Hadopyrgus ngataana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hadopyrgus ngataana |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
 Nationally Critical (NZ TCS) |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hadopyrgus
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| Species: |
ngataana
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| Synonyms | |
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The Hadopyrgus ngataana is a super tiny, see-through freshwater snail. It's also critically endangered, which means it's in big trouble. You can only find this special snail in one stream, inside a cave in New Zealand.
Where This Snail Lives
This amazing snail has only ever been found in one single place. That spot is a small pool within a stream. This stream is right at the entrance of Maitai Cave. The cave is located in the Maitai River Valley, which is southeast of Nelson.
The Hadopyrgus ngataana is part of a group of very small snails. These snails are blind and clear, living in caves or underground streams. Many of them, like this one, have developed to live only in one tiny area.
How Scientists Named This Snail
This snail is super small, only about 1.7 millimeters long and 1.2 millimeters wide. A scientist named Frank Climo first found it in the 1970s. For a while, people thought it was just a type of another snail found in the Nelson area.
In 2001, two other scientists, Martin Haase and Christina Mosimann, collected more snails. They found them in Maitai Cave by washing and sifting gravel. They studied the snails' bodies and their genes. This showed them that these snails were a totally new species!
In 2008, they officially described and named it Hadopyrgus ngataana. The name ngataana comes from the Māori words ngata (meaning snail or slug) and ana (meaning cave). So, its name means "cave snail"!
Why This Snail Needs Help
In November 2018, the Department of Conservation in New Zealand said H. ngataana is "Nationally Critical." This is the highest level of danger for a species in New Zealand. It means the snail is at very high risk of disappearing forever.
The snail is in such danger for a few reasons. First, it lives in only one small spot. Second, the total area where it lives is less than one hectare (about the size of a sports field). Maitai Cave is also a popular place for people to visit. Because the stream where the snail lives is so tiny, its population is expected to shrink.
Even though laws could protect freshwater animals without backbones, like this snail, none of New Zealand's freshwater invertebrates are currently protected. This means the Hadopyrgus ngataana does not have special legal protection right now.
