New species of snail in Western Ghats belongs to entirely new genus: Researchers

Researchers have identified a new genus and species of land mollusc in the northern Western Ghats, from Amboli village in Sindhudurg district

Researchers have identified a new genus and species of land mollusc in the northern Western Ghats, from Amboli village in Sindhudurg district.

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The new genus, Varadia, has been named after herpetologist Dr Varad Giri, while the species has been christened as Varadia amboliensis, in reference to the location where it was first discovered in 2017. The findings were published on Tuesday in the European Journal of Taxonomy after five years of research. “Though we had initially misidentified the species, we undertook studies to compare its morphology, phylogenetic analysis and reproductive systems with other closely related specimens. DNA studies strongly suggested that Varadia amboliensis has not been previously described and that it belongs to an entirely new genus. The new genus is named after Dr Giri, whose contribution towards the study of Indian herpetofauna involves describing 56 new species and four new genera,” said first author Amrut Bhosale.

The newly described species is a semi slug belonging to the eupulmonate molluscan group Stylommatophora. Semislugs are so-called because their shells are relatively small in comparison to the body, with the shell often partly or almost entirely covered by extensions of the snail’s ‘skin’, or mantle. Varadia ambolienesis, in particular, is a large semislug and adults can measure up to 7cm in length. It can be told apart from other Indian semislugs largely based on external appearance, the morphology of its shell, and its unique reproductive system.

The newly described species is endemic to the Northern and Central Western Ghats, where it is primarily found in natural forests. It has so far been seen only in a handful of localities in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, and can be found on the forest floor, among leaf litter, or on trees.

“The discovery of this large and striking snail emphasizes the urgent need for detailed and geographically wide-ranging surveys of the snails and slugs of the Western Ghats. This group, which has long been neglected, is at a high risk of extinction due to habitat loss and degradation,” the researchers said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Varadia amboliensis is among 21 new species that have been discovered in Amboli since 2005, including snakes, amphibians, crabs, spiders and scorpions. Amboli village is home to Shistura Hiranyakeshi biodiversity heritage site and falls under the Amboli-Dodamarg Conservation Reserve.