Researchers of Queen’s University Belfast found that the scaly-foot snail is the first species to be declared endangered as a result of deep-sea mining. The study also covers assessments of animals living in deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has also added the scaly-foot snail to its global Red List, the international inventory of at-risk species. Also, 14 more species were found in a hydrothermal vent ecosystem that is to be included in the next edition of IUCN’s Red List to be out in 2019.
About Scaly Foot Snail:
Scaly foot snail was first discovered in 2003. It lives at depths of up to 9,500 feet in the sea.
Its’s shell consists of three layers:
♦ the outer layer which is fortified with iron sulfides
♦ an organic middle layer
♦ a calcified inner layer
The type of snails has an enormous heart. Only an enormous heart can circulate enough blood to oxygenate the snail and its many microbial passengers.