Limax brandstetteri

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Limax brandstetteri
Systematics
Order : Lung snails (pulmonata)
Subordination : Land snails (Stylommatophora)
Family : Schnegel (Limacidae)
Subfamily : Limacinae
Genre : Limax
Type : Limax brandstetteri
Scientific name
Limax brandstetteri
Falconer , 2008

Limax brandstetteri is a slug -Art from the family of the slug (Limacidae) that the terrestrial snails belongs (gastropod). It is endemic to Abruzzo (Italy). The species was named after Clemens Brandstetter, who collected the species.

features

Limax brandstetteri is small to medium-sized and, when stretched, reaches a length of 9.5 to 12.5 cm, a back width of 1.0 to 1.5 cm, and a sole width of 1.2 to 1.7 cm. It is very long and narrow compared to other species. The coat shield is comparatively short with a rounded front edge and obtuse angled rear edge. The shell plate, which is calcified except for the outer edge areas, is 9.0 to 10.0 mm long and 6.0 mm wide. The keel reaches about ¼ of the back length from the tip of the tail; it is not highlighted in color. The front third of the back has 32 to 38, however, indistinctly separated longitudinal rows of wrinkles. In the resting position and when contracted, the wrinkles are very prominent and tortuous.

The animals are mostly deep black on the back and coat, very rarely also blackish brown or blackish gray. The sole of the foot is uniformly whitish-cream-colored; with increasing age, the edge areas of the sole of the foot become a little darker.

In the genital apparatus the hermaphroditic gland is elongated-oval; in protandric , but sexually mature animals, it lies in the rearmost part of the intestinal sac. In older animals and towards the end of egg-laying, it becomes smaller and enclosed by the midgut gland. The hermaphroditic duct is thin, the "uterus" only develops in the spermoviduct in older animals. The protein gland is also initially small and only becomes larger in older animals. The short free fallopian tube (oviduct) is very short, only about half as long as the bursa and pedunculus of the bursa copulatrix .

The little tortuous penis is 17.0 to 20.0 mm long and comparatively thick. It shows a thickening in the lower third and in the uppermost part a "cap-like" offset blind sack (cecum). The tip of the penis with the blind sac is slightly bluish or grayish in color. The spermatic duct wraps around the penis once, is also quite short and comparatively thick, and has a stronger, opaque thickening (muscular or glandular?) Before it joins the penis. It opens into the penis right next to the insertion of the penis retractor muscle and is attached to the penis with little connective tissue. The inside of the penis has a strong longitudinal fold ("comb") that splits into several processes in the blind sac. When it joins the penis, the spermatic duct runs through a penile papilla.

Similar species

Limax brandstetteri belongs to the group of the black snail ( Limax maximus ) and does not differ externally from Limax ianninii Giusti, 1973, the only other high mountain form from the Italian peninsula. Anatomical, internal differences are: the slimmer penis, the well-developed blind sack on the penis, the penile papilla perforated by the vas deferens at the confluence of the vas deferens (in L. iannini the vas deferens open next to the papilla), the (other) structure of the inner wall of the penis and a penis crest higher in the lower third of the penis (in L. iannini in the upper third).

Geographical distribution and habitat

Limax brandstetteri has so far only been found in a small area around La Maielletta ( Maiella massif , Abruzzo ) in the border area between the provinces of Pescara and Chieti (Italy). It is a high mountain species that has only been found between 1750 m and 2200 m.

The species lives on extensively managed, stony high mountain meadows. The animals are active until the beginning of December, depending on the weather. In spring, the animals reappear when the first areas in the otherwise closed snow cover become completely empty .

Way of life

The animals are two years old and thus overwinter as not yet sexually mature young animals as well as adults or subadults. Probably precocious specimens, or specimens with retarded development, keep the two cohorts together and maintain a self-contained reproductive community. Observations in laboratory housing suggest that the animals are sensitive to high temperatures. Several animals had suddenly died at room temperatures of 30 ° or above 30 °. The clutches were laid in August. They contained 26 to 42 spherical eggs. The very thin-walled eggs measured 4.8 and 5.2 mm in diameter and had a wrinkled, hammer-hit surface. Development took about 24 days under laboratory conditions. At the time of hatching, young animals are 7.0 to 8.5 mm long. The keel was extremely sharp and lamellar.

Taxonomy

Limax brandstetteri was first described by Gerhard Falkner in 2008. No new observations have been made since then.

supporting documents

literature

  • Falkner, Gerhard 2008. Limax (Limax) brandstetteri n. Sp. - a new high mountain snail from Abruzzo (Gastropoda: Limacidae). Stuttgart Contributions to Natural History (A, New Series), 1: 133-142, Stuttgart PDF .

On-line

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