Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Rhytidoidea Rank Genus | Class Gastropoda Phylum Mollusca | |
Family Chlamydephoridae
Cockerell, 1935 Similar Dorcasiidae, Caryodidae, Rhytididae | ||
Chlamydephorus is a genus of air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is the only genus within the family Chlamydephoridae.
Contents
Taxonomy
The family Chlamydephoridae has no subfamilies and it is placed in the superfamily Rhytidoidea.
Chlamydephorus is the type genus of the family Chlamydephoridae.
Species
Species within the genus Chlamydephorus include:
Distribution
Species of Chlamydephorus occur across southern Africa; they are most commonly found in the Natal region of South Africa.
Description
Chlamydephorus slugs have an internal vestigial shell. The pallial organs are located at the posterior end of the elongated body and embedded under the dorsal integument. The elongation of the buccal mass varies greatly among the different species of the family and this is reflected in the size of the radula and the number of teeth. In all species the jaw is absent.The largest specimens of these slugs are up to 120 mm long.
Ecology
These slugs are believed to be mostly subterranean dwellers. Gut analysis of one species found both plant and animal matter, indicating that they are facultative predators who will also eat vegetation. They have been recorded as eating pill millipedes of the genus Sphaerotherium, snails, other arthropods and soft-bodied invertebrates such as earthworms. The prey is subdued by injecting a toxin into its flesh.