Cuban Polymita ranks second on the list of Mollusk of the Year 2021

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 2 (ACN) Polymita picta, a Cuban snail recognized as the most beautiful in the world, reached second place on the list for the title of Mollusk of the Year 2021.

This competition was organized by the LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-Center TBG) and Unitas Malacologica (international society of malacologists).

A two-week-long online public vote favored the Greater Argonaut (Argonauta argo) from among 120 other mollusks nominated by international researchers and other stakeholders. Next came the Cave Clam (Congeria kusceri), the Snakeskin Chiton (Sypharochiton pelliserpentis) and the Ram's Horn Squid (Spirula spirula).

In announcing the results, Dr. Carola Greve, laboratory director of the LOEWE-Center TBG, thanked the participants, who through creative campaigns shared information about the fascinating animals. “Thanks to this project, we were able to draw media attention to the mollusks and, hopefully, bring people a little closer to their diversity and beauty and raise awareness about their increasing endangered status,” she stressed.

The contest page describes the Polymita, which lives only in Cuba, as a unique but endangered snail famed for its vibrant shell colors and its enigmatic love dart, a device to stab mating partners. Possibly the most beautifully colored snail shell in the world, 2-3 cm across, in yellow, brown, red, green, white, black, or orange, with elegant spiral bands.

The competition prize was aimed at getting the complete genome sequencing of the winning species sequenced at the LOEWE-Center TBG and in the case of the Polymita would provide the basis for understanding molecular processes important to its color polymorphism, mating physiology and ecology.

Cuban environmentalists are working for effective protection of the Polymites and, to tackle their illegal trade, the Cuban Customs enforce Resolution 160 of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, a set of regulations for the protection of a broad list of species of biodiversity significance.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) agreed to include the genus Polymita in its Appendix I for protection against overexploitation through international trade.