Phrixgnathus ariel Hutton, 1883

Pl. 5, fig. A

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

Type material. Holotype, by monotypy, CMNZ M1386 (dry shell).

Label details. ‘ Auckland, Hutton Coll. pill box no. 110’.

CMNZ molluscan catalogue details. M1386—‘ Phrixgnathus ariel Hutton, Auckland (old No. 110)’.

Type locality. ‘ Auckland (Cheeseman)’ (Hutton 1883g: 476, 1884b: 177).

Remarks. The type material of Phrixgnathus ariel consists of a single specimen (Hutton 1884b: 177). Hutton submitted a description of this species to the Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute issue for

1883, but publication was delayed until May 1884 (Hutton 1884b: 177), and was pre-empted by a brief description in an account of a meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury (Hutton 1883g: 476). The holotype is illustrated here for the first time in pl. 5, fig. A. Phrixgnathus ariel is restricted to the North Island (below); records from Nelson, South Island, by Suter (1913: 743) and Powell (1979: 326) were in error.

Current taxonomy. Phrixgnathus ariel Hutton, 1883 — Hutton (1884c: 196), Spencer et al. (2009: 217).

Distribution. New Zealand; widespread in the North Island from mid Northland to Wellington, and on Taranga/ Hen Island, Aotea/Great Barrier Island and Hauturu/Little Barrier Island (AIM and NMNZ collection records).