instituto de biologia molecular e celular | institute for molecular and cell biology
This project aims to provide direct contact between researchers and the citizens in an informal environment. Last year’s activity was dedicated to evolution were citizens were challenged to search a particular snail, Cepeae nemoralis, in gardens and parks. Cepaea nemoralis is commonly known as the grove snail or brown-lipped snail and it is a species of air-breathing land snail and one of the most common species of land snail in Europe.
This snail is interesting because of it is highly polymorphic having diferent shell colours and banding. The background colour of the shell can sometimes be so pale as to be almost white; it can also be yellow, pink, chestnut through to dark brown, and the shells can be with or without dark bandings. The bands vary in intensity of color, in width and in total number, from zero up to a total of six. Because of its polymorphism this snail is an appropriate animal model for the study of heredity, evolution and ecology.
In this activity people can learn about biodiversity, genetics and evolution and at the same time take part in a research project - Evolution MegaLab (an international citizen science project).
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT: Biology in Summer
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