Recientemente investigadonan di Florida Atlantic University y University of California a descubri un especie nobo di cocolishi cono dilanti di costa di Aruba. Habitando e lama seco di Malmok e especie aki ta representa solamente un di e mas di 180 especienan di molusco haya durante un investigacion di veld recien, mustrando Aruba como un “hotspot evolucionario” unico pa e region.
Cocolishi cono ta cocolishi predatorio di lama cu casca estampa di color, cu bo ta haya den henter tropico. E Cocilishi di lamanan aki tin custumber di biba den awa seco y ta utilisa un djente hol yena cu veneno pa paralisa su presanan. Te poco tempo pasa, tabata pensa cu e mas di 600 sortonan di cocolishi cono tabata pertenece na e mesun genero; sinembargo, investigacion genetico awor a descubri cu e especienan aki ta pertenece, de facto, na varios genero diferente.
Hotspot evolucionario
E ambiente cerca di costa di Aruba ta unico pa varios motibo, un di esakinan ta su poblacion rico y endemico di molusco. E porcentahe halto di endemismo haya rond di e isla ta indica cu Aruba ta representa un “hotspot evolucionario” distintivo dentro di e region. De facto, den transcurso di e encuesta di campo di un siman, investigado David Berschauer di Universidad di California a topa cu mas di 180 especie diferente di molusco na Aruba.
Un di e especienan aki a wordo determina despues como un subespecie nobo Jaspidiconus hendrikae, nombra asina na honor di Hendrika Wendriks, mama di un conocido buceado y malacologo amateur di Aruba, Jordy Wendricks. E especie nobo aki por wordo haya a lo largo di Malmok Beach, un area na e parti extremo nort di Aruba. E especie di Jaspidiconus ta habita den awa seco y, pa motibo di su capacidad limita di plama bay leu, hopi biaha ta exhibi grado halto di endemismo. E especie nobo aki tin un promedio di alrededor di 14 mm di largura y e ta bira fini na tur dos extremo. Aunke e ta similar na e especie J. vantwoudti, e especie nobo aki ta di un color geel bibo y tin rij chikito di punto maron (manera por wak riba e imagen abou).
Implicacion
Na nivel mundial, e habitatnan marino tropical ta menasa debi na desaroyo di costa, contaminacion, sobrepesca y cambio climatico. E perdida di habitat aki ta provoca un efecto drastico di perdida rapido di especie. Aunke historicamente e cocolishi cono a wordo pasa por halto, estudio nobo ta descubriendo su gran importancia. E venenonan di algun cocolishi conico awor ta ganando reconocimento pa nan posibel uzonan medicinal. Ya varios di e venenonan a wordo desaroya y nan ta uza nan como blokiado di dolor. E proteccion di e biodiversidad unico dentro di costa di Caribe Hulandes no solamente tin un gran balor ecologico, sino cu nan por contene e clave pa futuro avance cientifico den un serie di otro campo.
Reporta bo observacionnan
Bo a observa cocolishi of otro especie? Raporta bo observacionnan y potret di naturalesa riba e website di DutchCaribbean.Observation.org of descarga e app gratis (iPhone (iObs) y Android (ObsMapp). E informenan di especie di e comunidadnan local y e turistanan ta invaluabel pa e esfuersonan di conservacion di naturalesa pa yuda aumenta e conciencia publico pa proteccion general di e especie. Ademas, DCNA, Observation International y Naturalis Biodiversity Center ta trahando hunto pa desaroya un app di identificacion di especie automatisa pa bo telefon. E potretnan cu bo upload ta di gran balor pa haci esaki posibel. Si tin pregunta, por comunica cu [email protected]
Haya sa mas
Pa bo haya sa mas, lesa e informe completo haciendo uzo di e siguiente link:
Petuch, E., Berschauer, D. 2022. Un especie nobo di Jaspidiconus (Gastropoda: Conidae) di Aruba. The Festivus. Number 2, Volumen 54. Articulo.
