In News:

A new species of land snail, Theobaldius konkanensis, has been discovered by a collaborative team of Indian and UK researchers from the Konkan region of Maharashtra. This species adds to the growing biodiversity records of the northern Western Ghats, a globally recognized but under-explored biodiversity hotspot.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Scientific Name: Theobaldius konkanensis
• Discovered in: Ratnagiri and Raigad districts, Maharashtra (Dev Gireshwar Temple, Uttamrao Patil Biodiversity Garden, Kesharnath Vishnu Temple, and Phansad Sanctuary)
• Elevation: 80–240 metres above sea level
• Habitat: Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests
• Active Months: June to September (monsoon); only shells visible in other months
• Habits: Active both day and night, often under forest canopy in shaded, moist leaf litter

Morphological Features

• Shell Characteristics:
  • Slightly flattened with a raised centre and deep triangular notch near the aperture
  • Operculum (protective cover) has raised whorl edges and short spines
  • Corneous yellow with brown striations
  • Thick, conoidally depressed, and widely umbilicated
• Body: Stout and rounded

Taxonomic Context

• Family: Cyclophoridae (Caenogastropoda)
• Genus: Theobaldius
  • Now includes 20 species: 9 in India, 11 in Sri Lanka, and 1 in Sumatra (Indonesia)
  • In India, 6 species are endemic to the Western Ghats
  • Only T. annulatus is found in both Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats

Ecological and Conservation Significance

• Bioindicators: Land snails are sensitive to climatic changes and environmental disturbances
• Endemism: T. konkanensis is restricted to specific forest patches in the Konkan, highlighting the ecological uniqueness of the region
• Threats: Increasing anthropogenic pressures and habitat degradation threaten snail species with restricted distribution

Reproductive Biology (General Traits of Land Snails)

• Breeding mainly in monsoon
• Reproduce through both cross- and self-fertilisation
• Courtship includes dart-shooting behavior; mating may last hours
• Eggs laid in moist soil or leaf litter; hatch in 2–4 weeks
• Lifespan: 2 to 7 years