Patula sylvia Hutton, 1883

Pl. 4, fig. D

Hutton, 1883. The New Zealand Journal of Science, 1: 476.

Type material. Lectotype (designated here), CMNZ M1363.2, and paralectotypes (2), CMNZ M1363.1, M1363.3 (dry shells).

Label details. ‘26. Patula sylvia Hutton, Bealey, Type’, pillbox label in Hutton’s handwriting.

Type locality. ‘Bealey (Haast)’ (Hutton 1883g: 475); ‘Bealey (Dr. v. Haast), under logs in the beech forests’ (Hutton 1884b: 175).

Remarks. Hutton submitted a description of Patula sylvia to the Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute issue for 1883, but publication was delayed until May 1884 (Hutton 1884b: 175), and was preempted by a brief description in an account of a meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury (Hutton 1883g: 476). A shell from the type series (lectotype) is illustrated here for the first time in pl. 4, fig. D. There has been confusion over the taxonomic status of this species: it has been incorrectly listed as a junior synonym of Helix tau Pfeiffer, 1861 (e.g., by Hedley & Suter 1893: 657, Suter 1894b: 262); and as a junior synonym of Helix buccinella Reeve, 1852 (e.g., by Suter 1913: 714, Climo 1969: 208, Powell 1979: 307). Examination of type material indicates that Patula sylvia Hutton, 1883 and Helix buccinella Reeve, 1852 are separate species, and that Patula mutabilis Suter, 1891 is a subjective junior synonym of P. sylvia Hutton, 1883 .

Current taxonomy. Cavellia sylvia (Hutton, 1883) — Mayhill (1985: 4), Mason (1988: 90), Spencer et al. (2009: 215).

Distribution. New Zealand; widespread in the eastern and southern South Island, including islands in Marlborough Sounds and Fiordland, and on Rakiura/Stewart Island and Whenua Hou/Codfish Island (Suter 1913: 720 —as Endodonta mutabilis; Climo 1969: 219, fig. 19C—as Charopa mutabilis; Powell 1979: 307 —as C. mutabilis; AIM and NMNZ collection records).