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Micro Snail Species

Posted on October 21, 2021 by admin1  31

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  • A micro snail species named Georissa mawsmaiensis has recently been discovered from Mawsmai caves.
    • The last time a species of the Georissa genus was discovered in India was 170 years ago in 1851.

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Image Courtesy:DTE

  • New species of snail were discovered in Meghalaya by a team of scientists at ATREE. 
  • Five species of cave-dwelling snails have been reported from the caves of Meghalaya. 
  • The researchers, however, worry that the high tourist influx to the cave will be a major threat to the species.
  • The members of the Georissa genus are widely distributed across and reported from Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
  •  However, they are confined to microhabitats consisting of limestone caves or karst landscapes formed by the dissolution of limestone.
  • Distribution: Georissa is found in soil or subterranean habitats in lowland tropical forests as well as high altitude evergreen forests or on rock surfaces rich in calcium.

Mawsmai Cave

  • It is a limestone cave and is situated in the small village of Mawsmai, around four kilometres from Cherrapunjee (Sohra) in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. 
  • The term ‘Mawsmai’ means ‘Oath Stone’ in the Khasi language. The Khasi people use the local term ‘Krem’ for the cave.
  • Mawsmai cave is located at an altitude of 1,195 metres above sea level and is indirectly influenced by the streams of the Kynshi river originating from the East Khasi Hills.
  • The Mawsmai cave is one of the major tourist attractions in Meghalaya.
  • Some changes have been made to increase the aesthetics of the cave, such as artificial lights and cemented floor and steps. 
  • These changes, along with the high tourist influx, may pose threat to this micro snail species including other cave faunas.

Source: DTE

 
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