Spatial genetics of a high elevation lineage of Rhytididae land snails in New Zealand: the Powelliphanta Kawatiri complex

Powelliphanta is a genus of large carnivorous land snails endemic to New Zealand which display phenotypic variation within comparatively small geographic distances. The diversity within these snails has become a matter of high interest to conservation, as many lineages occupy small (or highly fragmented) ranges that render them vulnerable to ongoing habitat loss and predation by exotic pests. Combining Powelliphanta mitochondrial sequence data and genotypes of microsatellite loci we document the genetic structure within a species complex dubbed Kawatiri'. All populations (with one exception) within the Kawatiri lineage are restricted to subalpine habitat (at elevations over 600m above sea level). The ranges of some Kawatiri complex populations are adjacent to the congeneric lowland species Powelliphanta lignaria. Improved understanding of the distribution of this complex and the level and structure of genetic diversity provided a picture of a naturally fragmented lineage, restricted to a particular ecological zone. We identified six genetic clusters associated with population connectivity orientated north-south along mountain ranges, with east-west divisions between ranges. Future management should aim to retain the evolutionary potential within this young radiation by actively conserving the variation encompassed by each of the six clusters identified here.