Opacuincola cervicesmadentes

Opacuincola cervicesmadentes is a critically endangered species of freshwater snail endemic to New Zealand.

Opacuincola cervicesmadentes
Conservation status
Nationally Critical (NZ TCS)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Tateidae
Genus:	Opacuincola
Species:	O. cervicesmadentes
Binomial name
Opacuincola cervicesmadentes Martin Haase, 2008[2]
Synonyms
Hydrobiidae sp. 15 (M.174119)

Habitat

This snail has been found in only one location at the Charing Cross entrance of Wet Neck Cave, west of Mangarakau and Collingwood. The population trend of this snail is unknown at present but it is regarded as potentially threatened by habitat destruction, agricultural work and caving pursuits.[3]

Conservation status

In November 2018 the Department of Conservation classified Opacuincola cervicesmadentes as Nationally Critical under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[1] The species was judged as meeting the criteria for Nationally Critical threat status as a result of it occupying a total area of less than 1 hectare. It is found only in one location and is also classified as Data Poor under that system.[1]

References

1. Grainger, N.; Harding, J.; Drinan, T.; Collier, K.; Smith, B.; Death, R.; Makan, T.; Rolfe, J. (November 2018). "Conservation status of New Zealand freshwater invertebrates, 2018" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 28: 1–29 – via Department of Conservation.
2. Haase, Martin (February 2008). "The radiation of hydrobiid gastropods in New Zealand: A revision including the description of new species based on morphology and mtDNA sequence information". Systematics and Biodiversity. 6 (1): 99–159. doi:10.1017/S1477200007002630.
3. Collier, K. "Opacuincola cervicesmadentes". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. Retrieved 1 September 2015.

External links

• Image of the holotype specimen held at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa