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New species such as the snail Okayama "bright snail" discovery
Okayama University and the National Science Museum joint research team of 14 days, to classify the snail found in the part of the southern part and the Kagawa Prefecture in new species, has announced that it has named "Akira snail". According to the team, the annual rainfall is less, the discovery of Okayama Prefecture is less diversity of Snail is that extremely rare. 15 will be announced on the date of the academic journal "Venus" (Japan Society of shellfish).
According to the same research team, new species of Akira snail accounted Cu Chi MAIMAI and appearance which was discovered in 1990 in the sister species have is very similar, is difficult to identify, has been confused ever. However, in addition there is a difference in a part of the genital, there are differences in the nucleotide sequence of DNA, it was found to be a different species.
Akira snail is endemic species distributed only in coastal areas and islands of Kagawa Prefecture southern part such as Kurashiki. From the narrowness of the habitat range, and that corresponds to the "endangered type II (VU)" of discovery and at the same time the Ministry of the Environment Red Data Book.
Kagawa Prefecture Higashikagawa resident amateur research house, from the fact that Akira Mr. Tada was noticed for the first time in existence, the name was adopted in Japanese name and scientific name.
Fukuda Hiroshijun Professor of Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental and Life Sciences team livable for Okayama human called "sunny country, but because rainfall is low, it has been said that the snail barren. Poor to such diversity valuable discovery in the area. I'm talking about that it exists to symbolize the characteristics and evolution of the natural environment. "
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Okayama, new species snail found in Kagawa
Such as Okayama, check the new species of snails that live mainly in Okayama Prefecture, southern Metropolitan Kagawa Prefecture islands, announced that it was named from the name of the discoverer and "bright snail". Prefectures area precipitation amount is small is also referred to as "snail barren" among researchers, and that seems to have made a strong own evolution to dry. 15 were published on the date of Japan shellfish Journal.
According to Okayama, new species were present familiar to inhabit West and have been confused with caulking co MAIMAI that can not be distinguished only by appearance. Diameter of both species shell in the 13-22 mm, shape and color is almost the same. For caulking Cu Chi snail tip-shaped key genital, new species because of the club-like, be discerned if anatomy.
Amateur researcher of Tada Akira's (76) = Higashikagawa = about 20 years ago, from snail that was captured in Kurashiki Tsurugata mountain of, I found a living body with different genital and caulking Cu Chi snail. 5 years ago, Fukuda Hiroshijun professor of Okayama you know the information (shellfish taxonomy), Yuichi support researcher Kameda of the National Science Museum performs the autopsy and DNA analysis, concluded that new species.
According to Fukuda Associate Professor, Okayama Minami-ku in the new species of distribution investigation, Kurashiki, Tamano, Asakuchi, Kagawa Prefecture Shiwaku Islands confirmed by such. You are going to "Bisan region is less rain, harsh environment. New species discoveries in snail is extremely rare, is considered a species has made unparalleled evolution".
Tada's more than half a century, and the good have been studying the snail as a hobby "for many years, it was good to have continued the research. Akira snail also me aware of the existence, and gladly would have" talking with.
15th at the provincial nature conservation center of Okayama Prefecture Wake, special exhibition to introduce the history of biological and discovery of Akira snail begins. Until the end of March. Contact The Center (0869 (88) 1190).
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岡山大などがカタツムリの新種「アキラマイマイ」発見
岡山大学と国立科学博物館の共同研究チームは１４日、県南部と香川県の一部で見つかったカタツムリを新種に分類し、「アキラマイマイ」と命名したと発表した。チームによると、年間降雨量が少なく、陸産貝類の多様性が少ない岡山県での発見はきわめて珍しいという。１５日付の学術誌「Ｖｅｎｕｓ」（日本貝類学会）に発表される。
同研究チームによると、新種のアキラマイマイは、姉妹種で１９９０年に発見されたシメクチマイマイと外観が酷似しており、識別が困難で、これまで混同されてきた。しかし、生殖器の一部に違いがあるほか、ＤＮＡの塩基配列に差異があり、異なる種であることが分かった。
アキラマイマイは倉敷市など県南部の沿岸部と香川県の島々にのみ分布する固有種。生息範囲の狭さから、発見と同時に環境省レッドデータブックの「絶滅危惧ＩＩ類（ＶＵ）」に相当するという。
香川県東かがわ市在住のアマチュア研究家、多田昭さんが初めて存在に気づいたことから、和名と学名に名前が採用された。
チームの岡山大大学院環境生命科学研究科の福田宏准教授は「晴れの国といわれる岡山は人間にとって住みやすいが、降雨量が少ないため、カタツムリ不毛の地といわれてきた。そんな多様性に乏しい地域で貴重な発見。自然環境の特性や変遷を象徴する存在だ」と話している。
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岡山、香川で新種カタツムリ確認
岡山大などは、岡山県南部と香川県島しょ部を中心に生息する新種のカタツムリを確認し、発見者の名前から「アキラマイマイ」と命名したと発表した。降水量が少ない両県エリアは研究者の間で「カタツムリ不毛の地」とも呼ばれ、乾燥に強い独自の進化を遂げたとみられるという。１５日付の日本貝類学会誌に掲載された。
岡山大によると、新種は身近に存在していたが、西日本に生息し、外見だけで区別できないシメクチマイマイと混同されてきた。両種とも殻の直径は１３～２２ミリで、形や色がほぼ同じ。生殖器の先端がかぎ状のシメクチマイマイに対し、新種はこん棒状のため、解剖すれば見分けられる。
アマチュア研究家の多田昭さん（７６）＝東かがわ市＝が約２０年前、倉敷市の鶴形山で捕獲したカタツムリから、シメクチマイマイと異なる生殖器を持つ生体を発見。５年ほど前、情報を知った岡山大の福田宏准教授（貝類分類学）、国立科学博物館の亀田勇一支援研究員が解剖とＤＮＡ解析を行い、新種と結論付けた。
福田准教授によると、新種の分布調査では岡山市南区、倉敷、玉野、浅口市、香川県の塩飽諸島などで確認。「備讃地方は雨が少なく、カタツムリには過酷な環境。新種の発見は極めて珍しく、比類のない進化を遂げた種と考えられる」としている。
多田さんは半世紀以上、趣味でカタツムリを研究してきたといい「長年、研究を続けてきて良かった。アキラマイマイも存在に気付いてもらえ、喜んでいるだろう」と話している。
岡山県和気町の県自然保護センターでは１５日、アキラマイマイの生体や発見の経緯を紹介する特別展が始まる。３月末まで。問い合わせは同センター（０８６９(88)１１９０）。
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