Science · · 3 min read
Two new land snail species identified in northern Montenegro
Scientists have formally described two Montenegro snails after combining shell studies, anatomy and DNA evidence from citizen-science expeditions.
The land-snail diversity of northern Montenegro has grown with the formal recognition of two previously unknown species. Cochlostoma dobrido and Cochlostoma komarnica were found in and around Durmitor National Park and Komarnica Canyon, according to reporting by The Times of India.
The snails were examined through a combination of shell characteristics, internal anatomy and DNA barcoding. Taken together, those findings showed that the animals were separate species rather than variations of a known form. Both have been placed in the subgenus Turritus, within the genus Cochlostoma.
The study describing the animals was published in the Biodiversity Data Journal. It records the new species alongside Cochlostoma scalariniforme, another member of the group found in the same broad region.
Evidence beyond the shell
The researchers used conchology, the study of shells, as one part of the identification process. Shell shape and appearance can be useful for distinguishing snails, but the study emphasised that outwardly similar forms may conceal important differences in anatomy, genetics and reproduction.
For that reason, the investigation combined several types of evidence. Researchers assessed the shells, examined the animals’ anatomy and compared DNA sequences through barcoding. The results supported the conclusion that C. dobrido and C. komarnica each represented a distinct species.
This approach is significant for Cochlostoma, a genus associated with karst landscapes across countries surrounding the Mediterranean. The group includes small land snails whose diversity may be underestimated when classification relies mainly on visible shell traits. Genetic and anatomical research can reveal divisions that are not immediately apparent in the field.
The two new species were found living in the same general areas as C. scalariniforme. At some sites, all three taxa occupied the same habitat. The newly described species were also recorded together, providing an additional example of closely related snails occurring in the same landscape.
Discoveries made through field expeditions
The specimens came from citizen-science expeditions held in northern Montenegro. These projects brought researchers and other participants together to investigate biodiversity in the mountainous terrain. Fieldwork took place between 2018 and 2025, with activities in Durmitor National Park and Komarnica Canyon.
The names of the new species reflect the places connected with their discovery. Cochlostoma dobrido refers to the Dobri Do Plateau, which lies between peaks in Durmitor National Park. Cochlostoma komarnica takes its name from Komarnica Canyon, south of Durmitor.
The expeditions provided more than specimens for laboratory analysis. They also established where the snails occurred and showed that their ranges included adjoining parts of the Montenegrin landscape. Records from several sites helped researchers compare the animals across their habitats before assigning them formal names.
Citizen-science surveys can be particularly useful in regions where difficult terrain makes biodiversity work demanding. In this case, organised field participation contributed to the discovery of species that had not previously been recognised in the scientific record.
Why the habitats matter
The findings also draw attention to the ecological importance of the places where the snails live. Komarnica Canyon is described in the study as a threatened area, while Durmitor National Park was the other principal setting for the research.
The paper links the conservation value of these landscapes to habitat continuity. Land snails move slowly, so connected and relatively stable environments may be especially important to their survival. The study describes such gastropods as indicators of areas that have maintained ecological stability over long periods.
Finding two species in these adjoining regions adds to knowledge of Montenegro’s biodiversity and expands the known distribution and variety of Cochlostoma in the Balkans. It also illustrates why species surveys need to look beyond obvious physical appearance. Shells may provide the first clue, but anatomy and genetic evidence can determine whether apparently similar snails are in fact separate evolutionary lineages.