ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Biology

Scientists find the smallest snail

The tiny mollusk measures only 0.033 inches (0.86 mm) on average.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
November 3, 2015
in Biology, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

As far as titles go, ‘smallest snail’ isn’t really the one you’d like, but that’e exactly what Acmella nana will have to settle for. The tiny mollusk measures only 0.033 inches (0.86 mm) on average.

A tiny snail from Borneo is the smallest ever found, smaller than a period on a printed page. Identifying the shells in the wild required a microscope, researchers say.
(Photo : Menno Schilthuizen, Naturalis Biodiversity Center

When the biologists set out to find small snails, they knew exactly where to go; the limestone hills of Borneo area ideal because the shells of snails are built from calcium carbonate, the main component of limestone. The collection process is actually pretty crude.

“When we go to a limestone hill, we just bring some strong plastic bags, and we collect a lot of soil and litter and dirt from underneath the limestone cliffs,” said co-researcher Menno Schilthuizen, a professor of evolution at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

They sieve the contents, throwing away the larger objects into a bucket of water.

“We stir it around a lot so that the sand and clay sinks to the bottom, but the shells— which contain a bubble of air — float,” Schilthuizen said.

They then scoop the floating shells and sort them by size, using a microscope; usually, there’s a lot of them.

“You can sometimes get thousands or tens of thousands of shells from a few liters of soil, including these very tiny ones,” he said.

Researchers hand’t observed the species in the wild, so they don’t know what they eat or their breeding habits. However, they likely do many of the things that other small snails do – foraging on thin films of bacteria and fungi that grow on wet limestone surfaces in caves.

Due to its favorable conditions, Borneo boasts a large mollusk diversity, with over 500 snail species, but they are all very vulnerable to external influences, especially human influences. For example, a species can be limited to one limestone massif, and this limestone is quarried intensely. Scientists have already documented at least one species destroyed because its entire habitat was mined.

In addition to Acmella nana, researchers discovered another 47 snail species.

RelatedPosts

Why snails coil in one direction — and how to change it
Ocean Acidification Threatens to Destroy Shellfish Populations
Researchers develop very powerful but reversible glue — kind of like snail slime
Mollusks are the most plastic-filled seafood in the world

The research is published in Zoo Keys.

 

Tags: mollusksnail

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Animals

The Cubist of the Undergrowth: Scientists Discover Snail with Picasso-Like Shell

byTudor Tarita
2 months ago
Animals

Deep-sea mining could push many delicate species to extinction

byFermin Koop
4 years ago
Biology

Mollusks are the most plastic-filled seafood in the world

byAlexandru Micu
5 years ago
The California sea hare, Aplysia californica. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Health

Scientists transfer memories between snails with RNA implants

byTibi Puiu
6 years ago

Recent news

great white shark

This Shark Expert Has Spent Decades Studying Attacks and Says We’ve Been Afraid for the Wrong Reasons

June 30, 2025

A Rocket Carried Cannabis Seeds and 166 Human Remains into Space But Their Capsule Never Made It Back

June 30, 2025

Ancient ‘Zombie’ Fungus Trapped in Amber Shows Mind Control Began in the Age of the Dinosaurs

June 30, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.