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Paphies ventricosa
Toheroa at Oreti Beach
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Subclass:	Heterodonta
Order:	Venerida
Family:	Mesodesmatidae
Genus:	Paphies
Species:	P. ventricosa
Binomial name
Paphies ventricosa (Gmelin, 1790)

Contents

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Distribution
• 3 Description
• 4 Human use
• 5 Life cycle
• 6 Interactions
• 7 threats
• 8 References

Introduction [edit]

Paphies ventricosa is the scientific name and the Maori name for this shell fish is Toheroa(a Māori word meaning "long tongue"). This shell fish looks like a larger version of the well know New Zealand pipies and is in the invertebrate category. Paphies ventricosa used to be commercially harvested off the sea floors in the early to mid 1900s for consuming. This caused such a huge decline in numbers that harvesting got banned and the Paphies ventricosa became protected and have now been protected for over 45 years and unfortunately are not recovering as hoped.

Distribution[edit]

It is found in both the North and South Islands, but the main habitat is the west coast of the North Island. The best grounds are wide fine-sand beaches where there are extensive sand-dunes, enclosing freshwater, which percolates to the sea, there promoting the growth of diatoms and plankton.]

Paphies ventricosa is not found anywhere else in the world as they endemic to New Zealand. In New Zealand the Paphies ventricosa can be most commonly found on the west coast in the North island. (http://www.marinelife.ac.nz/species/958) The Paphies ventricosa in beaches with heaving surf and long sandy flats, where there is a drastic change in sea level between high and low tide approximately 150 metres difference. The Paphies ventricosa beds are most commonly found at the middle point between high and low tide. This is because they like to be exposed and unexposed with the changing of the tide spending the same amount of time in both conditions. They also prefer to be in areas where freshwater seals throw the sand from things such and creaks or lagoons or lakes on the other side of the sand dunes. This is due the flowing freshwater keeping the sand moist and cool for the duration. Toheroa live often up to 15 years of age.

Description[edit]

Video of a toheroa burying itself in the sand at Oreti Beach, showing the foot and the siphon The toheroa is a very large shellfish with a solid white, elongated shell with the apex at the middle. Maximum length is 117 mm, height 81 mm, and thickness 38 mm.

This shell fish has a solid white shell. the shell is very long, the biggest the shells can get is approximate 170 mm in length, 80 mm in height, and 40 mm in thickness. Paphies Ventricosa is found in both islands in New Zealand but prefer the west coast in the North island. They can be located at sandy beaches with a large coverage of sand-dunes often close to freshwater outlets as it promotes the growth of diatoms and plankton which the Paphies ventricosa feed on as they are filter feeders. (http://www.marinelife.ac.nz/species/958) Paphies ventricosa is endemic to New Zealand meaning they are not found any where else in the world so if they continue on there decline they will be at risk of become extinct. Paphies ventricosa breathe throw the system of siphons (acts like a snorkel throw the sand). Water and food particles are sucked down the siphon and passed throw gills where the oxygen os absorbed and the food particles are collected for digestion. This only happens in high tide in low tide the siphon retracts back into the shell to stay moist. The depth of which Paphies ventricosa can be found is determind there siphon length. A mature toheroa is found between 15 to 30cm. (.https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-elusive-toheroa/)

Human use[edit]

The toheroa has long been a popular seafood, often made into a greenish soup, for which it has an international reputation.

Toheroa were translocated across New Zealand by Māori using pōhā (kelp bags) made from southern bull kelp (Durvillaea poha).

It was over-exploited in the 1950s and 1960s, and there has been a ban on harvesting (except for limited customary purposes) since 1979. However, numbers have not recovered since 1979, due to illegal poaching, poorly policed customary harvesting, vehicle driving on beaches, pollution, reduction in fresh water coming onto beaches, and gas bubble disease.Paphies ventricosa, or toheroa (a Māori word meaning "long tongue"), is a large bivalve mollusc of the family Mesodesmatidae, endemic to New Zealand.

Canned Toheroa for human consumption

Life Cycle [edit]

The life cycle of Paphies ventricosa is not yet well understood(http://www.marinelife.ac.nz/species/958) but what is know is there numbers are not receiving as hoped however, it is believed mate, lay eggs and then when they hatch they become free swimming larvae before becoming small shell fish which look like miniature clams while they grow. It is believed that Paphies ventricosa breed from October to February. The do this by the female release they eggs into the water the same time the male realise there sperm into the water. The fertilised eggs turn into free swimming larvae before growing into plankton for approximately 20 days before being washed up onto the beach and forming into tiny Paphies ventricosa they are smaller than a pinhead when first formed. they they grow quickly about 65mm a year.

Interactions [edit]

Paphies ventricosa are filter feeders so feed on microscopic organisms such as diatoms and planktons. The Paphies ventricosa do not have a large diet of that they eat but they are a great food source eaten by many things including gulls, paddle crabs, snapper, oystercatchers, humans and many other species.

Threats [edit]

The Toheroa is at real risk of becoming endangered due to a number of various threats. These threats are mostly human related. the most controversial of these threats at present time is being crushed by traffic on the beach. This is a big threat as the Toheroa only burry themselves 150 mm under the sand and are often located in the upper intertidal zone so therefore on the higher more exposed beach where vehicles tend to drive. The reason the number of Toheroa is so low in the first place is due to being consumed by humans at a rate which was too fast for the Toheroa to successful bread at a rate which would be sustainable. With the number of Toheroa being so low crabs are now also being a significant threat to the Toheroa as the crab feed on them.

Reference list [edit]

• "The Elusive Toheroa". New Zealand Geographic. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
• Ross, P. M.; Beentjes, M. P.; Cope, J.; Lange, W. P. de; McFadgen, B. G.; Redfearn, P.; Searle, B.; Skerrett, M.; Smith, H.; Smith, S.; Tuhi, J. Te (2018-04-03). "The biology, ecology and history of toheroa (Paphies ventricosa): a review of scientific, local and customary knowledge". New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 52(2): 196–231. doi:10.1080/00288330.2017.1383279. ISSN 0028-8330.
• "SunLive - Maori shellfish project wins scholarship - The Bay's News First". sunlive.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
• "Decades of fishing bans have not rescued seafood delicacy toheroa". Stuff. 2019-03-03. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
• "Review of factors affecting the abundance of toheroa (Paphies ventricosa)". Ministry of Primary Industries. June 2013.
• Morley, Margaret S (2004). A photographic Guide To Seashells Of New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: New Holland Publishers (NZ) LLtd. p. 127.