Placostylus bivaricosus
CR

Placostylus bivaricosus

UnknownENAUENAUENAU

Photo: (c) ianhutton, all rights reserved, uploaded by ianhutton

Overview

The Lord Howe flax snail or the Lord Howe placostylus, scientific name Maoristylus bivaricosus, is a species of large air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Bothriembryontidae.

Placostylus bivaricosus faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. Introduced predators, particularly rats and other invasive species, pose significant threats to both adults and juveniles of this endemic land snail. The species' restricted distribution makes it extremely vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human disturbance.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic land snail inhabits native forests and woodland areas, typically found on trees and vegetation in humid microenvironments. The species requires specific moisture conditions and is closely associated with particular host plants within its restricted geographic range.

Other threatened species in ORTHALICIDAE

VU

Flax Snail

Placostylus elobatus

Unknown
EN

Flax Shell

Placostylus kantavuensis

Unknown
VU

Placostylus bollonsi

Unknown
Bothriembryon brazieriVU

Bothriembryon brazieri

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Placostylus bivaricosus classified as Critically Endangered?
Placostylus bivaricosus is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Placostylus bivaricosus faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. Introduced predators, particularly rats and other invasive species, pose significant threats to both adults and juveniles of this endemic land snail. The species' restricted distribution makes it extremely vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human disturbance.
Where does Placostylus bivaricosus live?
Placostylus bivaricosus occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Placostylus bivaricosus?
The main threats to Placostylus bivaricosus are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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