No Matter How Slow, You Always Get Where You Need to Go

Gastropods

Kohler has made a great discovery of more than 100 new species of land snails, his work has been very helpful in getting a better understanding of their evolution. “There are lots of things that I know of, that I knew that I haven't come around describing. So they're still sitting in the museum waiting for the day of light.” 

Photo: Snail species from Timor-Leste, Australian Museum

Nature and history have a story

Yet he is divulged in his interest and study of marine snails, he still hasn’t uncovered everything he knows about these species as he has much more to reveal. Nature and history have a story and researchers like Dr Frank Kohler help voice it. “I think science always needs to have a social aspect because we want to create knowledge and show people how that knowledge is relevant”. History is crucial to society and animals and insects of all kinds tell a story through their DNA and evolution through biodiversity. “And I think, if you think about some invasive species that we don't particularly like, but we have to admire their ability to live in all sorts of environments.” Kohler explains although there are some species that aren’t native to our environment, we still explore their nature and their evolution to how they are able to stand multiple climates.

Photo: Garden snails are invasive - Australian Museum

The resilience of desert snails

Throughout all of our lives we encounter resilience, even snails do even though they don’t care. Kohler expressed, “Well, snails just live and die and they don't care about resilience, but they actually are. So one interesting example is desert snails. So snails are very susceptible to desiccation. So they usually live and they have evolved in humid and moist environments.” These particular types of snails thrive in hot climates, due to the evolution and resilience from the years that have gone by. Even though they aren’t suited to a humid climate, they have grown into it through natural selection.  

For more about Frank Kohler, please check out his profile at the Australian Museum.

Photo: Below - Rare endemic snail from Lord Howe Island -  Australian Museum