New Endemic Snail Species Discovered in South Sumatra Karst Region

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Researchers from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) have officially identified a new species of land snail endemic to South Sumatra, highlighting the rich yet fragile biodiversity of Indonesia's karst ecosystems. The species, scientifically named Chamalycaeus dayangmerindu, was discovered within the Padang Bindu karst area, a localized habitat that makes the creature particularly susceptible to environmental shifts.

A researcher at BRIN’s Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, Ayu Savitri Nurinsiyah, emphasized that the snail’s limited distribution poses a significant survival risk.

"This condition makes it vulnerable to environmental changes, including land-use conversion and habitat degradation," noted Ayu, as quoted by Antara on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

She explained that documenting and publishing new species is a critical first step toward effective conservation. The journey to formalizing the discovery of Chamalycaeus dayangmerindu involved a rigorous scientific process.

Ayu revealed that for a species to be officially recognized, it must undergo extensive morphological, anatomical, and genetic analysis. These findings are then compared against known species and subjected to international peer review before final publication.

"The long journey of uncovering biodiversity has become the footprint of every taxonomist, from field expeditions and exploration to literature reviews, laboratory analysis, and finally, international recognition," said Ayu.

Despite the challenges and the length of the process, she maintained that every stage of the journey provides invaluable meaning and benefit to the scientific community.

The discovery is the result of a cross-institutional collaboration between BRIN, the State University of Surabaya (Unesa), and Széchenyi István University in Hungary. The team's findings were published in the high-impact, Q1-indexed global scientific journal ZooKeys 1272: 1–31 (2026), in an article titled "Operculate land snails (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoroidea) from Padang Bindu Karst, South Sumatera, Indonesia with the description of a new species, Chamalycaeus dayangmerindu."

By bringing this new species to light, BRIN researchers expressed hope to catalyze further exploration and studies into Indonesia's biodiversity, specifically regarding land mollusks. This initiative is part of a broader, sustained effort to document and preserve the nation's unique biological heritage for future generations. ***