The snail was found in the mountainous regions of north Queensland's Wet Tropics near Cairns.
SYDNEY: An Australian scientist has paid an unusual tribute to late naturalist and TV personality Steve Irwin by naming a rare species of snail Crikey steveirwini.
Queensland Museum scientist John Stanisic said the khaki colours on the stripy tree snail reminded him of the trademark shirt and shorts worn by Irwin, who died in a freak stingray incident in 2006.
Effects of climate change
"This is an extremely rare species of snail," Stanisic said Friday, describing it as "a colourful snail, with swirling bands of creamy yellow, orange-brown and chocolate giving the shell an overall khaki appearance".
"It was the khaki colour that immediately drew the connection to the late crocodile hunter," he said, adding that Crikey steveirwini's name and precarious habitat would also draw attention to the effects of climate change.
"So far it has only been found in three locations, all on the summits of high mountains in far north Queensland and at altitudes above 1,000 metres, which is quite unusual for Australian land snails," he said.
Museum medal
"These mountainous habitats will be among the first to feel the effects of climate change and 'Steve Irwin's tree snail' could become a focal species for monitoring this change." The species is described in a recent edition of the journal Zootaxa.
'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin, known for his "Crikey!" catchphrase, has already had a wildlife reserve, a road, a turtle and an anti-whaling ship named after him.
Irwin received the Queensland Museum Medal in 2003 for "his exceptional contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Australian wildlife at an international level and his commitment and passion to conservation and the environment".
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