Geomalacus

Geomalacus is a genus of large air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Arionidae, the roundback slugs.

Geomalacus
drawing of Geomalacus maculosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Superorder: Eupulmonata
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Arionidae
Genus: Geomalacus
Allman, 1843[1]
Subgenera and species

Etymology

The Ancient Greek word geo (γη) means the Earth. The Greek word malacus (μαλαχὀς) means mollusc.

Distribution

Western Europe

Species

This genus contains the following species:[3][4]

subgenus Geomalacus

subgenus Arrudia Pollonera, 1890[5]

Description

Animal limaciform, subcylindrical, blunt behind, with a but little developed mucous pore; mantle anterior, close to the head, concealing a shell-plate; a distinct locomotive disk; respiratory orifice on the right anterior margin of the mantle; genital orifice behind and below the right eye-peduncle. Shell-plate calcareous, ovate, small and solid. Jaw costulated; lingual dentition as in Arion.[6]

The main diagnostic feature of the reproductive system differing from genera Arion, Letourneuxia and Ariunculus is, that species in the genus Geomalacus has atrium with diverticulum.[7] The free oviduct is short; the retractor muscle is attached to the spermatheca duct; vas deferens and epiphalus are long.[7]

See also
  • Geomalacus moreleti (Hesse, 1884) is a synonym for Letourneuxia moreleti (P. Hesse 1884)

References

This article incorporates public domain text from reference.[6]

  1. Allman G. J. (1843) "On a new genus of terrestrial gasteropod". The Athenaeum 1843 (829): 851. London.
  2. Pollonera C. (1890) Boll. Mus. Zool. Comp. Torino, 5, no. 87, 36.
  3. Species in genus Geomalacus. AnimalBase, accessed 13 August 2009.
  4. Geomalacus. Fauna Europaea, accessed 16 August 2009.
  5. Pollonera C. (1890) Boll. Mus. Zool. Comp. Torino, 5, no. 87, 36.
  6. Tryon G. W. (1885) Manual of Conchology. Second series: Pulmonata Volume 1. Testacellidae, Oleacinidae, Streptaxidae, Helicoidea, Vitrinidae, Limacidae, Arionidae. 364 pp., 60 plates, page 232, plate 45, figure 14 (radula), figure 15 (jaw).
  7. Platts, E. A.; Speight, M. C. D. (1988). "The taxonomy and distribution of the Kerry slug Geomalacus maculosus Allman, 1843 (Mollusca: Arionidae) with a discussion of its status as a threatened species". Irish Naturalists' Journal. 22 (10): 417–430.
  • Patrão C., de Sousa J. T., Jordaens K., Backeljau T., Castilho R. & Leitão A. (2013). "Geomalacus and Letourneuxia (Mollusca, Pulmonata): A Cytogenetic Assessment". Malacologia 56(1-2): 333-338. doi:10.4002/040.056.0222.
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