hairy snail among 150 new mollusc species discovered in australia
Saturday 22 February 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

"Hairy snail" among 150 new mollusc species discovered in Australia

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle"Hairy snail" among 150 new mollusc species discovered in Australia

Hairy snail
Sydney - Xinhua

Australian researchers have discovered more than 150 new species of snails and molluscs.

Researchers surveying the remote islands off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia (WA) documented a series of previously undiscovered land snail living in the untouched region.

Having recently completed analysis of the survey, which ran from 2009 to 2011, scientists concluded that there was up to 13 unique species of snail living on each of the islands.

The newly discovered molluscs range from snails less than two millimetres long to larger snails covered in "alien-like" hair.

With 180 species of land snails previously identified in the area, the study suggests that the Kimberley is home to a third of Australia's snail population.

Frank Koehler, a research scientist with the Australian Museum and leader of the expedition, said the diversity of the new species' was striking.

"I was just astounded by the huge diversity that I found. As a European it was simply something out of my grasp," Koehler told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Thursday.

"There's amazing diversity in terms of their shells, shapes and sizes. Each species has its own ecological niche.

"They're very beautiful animals."

While the research remains in its preliminary stages, Koehler said he had developed theories about how each species used its unique attributes.

"Probably the most unusual ones would be the tiny little species that have hairy shells," he said.

"It's quite unusual for snails to have hairs on their shell, and one idea is that little particles of soil get entangled in these hairs and they help the shell to be camouflaged."

Each of the newly-discovered species appears to have developed its own way of surviving the extreme weather cycles of the Kimberley climate.

"These snails hibernate and during the dry season are buried in the ground, but as soon as it rains they come out and they climb up the trees," Koehler said.

He said despite the findings he believed his research only scratched the surface and there could be up to 700 unique snail species living in the region.

source: Xinhua

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

hairy snail among 150 new mollusc species discovered in australia hairy snail among 150 new mollusc species discovered in australia

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 06:48 2010 Tuesday ,21 September

Along came a Spyder

GMT 09:57 2017 Saturday ,09 December

Minister receives Shura committee chairman

GMT 10:22 2017 Wednesday ,13 December

World Bank to stop financing oil, gas projects from 2019

GMT 13:46 2015 Friday ,06 February

South Sudan fighters carried out a 'month of rape'

GMT 14:33 2011 Saturday ,10 December

We Need to Talk About Kevin

GMT 13:30 2011 Tuesday ,13 December

Young Adult

GMT 11:39 2014 Wednesday ,05 November

Karbala via Glasgow

GMT 12:21 2016 Monday ,27 June

Paris thieves steal 3m euros in luxury watches

GMT 08:49 2017 Tuesday ,31 January

Asia markets extend losses on Trump worries

GMT 07:43 2016 Sunday ,11 December

Japan, US, Hungary win gold in wrestling worlds

GMT 12:16 2015 Monday ,02 March

UNHCR: South Sudanese refugees hit 121,400

GMT 12:06 2017 Friday ,21 April

Kheir inspects Ain Helwe camp

GMT 10:01 2014 Tuesday ,25 February

2 policemen killed in armed attacks in Darfur
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle