On Wednesday, a group of scientists achieved their ultimate goal when they found a new snail genus and species from the Amboli hill area in Maharashtra, India. Dr. Varad Giri, a prominent herpetologist and senior scientist of the Bombay Natural History Society, was given the name ‘Varadia’ for the snail genus.
‘The snail species has been christened ‘Varadia Amboliensis’ as a tribute to the small and picturesque Amboli village where it was discovered in natural jungles near the Hiranyakeshi Temple (in south Maharashtra),’ lead research scientist, Dr. Amrut Bhosale, said in a statement. What sets Varadia apart from other Indian ‘semi-slugs’ is its external appearance, shell, reproductive system, and other features which are unique, Bhosale added.
The study also indicates that the DNA analysis of the species is ‘new to science’.
An unknown but unique snail genus and species — considered as "new to science" — has been discovered from Amboli in Sindhudurg district in the Western Ghats and has been named after a #Mumbai-based scientist, excited researchers said in Mumbai on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/908uGwkQkt
— IANS (@ians_india) June 30, 2021
This five-year extensive investigation, undertaken by a group of academics and experts from India and overseas, was published in the European Journal of Taxonomy and indicated that the new snail has only been found in five locations in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa. They also stated that it is in grave danger of extinction due to a progressive loss of habitat.
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