A team of researchers from India and the United Kingdom discovered a land snail from the Kangkan area of Maharashtra and named it ‘Theobaldius konkanensis’.
In a new species of circular snails in the coastal areas of Maharashtra, India (Caenogastropoda: Cyclophoridae), India, published on March 11, 2025 in the International Journal of Science. Molluscs ResearchThe snail is endemic to the northern Western Ghats, an unstudied biodiversity hotspot, the researchers say.
The paper’s lead authors are Amrut Bhosale, Department of Zoology, Dahiwadi College, Satara District, Maharashtra; Tejas Thackeray and Akshay Khandekar of Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, Mumbai; Omkar Yadav, Amdar Shashikant Shinde Mahavidyalay, Medha, in Satara; Tom S. White from the Museum of Natural History, London, UK.
The researchers say the land snails are excellent biological guides and are susceptible to climate fluctuations. Today, the region has increased its human activity, leading to the extinction and distribution of land snail species. Exploring this species will increase knowledge about the land snail species in Kangkan and the Western Ghats.
Still no exploration
Mr. Omkar Yadav, choosing the name of the species, said: “In view of the distribution of new species in the Kangkan region, we gave this name Theobaldius Konkanensis to new species. Much of Konkan and Northern Western Ghats is still undeveloped and our investigation is still underway, so it is possible that the species may be recorded in the northern or southern part of its current distribution. We will continue to conduct investigations in the area. ”
Mr Tejas Thackeray said many of the snails found in the Konkan forest are endemic. “Theobaldius Konkanensis is a species that exists only in specific areas of Konkan. This makes it a valuable part of Konkan’s natural heritage. Therefore, it is crucial to take the right measures to protect. ”
Speaking about the study, Amrut Bhosale said the survey was conducted at several locations in the Ratnagiri and Raigad districts of Maharashtra in 2021. These sites are located in lower elevations of forests in the Western Ghats and forest patches along the coast of Maharashtra, at an altitude of 80 to 240 meters. Snail samples were found in the Dev Gireshwar temple in Ansure, Ratnagiri; Uttamrao Patil Biodiversity Garden in Chikhali, Guhagar Chiplun Road, Ratnagiri; Kesharnath Vishnu temple in Ratnagiri Shedwai; and Phansad Sanctury in Ragad.
This species is found primarily in tropical evergreen and semi-green forests. From June to September, specimens were found on the forest floor of leaves garbage.
The species is active both day and night, and it is easy to find living people in good places beneath the forest canopy. This species is common with other land-surviving genus surviving genus.
The shells of the new species were compared with samples from the Museum of Natural History, the Mollusca series in London, the Museum of Zoology, Cambridge and T. Tris collects from Dajipur. The material types of the new species have been stored in museums and research collection facilities at the National Center for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. Mumbai Natural History Museum (BNHS) in Mumbai; in zoological surveys in India, the western region center of Pune.
Land snails are excellent bio recruiters and are susceptible to climate fluctuations. |Picture source: Special arrangement
According to the research paper, the new species differ from all other Indian Theobaldius species, which have deep triangular dome notches with prominent, raised folds or wings and a threaded edge of an operaculum and operaculum are strongly elevated and decorated with threads with short spikes. This species also has a higher spire than other Theobaldius species.
In appearance, the adult snail has thick shells, a sagging bone, a wide umbilical cord, and regular thread additions, yellow yellow QIN QIN color and brown stripes, collaborative cross-lines, and patches spread in the patches.
In India, a total of 1,138 land snail species are recorded in 167 genera and 39 households, Mr Bhosale said. There are currently 20 species of Theobaldius and are distributed in the islands of India (9 species), Sri Lanka (11 species) and Sumatra (one species). Among Indian species, there are two: Nivikora and T. Orites are only known in Northeast India.
According to available data, six of the remaining seven Indian species are T. Anguis, T. Deplanatus, T. Maculosus, T. Ravidus, T. Stenostoma and T.? Tris is unique to the Western Ghatt. The seventh type of T. annulatus occurs in Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats.
According to studies conducted in 2007 and 2014, most Western Ghats are considered to be limited to the Ghats in the Midwest and Southern regions. Recently, Tristis was recorded from Amba of Radhanagari and Maharashtra, the Northwest Ghats.
Literature is not available
Mr. Bhosale said that as to the reasons why snails have now been discovered in so many years, few taxonomists have worked on land snails and have been ignored due to the unavailability of the literature. Most species are described in Latin, identifying problems, etc. For these reasons, no one showed interest in the land snail. He explained: “There are few studies conducted from land snails in the Kangkan area. The new species described from undeveloped areas of Kangkan highlights the strong need for in-depth research on land snails in the region. Further research is crucial to understand the role of this newly identified species in this local ecosystem.”
Usually, snails are visible during special rainy seasons. Most spotted land snails have separate genders, and most land snails are hermaphrodites (both have sex). Snails and slworms only reproduce during the rainy season. They reproduce through cross-administration and self-deprived. Before mating, the snail shows courtship behavior by stabbing the dart into the partner’s body. Mating lasts for two to several hours. They will mated 2 to 3 times to increase egg fertility. After mating, the number of eggs varies by species and their eggs are scattered in cracks and crevices, under the soil or leaves. The eggs hatch after 2 weeks to 1 month. The lifespan of land snails and sls is about 2 to 7 years.
publishing – April 6, 2025 09:47 pm ist
