One of the world's rarest carnivorous snails has been rediscovered near the remote West Coast town of Millerton, 31km northeast of Westport.
The Department of Conservation says the 4.5cm-tall snail is a Powelliphanta sub-species last documented when fragments of shell were found around the edge of the Burning Mine above Millertonin 1934.
"No whole shell or live specimen has been seen until now," local amateur botanist Lester Kyle said.
Little was yet known about the new snail's life cycle, but it appeared to be carnivorous and sucked up earthworms like spaghetti. It had yet to be named.
"We would like it to be called Millertonii," Mr Kyle said.
The snail was found two weeks ago when householder Trish Daniel saw an unusually large snail crossing the road.
"It was sliding across so I scooped it up," Ms Daniel said.
A search had since found a colony of the rare snails. Its location is being kept secret.
"It seems pretty clear the colony is in a small area but it's vigorous," Mr Kyle said.
The snail seemed to prefer living on the edge of the bush.
"You search the bush and can't find a thing. You come to a sunny bank and there it is."
Mr Kyle said he had come across a smaller related sub-species previously, and said Ms Daniel's find had caused great excitement.
"She turned up with a larger version. I knew straight away it was something rather rare."
Twenty-two species of Powelliphanta snail were known, and 85 per cent of them were in the South Island.
