''Pernastela'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of three pinhead or dot snail species that are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Lord Howe Island Lord Howe Island (; formerly Lord Howe's Island) is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, part of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies directly east of mainland P ...

in the

Tasman Sea The Tasman Sea (Māori: ''Te Tai-o-Rēhua'', ) is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abe ...

Species

* ''

Pernastela charon ''Pernastela charon'', also known as the lowland forest pinhead snail, is a species of land snail that is endemic to Australia's Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. Description The trochoidal shell of the mature snail is 2.1–2.5 mm in h ...

'' Iredale, 1944 – lowland forest pinhead snail * ''

Pernastela gnoma ''Pernastela gnoma'', also known as the dwarf pinhead snail, is a tiny species of land snail that is endemic to Australia's Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. Description The trochoidal shell of the mature snail is 0.8 mm in height, with ...

'' Iredale, 1944 – dwarf pinhead snail * ''

Pernastela howensis ''Pernastela howensis'', also known as the Lord Howe pinhead snail, is a tiny species of land snail that is endemic to Australia's Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. Description The trochoidal shell of the mature snail is 1.8–2.1 mm in ...

'' Iredale, 1944 – Lord Howe pinhead snail

References

* Gastropod genera Taxa named by Tom Iredale Gastropods described in 1944 Gastropods of Lord Howe Island {{Punctidae-stub