New native Hawaiian land snail species discovered

Scientists at the Florida Museum of Natural History and other institutions have discovered a new native Hawaiian land snail species, sounding a rare, hopeful note in a story rife with extinction.

The tree-dwelling snail shows variation in color and patterning. Photo: Kenneth Hayes/Norine Yeung

Pacific island land snails are among the world's most imperiled wildlife, with more recorded extinctions since 1600 than any other group of animals.

Hawaii's once-teeming land snail scene of more than 750 species has shrunk by more than half, ravaged by habitat loss and invasive species such as rats, Jackson's chameleons and the carnivorous rosy wolf snail.

Auriculella gagneorum, a small, candy-striped snail from Oahu's Waianae Mountains, represents the first new species of a living Hawaiian land snail described in 60 years.

The scientists found A. gagneorum during a large-scale, decade-long survey of land snails that spanned 1,000 sites throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

The researchers then used a museum collection supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation to match snails obtained during the survey to unidentified specimens from the 1940s.

"This is a happy story where we discovered a snail that is still around," Yeung said. "There are so many things in our collection that we can no longer find in the wild. But in this snail's case, we can finally put a name to it and describe it, which is huge for the conservation of this species."

The tree-dwelling snail shows pronounced variation in coloring, from burnished tiger's-eye patterning to dramatic sable and white stripes. At less than two-tenths of an inch long, "you might be able to fit a dozen on your fingernail," said study co-author John Slapcinsky. (National Science Foundation)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Researchers offer look into 'central engine' powering a solar flare

Researchers provide an unprecedented look inside the "central engine" of a large solar flare.

Novel, label-free imaging technique brings out the inner light in T cells

T cells are the immune soldiers at the frontline of the battle with infiltrating pathogens that seek to cause disease. A new study describes a novel, label-free imaging technique that can differentiate active T cells from those off duty.

Study suggests embryos could be susceptible to coronavirus as early as second week of pregnancy

Genes that are thought to play a role in how the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects our cells have been found to be active in embryos as early as during the second week of pregnancy, say scientists at the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Deep sea microbes dormant for 100 million years are hungry and ready to multiply

Life in the deep ocean extends to the base of the seafloor.

New view of nature's oldest light adds fresh twist to debate over universe's age

Observations suggest the universe is 13.77 billion years old.

Scientists discover a magnet that exhibits novel quantum effects

Magnet's novel quantum properties extend to room temperature.