Keane Bielski with one of the new snails being researched at the WA Museum.
Camera IconKeane Bielski with one of the new snails being researched at the WA Museum. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Lesmurdie Falls: new species of snail found at bottom of falls

Sally McGlewCommunity News

A NEW species of snail has been discovered in an exciting development that may be housed at the bottom of Lesmurdie Falls.

Shire of Kalamunda and the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council recently held a Bush Skills for The Hills Frogs, Spiders and Snails workshop, and in the process identified something quite different.

Participants who were walking through the Lower Lesmurdie Falls, investigating wildlife found numerous birds, two frogs, a legless lizard, a mygalomorph trapdoor spider and some native snails were observed.

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Shire President Andrew Waddell said the workshop was special because council had been working with an expert from the WA Museum to correctly identify a particular snail, which had been found in the region near Lower Lesmurdie Falls.

The WA Museum’s Corey Whisson, who is currently researching the snails, is investigating taxonomy of this snail and other species in the genus.

New records of snails from the workshop will help determine if they are related to a species found in the Avon Valley National Park or a species found near Serpentine Falls in Serpentine.

“The snails collected during the workshop have filled a large gap in our records of this very important, often threatened, native snail group and has provided excellent information on their habitat. This will enable us to determine the exact identification of the snails,” Mr Whisson said.

Mr Whisson said the snails could represent a new species.

The next Bush Skills for The Hills workshop will be held on August 20 at Woodlupine Brook in Forrestfield.

The workshop will teach participants a series of erosion control techniques.

For further should contact the EMRC on 9424 2222 or email environment@emrc.org.au.