New Zealand Screw Shell

About

Large brown screw shell with a pointed tip. It was introduced from NZ to Tasmania about 80 years ago with live shipments of oysters and now occurs in massive aggregations. The species now poses a threat to local species, because living and dead shells have carpeted the seabed in places such the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, greatly altering the habitat. The numbers of the native screw shell Gazameda gunnii seem to decline following the arrival of Maoricolpus roseus in an area. Gazameda gunnii is smaller, with a more mottled appearance, and has fine beads forming ridges around the shell

Size

Can grow up to around 90mm

Habitat

Lives on fine silts, muds, and sandy, gravelly or shelly substrates from the low intertidal down to about 200 m

Distribution

In Australia from SA to NSW including Tasmania this species is introduced and is native to New Zealand

Gallery

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Local Sightings

1 recorded sighting in and around the area.

References & citations (2)

1. Des Beechey - The Seashells of New South Wales (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)
2. The Atlas of Living Australia (accessed 2021-09-22 14:03:33)