22 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. IO3 



A consistent arrangement of the species in linear order is impossible, as the 

 group is formed of two parallel series which merge together in the less specialized 

 median species of each. 



The minor series consists of apexfulva, turgida, and lorata, species in which 

 the apex is never black or dusky. These forms are confined to the Main range, 

 but do not reach to either end. 



In the greater series the tip of the apex is invariably dark in some species 

 (cestus, vittata, leucorraphe), and is variable, either dusky or light, in others. 

 The species are distributed over the whole length of both the main and the 

 Waianae ranges. 



An alternative and probably better grouping may be suggested, (i) Series of 

 lorata, for A. lorata. (2) Series of A. apexfulva, for A. apexfulva, turgida, 

 swijtii, leucorraphe, vittata, cestus. (3) Series of decora, for A. valida, decora, 

 mnsteVma, concavospira. 



Since the publication of the Manual large collections of Achatinella 

 from a great number of carefully plotted localities have been acquired 

 for study by the Bishop Museum. These collections contain many 

 hitherto unknow^n intermediate forms and greatly enlarge the species 

 concept that resulted from the scant amount of material available in 

 1914. It is interesting to note that Pilsbry's alternative grouping of 

 forms of Achatinella sensu strictu is almost the same as that derived 

 from the study of additional material. The main difference is that 

 instead of having species grouped under a series, each series 

 is considered a single species, species complex, or Rassenkreise 

 (Rensch, 1938) because intergrades for the most part are found 

 existing between the various species. 



In most places live specimens of A. apexfulva are comparatively 

 rare. A general idea of the scarcity of the species can be obtained by 

 looking at table 2 (p. 15). Most of the large lots were collected 

 prior to 1932 by J. S. Emerson, Wilder, Cooke, Thurston, and 

 Meinecke. In most cases they represent accumulations of shells 

 acquired by numerous visits to the same place. The more recently 

 collected Meinecke material consists mostly of small lots. 



Achatinella apexfulva varies greatly in form and color pattern in 

 dift'erent parts of the Koolau Range. Large sectors, however, pro- 

 duce no forms of A. apexfulva, the shells having either died out or 

 escaped discovery. From Palolo to Pauoa Valleys (fig. 7, p. 194) 

 there is a big gap in localities of A. apexfulva. But from Nuuanu to 

 Opaeula Gulch a nearly complete series of forms is found from ridge 

 to ridge, the forms more or less intergrading. Where a great deal of 

 careful collecting has been done on certain ridges such as those 

 from Waimano to Waiawa and those between South Kaukonahua 

 Stream and Opaeula Gulch, certain areas are found to contain defi- 



