Veronicella sloanii: Difference between revisions
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== Description == |
== Description == |
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When extended, this slug can attain a length of 12 cm (5 in.).<ref name="Stange"/> It is highly variable in coloration and positive identification depends on [[dissection]] and inspection of the [[Reproductive system of gastropods|genitalia]].<ref name="Stange"/> It is usually very pale in color, ranging from mottle pale yellow, cream to white.<ref name="Stange"/> It may have irregular black spotting or speckling all over the dorsal surface that may coalesce into two poorly defined bands running down either side of the body;<ref name="Stange"/> in the juveniles, these two bands may be clearer and better defined as grey bands, especially anteriorly.<ref name="Stange"/> Occasionally the snail can be mostly brownish.<ref name="Stange"/> The only constant color character among different [[ |
When extended, this slug can attain a length of 12 cm (5 in.).<ref name="Stange"/> It is highly variable in coloration and positive identification depends on [[dissection]] and inspection of the [[Reproductive system of gastropods|genitalia]].<ref name="Stange"/> It is usually very pale in color, ranging from mottle pale yellow, cream to white.<ref name="Stange"/> It may have irregular black spotting or speckling all over the dorsal surface that may coalesce into two poorly defined bands running down either side of the body;<ref name="Stange"/> in the juveniles, these two bands may be clearer and better defined as grey bands, especially anteriorly.<ref name="Stange"/> Occasionally the snail can be mostly brownish.<ref name="Stange"/> The only constant color character among different [[Caribbean]] island populations is the eye stalk which is bluish grey with the tip light brown.<ref name="Stange"/> |
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== Distribution == |
== Distribution == |
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Revision as of 19:08, 12 September 2010
| Veronicella sloanei | |
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| Veronicella sloanei | |
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| Species: | V. sloanei
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| Binomial name | |
| Veronicella sloanei (Cuvier, 1817)
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Veronicella sloanei, common name the Pancake Slug, is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial, pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Veronicellidae, the leatherleaf slugs.
Description
When extended, this slug can attain a length of 12 cm (5 in.).[2] It is highly variable in coloration and positive identification depends on dissection and inspection of the genitalia.[2] It is usually very pale in color, ranging from mottle pale yellow, cream to white.[2] It may have irregular black spotting or speckling all over the dorsal surface that may coalesce into two poorly defined bands running down either side of the body;[2] in the juveniles, these two bands may be clearer and better defined as grey bands, especially anteriorly.[2] Occasionally the snail can be mostly brownish.[2] The only constant color character among different Caribbean island populations is the eye stalk which is bluish grey with the tip light brown.[2]
Distribution
The indigenous distribution of Veronicella sloanei is Jamaica.[3] The type locality is in Jamaica.[1]
Other non-indigenous distribution includes:
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Dominica - first report from Dominica in 2009[4]
- Dominican Republic
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent[2]
- Cuba (Bahia Honda in Pinar del Río Province).[1]
This slug has been introduced to Florida and it has become an agriculture pest there.[2]
Ecology
Habitat
This slug lives in moist conditions and is nocturnal.
The best times to hunt for the slug is after rainfall.[2] They rest under boards, logs and other objects lying on the ground.[2]
Feeding habits
This species attacks a wide variety of agricultural and horticultural plants including banana, plantain, various beans and peas, peanut, eggplant, cultivars of Brassica (e.g., broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower), carrot, hot and sweet peppers, various citrus species, lettuce, sweet potato, dasheen, eddoe, tannia, tomato, and yam.[2]
Life cycle
The slug lays a clutch of about 30 eggs, which are about 5 mm in diameter.[5] The hatching time in captivity was 15 days at 24 °C.[5]
Importance for humans
This species is an agricultural pest.[2]
They should not be handled with bare hands as they may carry some nematode diseases.[2][which?]
References
This article incorporates public text a public domain work of the United States Government from the reference .[2]
- ^ a b c Maceira D. F. (2003). "Las especies de la familia Veronicellidae (Mollusca, Soleolifera) en Cuba". Revista de Biología Tropical 51(3): 453-461. PDF.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o
Stange L. A. (created September 2004, updated March 2006). "Snails and Slugs of Regulatory Significance to Florida". Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. accessed 27 August 2010.
- ^ Rosenberg G. & Muratov I. (2003-2005). Distribution of non-endemic species of terrestrial mollusks from Jamaica. Published May 2003, modified 5 August 2005, accessed 27 October 2008.
- ^ Robinson D. G., Hovestadt A., Fields A. & Breure A. S. H. (July 2009). "The land Mollusca of Dominica (Lesser Antilles), with notes on some enigmatic or rare species". Zoologische Mededelingen 83 http://www.zoologischemededelingen.nl/83/nr03/a13
- ^ a b Anonymous. (2005) "Veronicella (Veronicella) sloanei (Cuvier, 1817) Pancake Slug". PetSnails.co.uk. Accessed 27 October 2008.
Further reading
- Template:It icon Quattrini D. & Lanza B. (15 December 1968). "Observations on the gonads of Veronicella sloanei (Cuvier) (Gastropoda soleolifera veronicellidae)". Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper. 44(23): 2023-2026.
External links
