State PCS - Maharashtra (MPSC)

• 08 Apr 2025

New Species of Land Snail in Maharashtra

Why in News? 

A team of researchers from India and the UK has discovered a new species of land snail in Maharashtra’s Konkan region and named it Theobaldius konkanensis. 

 

Key Points 

• Research Publication and Team: 
  • Researchers published their findings in the Molluscan Research journal on 11th March 2025. 
  • The study titled "A new species of cyclophorid land snail from the coastal regions of Maharashtra".  
• Endemic Status and Conservation Significance: 
  • The species is endemic to the northern Western Ghats, a largely unexplored biodiversity hotspot. 
  • Researchers emphasized the snail’s restricted distribution in Konkan, calling for urgent conservation efforts to preserve its ecological niche. 
• Habitat and Behaviour: 
  • The snail prefers tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. 
  • Live snails were found from June to September in leaf litter and on damp branches; only shells were observed in other seasons. 
  • The species is active both day and night, especially under shaded forest canopies. 
• Distinctive Morphological Traits: 
  • The species has a thick, conoidally depressed, widely umbilicated shell with increasing whorls. 
  • It has a yellowish-brown shell with black striations and unique operculum features—triangular aperture notch, raised fold, and short spines. 
  • Its spire is more elevated compared to other Theobaldius species. 
• Ecology and Reproductive Biology: 
  • Snails are most active in the monsoon and are important bioindicators sensitive to climate change. 
  • Most land snails are hermaphrodites; some have separate sexes. 
  • Reproduction involves courtship, dart-shooting, and both self- and cross-fertilisation. 
  • Eggs are laid in soil or under litter; they hatch in 2–4 weeks. Lifespan ranges from 2 to 7 years.