Snail genes reveal human migration to Ireland

[Clinton P]

"A genetic similarity between snail fossils found in Ireland and the Eastern Pyrenees suggests humans migrated from southern Europe to Ireland 8,000 years ago."

Click here (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0065792) to read more about this story.

Citation: Grindon AJ, Davison A (2013) Irish Cepaea nemoralis Land Snails Have a Cryptic Franco-Iberian Origin That Is Most Easily Explained by the Movements of Mesolithic Humans. PLoS ONE 8(6): e65792. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065792


Clinton P

[Baltimore1937]

I can't click on it, probably due to my using my old laptop with an obsolete browser. Anyway, how large are the snails? I mean, they could have been transported by birds, such as migrating geese.

[Ian B]

Link appears to be broken. Look forward to reading the article.

[History-of-Things]

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0065792

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130620084633.htm

[Clinton P]

I can't click on it, probably due to my using my old laptop with an obsolete browser. Anyway, how large are the snails? I mean, they could have been transported by birds, such as migrating geese.

"The shell is generally globular in appearance and slightly depressed, ranging in size from 12 by 18 mm to 26 by 28 mm, with the largest shelled individuals being found in the Pyrenees, Italy, and on the West coast of Ireland."

Clinton P

[Ian B]

Thanks Clint, I suppose anything's possible.

[alan]

"A genetic similarity between snail fossils found in Ireland and the Eastern Pyrenees suggests humans migrated from southern Europe to Ireland 8,000 years ago."

Click here (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0065792) to read more about this story.

Citation: Grindon AJ, Davison A (2013) Irish Cepaea nemoralis Land Snails Have a Cryptic Franco-Iberian Origin That Is Most Easily Explained by the Movements of Mesolithic Humans. PLoS ONE 8(6): e65792. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065792


Clinton P

Which just shows you how wrong a study can be. Ireland was going through a very isolated period at that time. No migration to Ireland between the early Mesolithic c. 8000BC and the Neolithic farmers about 3800BC.