Two New Cave-Dwelling Snails with Rodrigo Salvador

What could tiny freshwater snails in remote Brazilian caves possibly have to do with the Lord of the Rings? The person to answer this question is Dr. Rodrigo Salvador, author of two brand new snail species. In this episode he explains what makes cave-dwelling creatures unique, how these snails share a genetic link with others across the world, and how invoking the names of fantasy characters in science can be powerful acts of resistance and joy in difficult times.

Rodrigo’s paper “Idiopyrgus Pilsbry, 1911 (Gastropoda, Tomichiidae): a relict genus radiating into subterranean environments” is in November 8th issue of Zoosystematics and Evolution

It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.136428

A transcript of this episode can be found here: Rodrigo Salvador - Transcript

Follow Rodrigo on X/Bluesky:
@Kraken_Scholar and @krakenscholar.bsky.social

Follow the Journal of Geek Studies on X/Bluesky:
@JGeekStudies and @jgeekstudies.bsky.social

New Species: Idiopyrgus eowynae, Idiopyrgus meriadoci

Episode image credit: Rodrigo Salvador

Journal of Geek Studies: https://jgeekstudies.org/

Pensoft article, “The Snellowship of the Ring”: https://blog.pensoft.net/2024/11/11/the-shellowship-of-the-ring-two-new-snail-species-named-after-tolkien-characters/