Biogeography and ecology of the landsnail faunas of North East, South West and West Islands, Three Kings Group, Northern New Zealand

Abstract

The faunal composition and species distributions or the landsnails ot North East, South West and West islands of the Three Kings group arc described A total of 26 landsnail species is recorded from the three islands (21 on South West, 17 on North East, 11 on West) of which 24 species are endemic to the Three Kings group and five species are single island endemics (three on South West, one on each of North East and West) Within‐island landsnail faunal diversities are highest in broadlcaf forest and lowest in taupata (Coprosma tepens) shrubland and kanuka (Kunzea eucoides) forest Rock rubble habitats are important refugia for some of the rarer landsnail species on North East and South West islands The nature of environmental changes on the three islands over the last few hundred years, and their influence on landsnail faunas, is discussed