Testacella is genus of small to medium-large, predatory, air-breathing, land slugs.
They are terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Testacellidae, the shelled slugs. They are not often seen because they live underground.
Testacella is the only genus in the family, in other words it is a monotypic family. Testacella is the type genus of the family Testacellidae.
Distribution
Species within this genus of slugs live in north Africa, southern and western Europe, and Britain.
Species
Species within the genus Testacella include:
- Subgenus Testacella <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
- Subgenus Testacelloides <small>A. J. Wagner, 1914</small>
- â Testacella asinium <small>Serres, 1827</small>
- Testacella bisulcata <small>Risso, 1826</small>
- Testacella bracciai <small>Nardi & Bodon, 2011</small>
- â Testacella bruntoniana <small>Serres, 1851</small>
- â Testacella deshayesii <small>Michaud, 1855</small>
- Testacella fischeriana <small>Bourguignat, 1862</small>
- Testacella gestroi <small>Issel, 1873</small>
- Testacella haliotidea <small>Lamarck, 1801</small> - the shelled slug, the type species of the genus
- â Testacella lartetii <small>Dupuy, 1850</small>
- Testacella maugei <small>Férussac, 1819</small>
- â Testacella pedemontana <small>Sacco, 1886</small>
- â Testacella pontileviensis <small>de Morgan, 1920</small>
- â Testacella puisseguri <small>Schlickum, 1967</small>
- Testacella riedeli <small>Giusti, Manganelli & Schembri, 1995</small>
- â Testacella sandbergeri <small>Wenz, 1914</small>
- â Testacella schuetti <small>Schlickum, 1967</small>
- Testacella scutulum <small>Sowerby I, 1821</small>
- â Testacella zellii <small>Klein, 1853</small>
Nomen dubium:
- Testacella antillarum <small>Grateloup, 1855</small>
Synonyms:
- Testacella anomala <small>Torres Minquez, 1924</small>: synonym of Testacella haliotidea <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
- Testacella barcinonensis <small>Pollonera, 1888</small>: synonym of Testacella haliotidea <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
- Testacella catalonica <small>Pollonera, 1888</small>: synonym of Testacella scutulum <small>G. B. Sowerby I, 1821</small> (original name)
- Testacella dikrangensis <small>Godwin-Austen, 1876</small>: synonym of Girasia dikrangensis <small>(Godwin-Austen, 1876)</small> (original combination)
- Testacella dubia <small>Pollonera, 1888</small>: synonym of Testacella haliotidea <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
- Testacella esserana <small>Fagot, 1892</small>: synonym of Testacella haliotidea <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
- Testacella europaea <small>de Roissy, 1805</small>: synonym of Testacella haliotidea <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
- Testacella galliae <small>Oken, 1816</small>: synonym of Testacella haliotidea <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>
- Testacella guadeloupensis <small>Lesson, 1838</small>: synonym of Omalonyx unguis <small>(d'Orbigny, 1836)</small> (junior synonym)
- â Testacella larteti <small>Dupuy, 1850</small> : synonym of â Testacella lartetii <small>Dupuy, 1850</small> (incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Testacella matheronii <small>Potiez & Michaud, 1838</small>: synonym of Omalonyx unguis <small>(d'Orbigny, 1836)</small> (junior synonym)
- Testacella subtrigona <small>Pollonera, 1888</small>: synonym of Testacella haliotidea <small>Draparnaud, 1801</small>(original name)
- Testacella vagans <small>F. W. Hutton, 1882</small>: synonym of Testacella maugei <small>Férussac, 1819</small>
Description
These slugs have a very small, ear-shaped shell, which is situated far back on their bodies.
In the family Testacellidae, the number of haploid chromosomes lies between 31 and 35.
Habitat
These slugs are rarely observed, but they tend to live in gardens and farms where there is rich soil and a lot of earthworms.
Life habits
These slugs live underground and hunt earthworms. They are usually only seen when they are forced up to the surface because the soil has become completely saturated with rain.
References
External links