newsonline24

“By selecting the ‘Mollusc of the Year 2025,’ we want to celebrate the impressive diversity of molluscs, which represent the second-most diverse group of animals in the world. From tiny snails and bivalves to giant squid, they have conquered almost every habitat on earth, from the deep sea to tropical rainforests,” explains Dr. Carola Greve from the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt. “This diversity of shapes, lifestyles, and adaptations is also reflected by our five exceptional candidates in this year’s competition.”

The nominees comprise the Hawaiian black-footed limpet (Cellana exarata), the “blue dragon” sea slug (Glaucus atlanticus), the Atlantic carrier snail (Xenophora conchyliophora), the deep-sea Dorado octopus (Muusoctopus), and the ocean quahog (Arctica islandica). They were selected by a jury of researchers from Senckenberg and Unitas Malacologica from over 30 nominations submitted by the international scientific community.

From March 3 to 31, mollusc fans can learn more about the nominated species and vote for their favorite on the website https://moty.senckenberg.science.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the species that have been suggested for the competition from all over the world – choosing this year’s five finalists was once again not an easy task,” reports Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart, Head of Malacology at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt. “All candidates are characterized by their own history and unique features.”

The Hawaiian black-footed limpet (Cellana exarata), a culturally valued symbol of the Pacific Islands, defies constant waves and scorching sun as a survival artist on exposed rocks. The blue dragon (Glaucus atlanticus) is a tiny predatory sea slug with a spectacular appearance and a highly sophisticated defense strategy using ‘hijacked’ cnidocytes of venomous siphonophores such as the Portuguese man o‘ war. The Atlantic carrier snail (Xenophora conchyliophora) cements objects like clam shells, coral fragments, and even pieces of glass onto its shell to create an elaborate mosaic, providing both camouflage and robust protection. The Dorado Octopus (Muusoctopus) lives in the icy darkness of the deep sea, but hatches its offspring there next to warm hydrothermal springs. As a living archive of the earth’s history, the ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) stores centuries of oceanic and climatic changes in the rings of its shell – some specimens are over 500 years old.

“With the selection of the ‘International Mollusc of the Year,’ we want to highlight the diversity and exceptional nature of this group of animals and emphasize the importance of protecting and further studying them. Many species have yet to be discovered and scientifically described,” explains Sigwart. Dr Greve adds, “Moreover, there is enormous genomic diversity among the molluscs. Yet, only relatively few genomes have been fully sequenced to date. In order to better understand these fascinating animals, we will fully decode the genome of the winning species at Senckenberg. We are already very excited to see which species will be awarded the title this year!” 

The “International Mollusk of the Year 2025” will be unveiled on April 3.

You can cast your vote on the following website, which also contains short portraits of the five finalist species: https://moty.senckenberg.science