)
Placostylus eddystonensis Pfeiffer, 1855
Placostylus fibratus (Martyn, 1789) - type species^[10]
† Placostylus leoni Haas, 1935
Placostylus porphyrostomus Pfeiffer, 1851
Placostylus scarabus (Albers, 1854)
† Placostylus senilis (Gassies, 1869)

Synonyms

Placostylus albersi Dautzenberg & Bouge in Dautzenberg, 1923: synonym of Placostylus fibratus souvillei (Morelet, 1857) (nom. nov. pro Placostylus eximius Albers not Reeve)
Placostylus alexander (Crosse, 1855): synonym of Placostylus fibratus alexander (Crosse, 1855)
Placostylus alienus Pilsbry, 1893: synonym of Santacharis fuligineus (L. Pfeiffer, 1854) (original combination; junior synonym)
Placostylus ambagiosus Suter, 1907: synonym of Maoristylus ambagiosus (Suter, 1907) (superseded combination)
Placostylus annibal (Souverbie, 1869): synonym of Placostylus caledonicus (Petit, 1845) (junior synonym)
Placostylus bavayi (Crosse & Marie, 1868): synonym of Placostylus eddystonensis bavayi (Crosse & Marie, 1868)
Placostylus bivaricosus (Gaskoin, 1855): synonym of Maoristylus bivaricosus (Gaskoin, 1855)
Placostylus bollonsi Suter, 1908^[8]^[6] - New Zealand flax snail: synonym of Basileostylus bollonsi (Suter, 1908)
Placostylus calus E. A. Smith, 1892: synonym of Eumecostylus calus (E. A. Smith, 1892) (original combination)
Placostylus cicatricosus (Gassies, 1871): synonym of Placostylus fibratus alexander (Crosse, 1855) (junior synonym)
Placostylus cleryi (Petit de la Saussage, 1850): synonym of Eumecostylus cleryi (Petit de la Saussaye, 1850)
Placostylus cuniculinsulae Cox, 1872: synonym of Maoristylus bivaricosus (Gaskoin, 1855) (junior synonym)
Placostylus dorseyi Dall, 1910: synonym of Partula grisea Lesson, 1831
Placostylus duplex (Gassies, 1871): synonym of Placostylus porphyrostomus porphyrostomus (L. Pfeiffer, 1853)
Placostylus dupuyi Kobelt, 1890: synonym of Placostylus eddystonensis bavayi (Crosse & Marie, 1868) (junior synonym)
Placostylus elobatus (A. A. Gould, 1846): synonym of Callistocharis elobatus (A. A. Gould, 1846) (superseded combination)
Placostylus falcicula (Gassies, 1871): synonym of Placostylus fibratus fibratus (Martyn, 1784)
Placostylus founaki (Rousseau, 1854): synonym of Eumecostylus founaki (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1847)
Placostylus francoisi Mabille, 1895: synonym of Poecilocharis bicolor (Hartman, 1889) (junior synonym)
Placostylus gizoensis Clench, 1941: synonym of Maoristylus bivaricosus (Gaskoin, 1855) (junior synonym)
Placostylus goulvainensis Kobelt, 1891: synonym of Placostylus porphyrostomus smithii Kobelt, 1891 (junior synonym)
Placostylus guestieri (Gassies, 1869): synonym of Placostylus fibratus guestieri (Gassies, 1869)
Placostylus guppyi E. A. Smith, 1892: synonym of Eumecostylus guppyi (E. A. Smith, 1892) (original combination)
Placostylus hienguensis Crosse, 1871: synonym of Placostylus eddystonensis (L. Pfeiffer, 1855) (junior synonym)
Placostylus hongii (R. P. Lesson, 1830): synonym of Maoristylus hongii (R. P. Lesson, 1830) (superseded combination)
