Deroceras

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Deroceras
Deroceras praecox

Deroceras praecox

Systematics
Superordinate : Heterobranchia
Order : Lung snails (pulmonata)
Subordination : Land snails (Stylommatophora)
Superfamily : Limacoidea
Family : Field slugs (Agriolimacidae)
Genre : Deroceras
Scientific name
Deroceras
Rafinesque , 1820

The slugs - genus Deroceras (formerly known as Agriolimax Mörch, 1865 designated) belongs to the order of gastropods .

features

Most species of the genus Deroceras are relatively small to medium-sized with a maximum body length of 60 mm. The body is rather slender and spindle-shaped when at rest. The greatest width can be found in the area of ​​the jacket. This takes up about a third to almost half of the body. A weak keel is formed on the back of the back, but it only comes out more clearly when it is contracted. The breathing hole is in the back of the coat. The coloring is uniform or with spots, which in some species can merge into a reticulated ornament; however, the ornamentation is not regular.

Way of life, occurrence and distribution

The species of the genus were originally Holarctic and with a few species also distributed in the highlands of Abyssinia . However, some species have been introduced almost worldwide today. The species of the genus Deroceras feed mainly on green, fresh plants. Species adapted to humans, i.e. synanthropic species, are therefore often classified as pests. This is especially true of Deroceras reticulatum .

Systematics

Microscopic image of the radula of a water snail ( Deroceras laeve )
Mating of Deroceras invadens

The species of the genus Deroceras belong to the family of the field snails (Agriolimacidae). The genus Deroceras currently comprises over 50 different species . To this day, new species that are assigned to the genus Deroceras are still being discovered . It can be assumed that other species will be discovered. Deroceras is therefore the most species-rich genus among the nudibranchs. Some authors subdivide it into sub-genres, which in turn are not recognized by other authors or are interpreted differently. Schileyko (2003) recognizes five subgenera: D. (Deroceras) Rafinesque, 1820, D. (Nipponolimax) Yamaguchi & Habe, 1955, D. (Plathystimlus) Wiktor, 1973, D. (Agriolimax) Mörch, 1865 and D. (Liolytopelte ) Simroth, 1901. Kerney et al. (1990) name D. (Deroceras) Rafinesque, 1820, D. (Malino) Gray, 1855, D. (Plathystimlus) Wiktor, 1973, D. (Agriolimax) Mörch, 1865 and D. (Liolytopelte) Simroth, 1901. The Website "Molluscs of Central Europe" suggests a third subdivision: D. (Deroceras) Rafinesque, 1820, D. (Chorolimax) Westerlund, 1894, D. (Agriolimax) Mörch, 1865, D. (Malino) Gray, 1855, D . (Liolytopelte) Simroth, 1901 and " Deroceras (subgenus not known) Rafinesque, 1820". In the following species selection, the sub-genera were therefore not used.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ D. Schley, MA Bees, Delay dynamics of the slug Deroceras reticulatum, an agricultural pest. In: Ecological Modeling , 162/2003, pp. 177-98.
  2. ↑ Animal Base University of Göttingen, Species in genus Deroceras
  3. ^ Molluscs of Central Europe - genus Deroceras

literature

  • U. Gerhardt: Further investigation into the copulation of the stylommatophores. In: Zoomorphology. 31/1936, pp. 433-442.
  • Michael P. Kerney, RAD Cameron & Jürgen H. Jungbluth: The land snails of Northern and Central Europe. 384 pp., Paul Parey, Hamburg & Berlin 1983 ISBN 3-490-17918-8
  • Constantine S. Rafinesque-Schmaltz: Annals of nature, or annual synopsis of new genera and species of animals, plants etc. discovered in North America. , 1/1820, Lexington, p. 10.
  • Anatolij A. Schileyko: Treatise on Recent Terrestrial Pulmonate Molluscs Part 11 Trigonochlamydidae, Papillodermidae, Vitrinidae, Limacidae, Bielziidae, Agriolimacidae, Boettgerillidae, Camaenidae. Ruthenica, Supplement 2 (11): 1467-1626, Moscow 2003 ISSN  0136-0027

Web links

Commons : Deroceras  - collection of images, videos and audio files