850 New Species Found in Australian Outback

[icymist]

Check out these photos

October 22, 2009--This newfound subterranean snail in the Hydrobiidae family lives in aquifers in the heart of Australia, about 100 miles (180 kilometers) northwest of Alice Springs.

The 0.5-inch-long (1.3-centimeter-long) snail is one of 850 new invertebrates--simple animals that include small crustaceans, spiders, and worms--found during a four-year survey of Australia's dry outback. (Related pictures: "Hundreds of New Species Found off Tasmania.")

Until now, most of the continent's arid regions hadn't been explored by invertebrate experts, in part because the underground springs and microcaverns--some smaller than 0.4 inch (1 centimeter) wide--were thought to be devoid of life, said team member Steve Cooper of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide.

[SIMPLYB1980]

1. Cool!

[annabanana]

2. "devoid of life". . No place on Earth is "devoid of life". .

Teensy little stubborn stuff.

[JTFrog]

3. Thanks for the link!

Incredible photos.

[jberryhill]

4. Do any of them taste good?

...with a butter and herb dressing?