Pointy creature with ‘ribbed’ shell found stuck on branch in Tibet. It’s a new species
In a river valley of Tibet, a pointy creature with a “ribbed” shell inched its way along a branch. Its multicolored body blended in with the surroundings — but not well enough.
Visiting scientists spotted the slow-moving animal and discovered a new species.
Researchers hiked up the rocky slopes of a remote valley in Markam County in August 2023 to search for snails, according to a study published Aug. 29 in the peer-reviewed journal Zoosystematics and Evolution. The area’s wildlife hadn’t been surveyed much since the early 1900s, and they hoped to change that.
During the visits, researchers found more than a dozen unfamiliar-looking snails living in the bushes, the study said. They took a closer look at the animals and quickly realized they’d discovered a new species: Petraeomastus limenghuai, or Meng-Hua Li’s land snail.
Meng-Hua Li’s land snails are considered “medium-sized,” reaching just under an inch in length, the study said. Their “atypical” shells are pointed spirals with a “ribbed” texture. Like other snails, the new species is hermaphrodite, having both male and female genitalia.
Photos show the brown and white coloring of the new species. The coloring blends in relatively well with the surrounding bushes.
Meng-Hua Li’s land snails live in the “middle part” of a “dry-hot river valley” at an elevation of about 9,300 feet, the study said. The animals were found stuck to branches or inside bushes and preferred the “shady slopes.”
Researchers said they named the new species after Meng-Hua Li, “who first discovered the new species and assisted in field surveys.”
Meng-Hua Li’s land snails have only been found at one site in Markam County, the study said. This county is in eastern Tibet, an autonomous region controlled by China, and near the border with India and Myanmar.
The new species was identified by its shell, internal anatomy and DNA, the study said.
The research team included Zhong-Guang Chen, Yu-Ting Dai, Xiao-Ping Wu, Jiao Jiang and Shan Ouyang.
This story was originally published September 6, 2024 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Pointy creature with ‘ribbed’ shell found stuck on branch in Tibet. It’s a new species."
