Researchers from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) have identified a new endemic land snail species, Chamalycaeus dayangmerindu, found only in the Padang Bindu karst area of South Sumatra.
Researcher at the Biosystematics and Evolution Research Center of BRIN, Ayu Savitri Nurinsiyah said in a statement issued in Jakarta Tuesday that the species has so far been recorded exclusively in the Padang Bindu karst ecosystem.
The species’ highly restricted habitat makes it vulnerable to environmental changes, including land conversion and habitat degradation, she said.
Ayu said documenting and publishing a new species is an important first step in conservation, as it formally records biodiversity that may require protection.
Identifying a new species requires extensive scientific procedures, including morphological, anatomical, or genetic analysis, comparison with previously known species, and international peer review before publication.
"The long journey of uncovering biodiversity begins with field expeditions and exploration, followed by laboratory studies, scientific writing, and international recognition,” Ayu said.
The findings were published in the globally indexed Q1 scientific journal ZooKeys (1272: 1–31, 2026) under the title Operculate land snails (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Cyclophoroidea) from Padang Bindu Karst, South Sumatera, Indonesia with the description of a new species, Chamalycaeus dayangmerindu.
The study was conducted in collaboration with State University of Surabaya (Universitas Negeri Surabaya) and Széchenyi István University in Hungary.
BRIN researchers said they hope the discovery will encourage further exploration and biodiversity research, particularly on terrestrial mollusks, as part of efforts to document and conserve Indonesia’s rich biological diversity.
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Translator: Sean Filo Muhamad, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Primayanti
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