New Species of Cone Snail Discovered on Aruba
Researchers from the Florida Atlantic University and University of California recently discovered a new species of cone snail off the coast of Aruba. Inhabiting the shallow waters of Malmok Beach, this species represents only one of over 180 species of mollusks found during a recent field survey, showcasing Aruba as a unique ‘evolutionary hot spot’ for the region.
Cone snails are predatory sea snails with colorful patterned shells, found throughout the tropics. These sea snails typically inhabit shallow waters, and use a hollow, venom-filled tooth to paralyze their prey. Until fairly recently, the over 600 species of cone snails were all thought to be under one genus, however genetic research has now found that these species are in fact from a number of different genera.
Evolutionary Hot Spot
Aruba’s nearshore environment is unique for a number of reasons, one of which is its rich and highly endemic mollusk populations. The high percentage of endemism found around the island indicates that Aruba represents distinctive “evolutionary hot spot” within the region. In fact, over the course of the one-week field survey, researcher David Berschauer from the University of California found over 180 different species of mollusks on Aruba.
One of these species was later determined to be a new subspecies Jaspidiconus hendrikae, named in honor of Hendrika Wendriks, mother of a well-known Aruban diver and amateur malacologist, Jordy Wendricks. This new species can be found along Malmok Beach, an area on the northern tip of Aruba. Jaspidiconus species dwell in shallow water, and given their limited dispersal capabilities, often exhibit high degrees of endemism. This new species averages around 14mm in length and is tapered at both ends. Although similar to the species, J. vantwoudti, this new species is a vivid yellow color and has tiny rows of brown dots (as can be seen in the image below).
Implications
Globally, tropical marine habitats are being threatened due to coastal development, pollution, overfishing and climate change. This loss of habitat is leading to a cascading affect of rapid species loss. Although cone snails have historically been overlooked, new studies are uncovering their vast importance. Toxins from a number of cone snails are now gaining recognition for their potential medicinal uses. Already a number of these toxins have been developed and are being used as pain blockers. Protecting the unique biodiversity within the Dutch Caribbean shoreline not only has great ecological value but could contain the key for future scientific breakthroughs in a number of other fields.
Report your sightings
Have you observed Snails or other species? Report your nature sightings and photos on the website DutchCaribbean.Observation.org or download the free apps (iPhone (iObs) & Android (ObsMapp)). Species reports by local communities and tourists are invaluable for nature conservation efforts to help increase public awareness and overall species protection. Besides, DCNA, Observation International and Naturalis Biodiversity Center are working together to develop on automated species identification app for your phone. Your uploaded photos are of great value to make this possible. For questions, please contact [email protected]
Learn more
You can learn more by reading the full report by using the link below:
Petuch, E., Berschauer, D. 2022. A New Species of Jaspidiconus (Gastropoda: Conidae) from Aruba. The Festivus. Issue 2, Volume 54. Article.
Figure 1. Endemic Jaspidiconus species from Aruba. A, B= Jaspidiconus hendrikae Petuch & Berschauer, new species, holotype from Malmok Beach, Aruba, length 12.09 mm, LACM 3811; C, D= Jaspidiconus hendrikae Petuch & Berschauer, new species, length 10.70 mm, Malmok Beach, Aruba, in the Berschauer research collection; E, F= Jaspidiconus vantwoudti Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2015, holotype, length 12.4 mm, Arashi Beach, Aruba; G, H= Jaspidiconus vantwoudti Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2015, length 12 mm, Arashi Beach, Aruba.
Figura 1. Especie endemico di Jaspidiconus di Aruba. A, B= Jaspidiconus hendrikae Petuch & Berschauer, especie nobo, holotipo di Malmok Beach, Aruba, largura 12,09 mm, LACM 3811; C, D= Jaspidiconus hendrikae Petuch & Berschauer, especie nobo, largura 10,70 mm, Malmok Beach, Aruba, den e coleccion di investigacion di Berschauer; E, F= Jaspidiconus vantwoudti Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2015, holotipo, largura 12,4 mm, Arashi Beach, Aruba; G, H= Jaspidiconus vantwoudti Petuch, Berschauer & Poremski, 2015, largura 12 mm, Arashi Beach, Aruba.