Placostylus houailouensis Dautzenberg, 1901: synonym of Placostylus fibratus alexander (Crosse, 1855) (junior synonym)
Placostylus kanalensis (L. Pfeiffer, 1877): synonym of Placostylus fibratus alexander (Crosse, 1855) (junior synonym)
Placostylus layardi Kobelt, 1891: synonym of Placostylus bondeensis rossiteri (Brazier, 1881) (junior synonym)
Placostylus leucolenus Crosse, 1896: synonym of Placostylus fibratus fibratus (Martyn, 1784)
Placostylus loyaltyensis (Souverbie, 1879): synonym of Leucocharis loyaltyensis (Souverbie, 1879)
Placostylus manni Clapp, 1923: synonym of Eumecostylus manni (Clapp, 1923) (basionym)
Placostylus mariei (Crosse & P. Fischer, 1867): synonym of Placostylus porphyrostomus mariei (Crosse & P. Fischer, 1867)
Placostylus miltocheilus (Reeve, 1848): synonym of Aspastus miltocheilus (Reeve, 1848)
Placostylus ouveanus (Mousson, 1869): synonym of Placostylus fibratus ouveanus (Mousson, 1869)
Placostylus palmarum (Mousson, 1869): synonym of Placocharis palmarum (Mousson, 1869)
Placostylus paravicinianus B. Rensch, 1934: synonym of Eumecostylus paravicinianus (B. Rensch, 1934) (original combination)
Placostylus poyensis Kobelt, 1891: synonym of Placostylus porphyrostomus mariei (Crosse & P. Fischer, 1867) (superseded combination)
Placostylus priscus A. W. B. Powell, 1938: synonym of Maoristylus ambagiosus (Suter, 1907)
Placostylus pseudocaledonicus (Montrouzier in Crosse, 1859): synonym of Placostylus scarabus (Albers, 1854) (junior synonym)
Placostylus pyrostomus (L. Pfeiffer, 1860): synonym of Santacharis salomonis (L. Pfeiffer, 1852) (junior synonym)
Placostylus remotus Hedley, 1898: synonym of Partula remota (Hedley, 1898) (original combination)
Placostylus salomonis (Pfeiffer, 1853): synonym of Santacharis salomonis (L. Pfeiffer, 1853) (superseded combination)
Placostylus sanchristovalensis (Cox, 1870): synonym of Eumecostylus sanchristovalensis (Cox, 1870)
Placostylus savesi Crosse, 1886: synonym of Placostylus eddystonensis savesi Crosse, 1886
Placostylus saxtoni Kobelt, 1891: synonym of Placostylus caledonicus (Petit, 1845) (junior synonym)
Placostylus scottii (Cox, 1873): synonym of Eumecostylus scottii (Cox, 1873)
Placostylus seemanni (Dohrn, 1861): synonym of Euplacostylus seemanni (Dohrn, 1861)
Placostylus singularis (Morelet, 1857): synonym of Placostylus porphyrostomus porphyrostomus (L. Pfeiffer, 1853) (junior synonym)
Placostylus sinistrorsa (Crosse, 1884): synonym of Placostylus fibratus ouveanus (Mousson, 1869) (based on unavailable original name)
Placostylus smithii Kobelt, 1891: synonym of Placostylus porphyrostomus smithii Kobelt, 1891 (basionym)
Placostylus souvillei (Morelet, 1857): synonym of Placostylus fibratus souvillei (Morelet, 1857)
Placostylus stutchburyi (L. Pfeiffer, 1860): synonym of Placocharis stutchburyi (L. Pfeiffer, 1860)
Placostylus superfasciatus (Gassies, 1871): synonym of Placostylus fibratus fibratus (Martyn, 1784) (junior synonym)
Placostylus unicus B. Rensch, 1934: synonym of Eumecostylus unicus (B. Rensch, 1934) (original combination)

