New Zealand has a vast land snail fauna. Most widely known are the giants, Powelliphanta and Paryphanta. But the majority of species have shells smaller than 5 millimetres. Suteria ide, pictured here, is one of a small number of New Zealand land snails whose shell grows to more than 5 millimetres. Land snails have varied shapes and sizes. Some have ridges, ribs and in the case of some species such as Suteria ide – bristles. The ridges, ribs and, especially, the bristles are thought to reduce the amount of dirt and water that adheres to the shell.
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Soil Bugs – An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Soil Invertebrates
by Alastair Robertson and Maria Minor
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