Snail fans! This photo is a roadside verge that the local council have stopped mowing. On a rainy day, there are so so so many snails (mostly Cepaea nemoralis). You'll need to zoom in to see them. How many? 100, 200 or more per square metre? Incredible.
Of course, now also a sample site for #Genomics #snails #cepaea #springwatch #beeston #nottingham
This summer I'm going to try luring the eastern shell-nesting mason bee (Osmia conjuncta) into my yard. The species occurs in Pennsylvania but is extremely rare, probably because its preferred shell, Anguispira kochi, is presumed to be locally extinct. But Ontario populations of the bee are thriving and seem completely happy to use shells of Cepaea (an invasive from Europe) so I thought I'd give them a try here. Yes, I know this is futile. #bees #osmia #insects #snails #shells #cepaea #pollinators #entomology #ontario #canada
Beautiful print of Osmia conjuncta by @minouette. #bees #insects #snails #cepaea #shells #art #linocut https://spore.social/@minouette/109755706800013312
New paper alert! We showed that snails with v. few mtDNA copies per nuclear genome (<10) have a v. high rate of heteroplasmy; heteroplasmy is inherited through the germline, albeit with selection against synonymous mutations. We also found that some mtDNA genomes have tRNAs that are repeated up to 24 times! https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10505-w
#PaperThemeTune "12XU" by Wire https://youtu.be/jOjCSLMZPok (mainly because I just rediscovered it ) #snails #mtDNA #genomics #heteroplasmy #cepaea #wgs #12XU #wire
I am starting #ArtAdventCalendar with this Eastern Snail Shell Mason Bee (Osmia conjuncta), a small North American blue bee which makes nests in suitable empty snail shells! In my linocut I show this adorable little pollinator with a Cepaea shell. Each print is 8” by 8” on delicate Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper. I am truly charmed by the idea of a snail shell nest!
Hatchling to adult in five months, the new regime is working
! Almost an animal 'model'.
#Cepaea #animalmodel #snails
Happened upon a rare Cepaea on way home last night, missing the middle band ('12045') - last time I found on like this, it turned out to be a hybrid #cepaea #snails #hybrid #Speciation #speciationgenomics
Here’s my #printerSolstice @printerSolstice #linocut for the prompt “texture”. The Eastern Snail Shell Mason Bee (Osmia conjuncta) is a small North American blue bee which makes nests in suitable empty snail shells! In my linocut I show this adorable little pollinator with a Cepaea shell. Each print is 8” by 8” on delicate Japanese kozo (or mulberry) paper.
My snail ID'ing skills coming to the fore on iNaturalist today - roadkill snail in New York, certainly introduced Cepaea, most likely C. nemoralis #iNaturalist #Cepaea #snail #roadkill