At a Glance
- This research contributes to understanding snail biodiversity and showcases how small species can reflect broader patterns in evolution and environmental change.
- A team of researchers discovered 46 new snail species across Southeast Asia, including the uniquely shaped Anauchen picasso, named for its shell’s resemblance to Picasso’s cubist artwork.
- These snails are typically under 5 millimeters in size and exhibit diverse and intricate shell features that help protect them from predators.
- Some species were collected decades ago but only recently studied, with many habitats now endangered due to deforestation and limestone quarrying.
- The findings highlight the need for urgent conservation to protect fragile ecosystems that house these unique and understudied species.
A new study has revealed an exciting discovery in the world of snails, with 46 new species identified across Southeast Asia. Led by Serbian Ph.D. student Vukašin Gojšina and Hungarian researcher Barna Páll-Gergely, the team explored snail diversity in countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. Their work was recently published in the journal ZooKeys, and among the new species, they found one with a particularly striking appearance: Anauchen picasso. This snail’s shell, which has angular, rectangular whorls, was compared to the abstract art of cubist artist Pablo Picasso, giving the species its unique name.
While these newly discovered snails are tiny, typically under 5 mm in size, their shells are intricate and fascinating. Many of the snails have special features that help protect them from predators, including tooth-like barriers on the opening of their shells. Sometimes, the shells twist in unusual ways, with some snails carrying their shells upside down. These unique shell structures, orientations, and other characteristics allowed the researchers to distinguish the different species.
The study also sheds light on the fragility of these species’ habitats. Some of the newly discovered snails were collected in the 1980s but never studied. Many of their habitats, however, have been destroyed due to human activities like deforestation and limestone quarrying, which are significant threats to these land snails in Southeast Asia. This highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these small but valuable creatures.
The researchers’ findings not only expand the understanding of snail biodiversity but also provide new insights into the evolution and adaptation of these animals. Their work emphasizes the importance of studying even the smallest species, as they can offer a window into the larger ecological and environmental changes affecting our world.
References
- Pensoft Publishers. (2025, April 24). Tiny new species of snail named after Picasso. Phys.Org; Pensoft Publishers. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-tiny-species-snail-picasso.html
- Gojšina, V., Hunyadi, A., Sutcharit, C., Tongkerd, P., Auffenberg, K., Grego, J., Vermeulen, J. J., Reischütz, A., & Páll-Gergely, B. (2025). A new start? Revision of the genera Anauchen, Bensonella, Gyliotrachela and Hypselostoma (Gastropoda, eupulmonata, hypselostomatidae) of Southeast Asia with description of 46 new species. ZooKeys, 1235, 1–338. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1235.145281
