56 — Southern olive, Amalda australis

Amalda (B.) australis, Mount Beach,
Mt. Maunganui, 17/11/17.

Tamaki Drive, Auckland, 10/15.

This is the small lump in the sand made
by an emerging southern olive, July 2018.

Mount Beach, Mt. Maunganui, 08/15.

Tamaki Drive, Auckland, 10/15.

The southern olive (Amalda (Baryspira) australis * is an attractive medium-sized shell. They get to about 40mm in length and are endemic to New Zealand. Southern olives are found in the low intertidal (and sub-tidally down to a few metres) on sheltered sandy beaches. Their distribution extends from throughout North Island down to the top of South Island.

Just after the tide turns and starts to come in southern olives can often be seen as a small lump in sand. They are surprisingly fast moving species (see video clip) and if disturbed can re-bury themselves in about a minute.

Most olive shells are predators, although I've not been able to find any specific information regarding southern olives.


*(G.B. Sowerby I, 1830).













































More info:

Haward, B. W., & Morley, M. S. 2005. Intertidal life of the Tamaki Estuary and its entrance, Auckland. Prepared for Auckland Regional Council. Auckland Regional Council Technical Publication Number 373. 72p

More pictures: http://www.mollusca.co.nz/speciesdetail.php?speciesid=1211&species=Amalda%20(Baryspira)%20australis

A paper reveiwing the genus Amalda in New Zealand:
http://olivirv.myspecies.info/sites/olivirv.myspecies.info/files/Review%20of%20the%20genus%20Amalda%20from%20-%20Hart%2C%20M.%20%28Mike%29.pdf