Having discovered the smallest snail in the world, it could easily pass through the eye of a needle. This tiny snail is ready to challenge all the data that science has collected so far. After the giant hot pink snails recently spotted in Australia, here are some truly microscopic snails.
discovery the smallest snail in the world, could easily pass through the eye of a needle. This tiny snail is ready to challenge all the data that science has collected so far. After the giant hot pink snails recently spotted in Australia, here are some truly microscopic snails.
The discovery was made by examining soil samples taken in the province of Guangxi, in the South of China. The snail shells found by the researchers have extraordinary dimensions, with a height of less than 1 millimeter.
The discovery of the specimens of snail shells took place thanks to the work of the researchers of the University of Shinshu and Bern, in collaboration with the Natural History Museum of the latter city.
This microscopic snail was called Angustopila dominikae, named after the wife of the study's lead author. The precise height of its shell is only 0,86mm. It is most likely the smallest snail in the world considering the maximum length of its shell diameter.
The article, published in the open access magazine Zoo Keys, describes seven species of snails including the Angustopila subelevata, which has an average height of 0,87mm. In the same journal, the authors had previously described two other snail species found in China and Korea.
The new research has allowed scientists to collect interesting data on the evolution of invertebrates and their microscopic size with information that could form the basis for new studies on the subject.
Marta Albè
Photo source: Zoo Keys
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