{
  "id": 139704,
  "title": "Mythical mountain god inspires name for China's first freshwater cave snail",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/mythical-mountain-god-inspires-name-for-chinas-first-freshwater-cave",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-04T18:00:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-mythical-mountain-god-china-freshwater.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists have announced the discovery of a new species of eyeless freshwater cave snail, Erhaia dijiang, in China. Belonging to the Erhaiidae family, this troglobiont species is the first known freshwater cave snail in the country and holds the record for the highest-altitude distribution among cave-dwelling snails in the family. Found in a cave within the Hongta District of Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, at an altitude of 2,062 meters (6,765 feet), Erhaia dijiang is adapted to its dark, subterranean environment. Its small, conical, and highly translucent shell, along with its delicate, unpigmented body and slender tentacles, are characteristic of its troglobiotic lifestyle. The snail's behavior is such that it actively avoids light, seeking refuge in dark crevices beneath rocks. Discovered at a depth of less than one meter (3.3 feet) beneath the cave floor, the species is primarily found in areas with underwater gravel and crushed stone, where temperatures remain around 20°C (68°F). While it survives on diatoms and artificial fish food in laboratory settings, the species' population density was found to be extremely low during the 2025 field survey, with only three live adults and a single empty shell observed. The researchers are urging for further surveys of Chinese caves to better understand these complex ecosystems and to develop urgent conservation measures for this vulnerable, endemic mollusk.",
  "summary": "A team of scientists has announced the discovery of Erhaia dijiang, a species of eyeless freshwater cave snail.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}