Filicaulis seychellensis - The flower-powered slug with skin white as snow
This slug has looked extinction in the eye and recovered. In 2017 it seemed to vanish after invasive yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) overran its habitat. Intensive conservation efforts controlled the ants, and "Snow White" made a miraculous recovery. This fair-skinned royalty rules over the palm forest all while perched on its throne, the dangling pollen catkins of the coco de mer. The coco de mer is an iconic Seychelles endemic tree that holds the world record for producing the largest seed as well as hosting the Seychelles White Slug. These two legendary species live only in a small paradise on the island of Praslin, within the mossy, emerald depths of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Vallée de Mai. The Seychelles are unique, a remote and ancient group of granitic islands that have been isolated for 65 million years. This slug is a living time capsule. Its ancestors likely split from the rest of the world’s slugs when dinosaurs were still walking. By sequencing its genome, we can better understand island evolution and protect this beautiful animal. With its jewel-like skin and pure white glow, it is the most beautiful mollusc on the ballot – vote for Filicaulis seychellensis!