It didn’t make CNN, but WE think it’s big news:

New Species of Snail Found in the Harpeth

By John McFadden, Director of Science and Restoration Projects

A new species of snail has been found in the Harpeth River near Hwy 100. Snails are a type of mollusk known for their hard shells and rasping tongues. The tongue of a snail, called the radula, is covered with tiny teeth.

The new snail belongs to the biological family Pleuroceridae, but it is less clear how to categorize it more specifically than that into genus and species. The unique dental formations on the radula and shell size are the factors being used to classify the differences between this snail and species that have been previously identified. Currently there are seven identified species, all of them native to the eastern US, but this species represents the first known endemic (i.e. native) gastropod in the Harpeth.

In appearance the Harpeth’s species is similar to the genus and species Lithasia armigera but molecular analysis has shown it’s more closely related to the species Leptoxis. Until the snail species can be neatly categorized through conclusive research, it will be called “Lithasia” in quotes.

The Harpeth River is part of the Cumberland River system, an area widely known for its rich aquatic diversity. With such an assortment it is not surprising to find something so unique in our river. However, because this species is restricted to such a short stretch of the river, it is considered rare and measures should be taken to protect it, as well as the surrounding environment.

Information from: “A New Species of ‘Lithasia’ from the Harpeth River, Tennessee, U.S.A.” in Zootaxa 1054: 31–42 (2005). Authors: Russell L. Minton, Steven P. Saverese, Jr. , and David C. Campbell.

-From Voices for the Harpeth, Fall 2005