Kingdom Animalia Class Gastropoda Family Ariophantidae Scientific name Mariaella beddomei | Phylum Mollusca Superfamily Helicarionoidea Genus Mariaella Rank Species | |
 | ||
Similar Mariaella dussumieri, Macrochlamys indica, Indrella ampulla, Macrochlamys, Hemiplecta | ||
Mariaella beddomei is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Ariophantidae.
Contents
The specific name is in honor of Richard Henry Beddome.
Distribution
This species lives in India. It is endemic to Western Ghats. Its localities include Travancore Hills.
Shell description
The internal shell is thinner than in Mariaella dussumieri, shelly, flat and smooth beneath, white, with close, concentric lines of growth. The length of the adult shell is 12 mm, the breath is 6.5 mm.
Anatomy
The body of the animal varies greatly in color from uniform ochre to deep grey-black or spotted. There are no raised ridges on the shell-lobes. It is externally similar to Mariaella dussumieri, but larger, about 4 inches (100 mm) in length when fully extended. It has more numerous teeth in the radula, the number in a row being 122 . 5 . 21 . 1 . 21 . 5 . 122 (148 . 1 . 148), and the shape differing somewhat. There are also differences in the genitalia, the spermatheca and the expansion in the free oviduct (ovitheca) having different forms.