About Lagocheilus hayaomiyazakii:
- It is a new species of hairy snail.
- It was found in the evergreen Tilari forest region of Kolhapur district, Maharashtra.
- It is found in leafy thickets and rocks of forests in the Western Ghats.
- It is named after Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary Japanese animator, filmmaker, and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, whose films beautifully capture the connection between humans and nature.
- Lagocheilus hayaomiyazakii is the first record of the genus Lagocheilus from the northern Western Ghats, extending its known distribution range by 540 km north into the Indian Peninsula.
- The habitat of these snails is very limited. Due to wildfires and deforestation, their habitat is threatened, and they are likely to become extinct.