References

↑ Beck H. H. (1837). Index Moll. Mus. Ch. Fred. (1): 57.
1 2 Placostylus H. Beck, 1837. 7 December 2025. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.
1 2 3 Breure A. S. H. & Romero P. (2012). "Support and surprises: molecular phylogeny of the land snail superfamily Orthalicoidea using a three-locus gene analysis with a divergence time analysis and ancestral area reconstruction (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora)". Archiv für Molluskenkunde: International Journal of Malacology 141(1): 1-20. doi:10.1127/arch.moll/1869-0963/141/001-020.
1 2 Bouchet, Philippe; Rocroi, Jean-Pierre; Frýda, Jiri; Hausdorf, Bernard; Ponder, Winston; Valdés, Ángel & Warén, Anders (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". Malacologia. 47 (1–2). Hackenheim, Germany: ConchBooks: 1–397. ISBN 3-925919-72-4. ISSN 0076-2997.
↑ Breure A. S. H., Groenenberg D. S. J. & Schilthuizen M. (2010). "New insights in the phylogenetic relations within the Orthalicoidea (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora) based on 28S sequence data". Basteria 74(1-3): 25-31.
1 2 Buckley T. R., Stringer I., Gleeson D., Howitt R., Attanayake D., Parrish R., Sherley G. & Rohan M. (2011). "A revision of the New Zealand Placostylus land snails using mitochondrial DNA and shell morphometric analyses, with implications for conservation". New Zealand Journal of Zoology 38(1): 55-81. doi:10.1080/03014223.2010.527997.
↑ Haas (1935). Zool. Anz. 109: 189.
1 2 3 "Class Gastropoda". New Zealand Mollusca, accessed 26 December 2010.
↑ Haas (1935). Zool. Anz. 109: 188.
↑ ICZN (1992). "Opinion 1662. Limax fibratus Martyn, 1784 and Nerita hebraea Martyn, 1786 (currently Placostylus fibratus and Nerita hebraea; Mollusca, Gastropoda): specific names conserved; and Placostylus Beck, 1837; L. fibratus designated as the type species". Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 49: 74-75.

External links

Fabrice M. Brescia, Christine M. Pöllabauer, Murray A. Potter & Alastair W. Robertson, A review of the ecology and conservation of Placostylus (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Bulimulidae) in New Caledonia; Molluscan Research 28(2): 111–122; ISSN 1323-5818
Powell A. W. B., New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1
Flax snail on Department of Conservation (New Zealand) website

[1] Beck H. H. (1837). Index Moll. Mus. Ch. Fred. (1): 57.

[WoRMS-2] 1 2 Placostylus H. Beck, 1837. 7 December 2025. Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species.

[Breure_2012-3] 1 2 3 Breure A. S. H. & Romero P. (2012). "Support and surprises: molecular phylogeny of the land snail superfamily Orthalicoidea using a three-locus gene analysis with a divergence time analysis and ancestral area reconstruction (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora)". Archiv für Molluskenkunde: International Journal of Malacology 141(1): 1-20. doi:10.1127/arch.moll/1869-0963/141/001-020.

[Bouchet_2005-4] 1 2 Bouchet, Philippe; Rocroi, Jean-Pierre; Frýda, Jiri; Hausdorf, Bernard; Ponder, Winston; Valdés, Ángel & Warén, Anders (2005). "Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families". Malacologia. 47 (1–2). Hackenheim, Germany: ConchBooks: 1–397. ISBN 3-925919-72-4. ISSN 0076-2997.

[Breure_2010-5] Breure A. S. H., Groenenberg D. S. J. & Schilthuizen M. (2010). "New insights in the phylogenetic relations within the Orthalicoidea (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora) based on 28S sequence data". Basteria 74(1-3): 25-31.

[Buckley_2011-6] 1 2 Buckley T. R., Stringer I., Gleeson D., Howitt R., Attanayake D., Parrish R., Sherley G. & Rohan M. (2011). "A revision of the New Zealand Placostylus land snails using mitochondrial DNA and shell morphometric analyses, with implications for conservation". New Zealand Journal of Zoology 38(1): 55-81. doi:10.1080/03014223.2010.527997.

[7] Haas (1935). Zool. Anz. 109: 189.

[mollusca.co.nz-8] 1 2 3 "Class Gastropoda". New Zealand Mollusca, accessed 26 December 2010.

[9] Haas (1935). Zool. Anz. 109: 188.

[10] ICZN (1992). "Opinion 1662. Limax fibratus Martyn, 1784 and Nerita hebraea Martyn, 1786 (currently Placostylus fibratus and Nerita hebraea; Mollusca, Gastropoda): specific names conserved; and Placostylus Beck, 1837; L. fibratus designated as the type species". Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 49: 74-75.

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