Rare Snail Species Rediscovered on Lord Howe Island After Decades

Researchers from the Australian Museum Research Institute have located three rare snail species on Lord Howe Island during a 2021 survey. Dr. Isabel Hyman and Dr. Frank Köhler led the expedition, which found the Magnificent Helicarionid Land Snail (Gudeoconcha sophiae magnifica) for the first time since 2002, the Lord Howe Microturban (Monterissa gowerensis) last seen alive in 1913, and Deliciola charis, previously known only from a single pre-1945 specimen. The discoveries follow the 2019 rodent eradication on the island and suggest recovery among larger land snails, though invasive flatworms present a new threat. The findings are significant for conservation efforts on the island, which hosts around 70 endemic snail species.