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ISSN: 2653-4649 (Online)
Australian Journal of

Taxonomy
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Australia’s smallest punctid: a description of four new species of minute punctids from Tasmania (Stylommatophora: Punctidae)
Isabel T. Hyman, Bruno Bell & Kevin Bonham
Author details ⏷
Isabel T. Hyman [1,2*], Bruno Bell [3] & Kevin Bonham [4]
[1] Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
[2] School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
[3] University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia
[4] Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Rosny, Tasmania 7018, Australia
Abstract
The Punctidae is a family of small to minute land snails that are often under-represented in museum collections, with investigations hampered by small size and lack of material. Herein we describe four species of minute punctids (1.0-1.2 mm in shell width) from Tasmania, three of which extend into mainland Australia, using comparative shell morphology and phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and nuclear (ELAVI8) DNA. We introduce Paralaoma albina, Paralaoma corrugata, Paralaoma miniscula and Paralaoma monticunea, and demonstrate that they are genetically distinct and can also be separated on subtle but consistent shell characteristics, including tightness of coiling, shell height, umbilical width, shell colour, and rib strength and spacing. Paralaoma miniscula becomes Australia’s smallest punctid, with a shell width of only 1 mm.
Cite this paper as: Hyman IT et al. (2026). Australia’s smallest punctid: a description of four new species of minute punctids from Tasmania (Stylommatophora: Punctidae). Australian Journal of Taxonomy 134: 1–15. doi: https://doi.org/10.54102/ajt.bjh02
This paper was published on: 23/9/2026



