Queensland Museum scientists have delved into the genetic makeup of 15 land snail species, revealing their true identities. And among these discoveries are four previously unknown species, one of which has been named after Australia Zoo‘s Robert Irwin.
The enigmatic Figuladra snail group has puzzled taxonomists for forty years, relying solely on shell characteristics for species differentiation. Now, Queensland Museum Honorary researchers Dr. Lorelle Stanisic and Dr. John Stanisic, alongside Dr. Frank Köhler from the Australian Museum, have unravelled the complexities using advanced DNA analysis.
“Lorelle’s study was primarily based on more than 270 dissections of reproductive structures and DNA analyses of animal tissue from which she was finally able to determine the true identity of 15 species,” Dr John Stanisic said.
“Four of these were new-to-science species including Robert Irwin’s Banded Snail, Figuladra robertirwini.”
Figuladra species inhabit dry vine thicket, from the Mary River in South East Queensland to the O’Connell River near Proserpine in North Queensland.
Among these little creatures is the Bundaberg Banded Snail (Figuladra vidulus), affectionately dubbed the ‘suitcase snail’. This nickname stuck when scientists stumbled upon a group of these snails nestled within an abandoned suitcase amongst the vine thicket on the Hummock, west of Bargara, Queensland.
“Land snails generally coexist with other invertebrates and the destruction of their habitat affects what I would consider the hidden engine room of our forests. Land snail conservation should be a high priority,” Dr Lorelle Stanisic said.