Limnaea (Amphipeplea) arguta Hutton, 1884

Pl. 1, fig. I

Hutton, 1884. New Zealand Journal of Science, 2: 175.

Type material. Syntypes, CMNZ M322 (1) and CMNZ M6050 (10) (dry shells). The molluscan collection at CMNZ also has a jaw and radulae mounted on glass slides with the label details ‘ Limnaea arguta, Christchurch, XVII p. 54’, in Hutton’s handwriting (i.e., CMNZ 2017.17.152 & 2017.17.154), which are probably primary type material (see description of radula by Hutton 1885c: 54).

Label details. CMNZ M322—‘23. Limnaea arguta Hutton, R. Avon, Christchurch’, pillbox label in Hutton’s handwriting.

Type locality. ‘Christchurch’ (Hutton 1884h: 175); ‘River Avon, Christchurch’ (Hutton 1885c: 54).

Previous illustrations of type material. Hutton (1885c: pl. 12, figs. 1, 10—shell, soft parts and radula), Dell (1956: figs. 22, 26, 32).

Remarks. Hutton submitted a description of this species to the Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute issue for 1884, but publication was delayed until May 1885 (Hutton 1885c: 54), and was preempted by a brief description in an account of a meeting of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury (Hutton 1884h: 175). Treated as a junior synonym of the Australian species Limnaea lessoni Deshayes, 1831 by Hubendick (1951: 180), but according to Dell (1956: 76), Limnaea arguta Hutton is conspecific with Succinea tomentosa Pfeiffer, 1855 . As noted in the preceding species entry, the latter taxon has a wide distribution in the North Island and South Island and is probably endemic to New Zealand.

Current taxonomy. A junior synonym of Austropeplea tomentosa (Pfeiffer, 1855) — Dell (1956: 76 —in Simlimnea Iredale, 1943).