Laoma labyrinthica

Laoma labyrinthica is a species of land snail belonging to the family Punctidae. First described in 1948, the species is endemic to Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, northwest of mainland New Zealand.

Description

In the original description, Powell described the species as follows:
The holotype has a diameter of, and a height of. The species can be distinguished from Laoma marina due to having a much smaller adult size, having more distant and definite radial sculpture, a conspicuous colour pattern of broad patches of reddish-brown, and massive development of the apertural processes.
The species' reproductive system is typical of Punctidae, and has a short atrium, a long, cylindrical penis and a long vagina, and no epiphallus. The radula has the formula 35-36 + 1 + 35-36, with a tricuspid central tooth, weak lateral cusps, and all other teeth bicuspid.

Taxonomy

The species was described by Baden Powell in 1948. The holotype is held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and was collected by Powell himself in December 1945 from Manawatāwhi / Great Island on Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands.

Distribution and habitat

L. labyrinthica is endemic to the Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands of New Zealand, and is the only known member of Laoma to occur here. The species is found on Manawatāwhi / Great Island, Oromaki / North East Island and Moekawa / South West Island, but not Ōhau / West Island. L. labyrinthica is restricted to remnant broadleaf forest and areas of kānuka scrub with loose rubble. The holotype was found amongst kānuka scrub, in leaf mould on the underside of decaying wood.