A transparent snail in the deepest cave in Croatia

Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz

Elhuyar Zientzia

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Shells of the snail Zospeum tholussum. Ed. Alexander M. Weigand /CC-BY_3.0

It is discovered a kilometer from the surface, at the bottom of the cave of Lukina Jama-Trojama, in Croatia. Live, unique; and empty shells around. Transparent. It is called Zospeum tholussum. It is a new species.

All of the genus Zospeum are cave snails. Blind and with little mobility. They are usually close to the currents, also in this case. And scientists believe they can move through these currents.

Cave of Lukina Jama-Trojama in Croatia. 1: field where the nipples have been found. 2: point where you have found the live snail. Ed. Image courtesy of: D. Bakšiic et al. (2010), Croatian Speleological Server, http://www.speleologija.hr/lukinajama. Photos: Photos J. Bedek / CC-BY 3.0

The discovery has been published in the journal Subterranean biology.

Snail Zospeum tholussum alive. Ed. Jana Bedek, HBSD/CC-BY_3.0
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