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Researchers are endeavoring to conserve what are considered by some to be the world’s most beautiful snails, while simultaneously exploring their biological intricacies.
The endangered Polymita tree snails, native to the forests of Eastern Cuba, are recognized for their vibrant, colorful, and intricately patterned shells.
Regrettably, these shells are highly sought after by collectors, and conservation experts assert that the shell trade is driving the snails toward potential extinction.
Biologists in Cuba, in collaboration with specialists from the University of Nottingham in the UK, have united to safeguard the six known species of Polymita.
Among these, Polymita sulphurosa is the most critically endangered, characterized by its lime green hue, blue flame patterns around its coils, and vivid orange and yellow bands across its shell.
However, all Polymita species exhibit striking brightness and color, an evolutionary enigma in itself.
“One of the reasons I’m interested in these snails is because they’re so beautiful,” explained Prof. Angus Davison, an evolutionary geneticist and mollusc expert at the University of Nottingham.
He noted the irony that this very beauty is the cause of their endangered status.
“Their aesthetic appeal attracts collectors and shell traders. Thus, the characteristic that distinguishes them and captivates me as a scientist is, regrettably, what endangers them.”
An online search with Prof. Davison revealed several platforms where sellers in the UK were offering Polymita shells for sale. One site advertised a collection of seven shells for £160.
“For certain species known to be highly endangered, it would not take much collecting and trading from Cuba to drive them to extinction.”
Shells are traded as decorative items, yet each empty shell once housed a living creature.
While international regulations protect Polymita snails, their enforcement is challenging. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species prohibits the removal of snails or shells from Cuba without a permit. However, selling the shells elsewhere is legal.
Prof. Davison notes that climate change and forest loss impact the snails’ natural habitat in Cuba. “Collecting shells could easily push a population toward local extinction.”
To address this, Prof. Davison collaborates with Prof. Bernardo Reyes-Tur, a conservation biologist at the Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba.
This international project aims to understand the snails’ evolution and provide information to aid conservation efforts.
Prof. Reyes-Tur faces the challenging task of captive breeding Polymita snails at his home, amidst unreliable power supplies and a hot climate.
“They have not bred yet, but they’re doing well,” he shared via video call.
“However, frequent blackouts pose a challenge.”
Meanwhile, genetic research is underway at the well-equipped labs of the University of Nottingham.
Prof. Davison and his team preserve tiny snail tissue samples in cryogenic freezers. They use this material to analyze the animals’ genome, the biological code that determines each snail’s characteristics.
The team aims to determine the number of species, their relationships, and the genetic factors responsible for their unique color patterns.
The hope is to uncover these biological secrets before these colorful creatures are bought and sold into oblivion.
“Eastern Cuba is the exclusive habitat of these snails,” Prof. Davison told BBC News.
“The expertise resides there—the individuals who know, cherish, and understand these snails live and work there.”
“We hope the genetic information we provide will contribute to their conservation.”
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