Laevicaulis natalensis
| Laevicaulis natalensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Systellommatophora |
| Family: | Veronicellidae |
| Genus: | Laevicaulis |
| Species: | L. natalensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Laevicaulis natalensis (F. Krauss, 1848)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Laevicaulis natalensis, the brown leatherback slug, is a species of leatherleaf slug in the family Veronicellidae. This species is endemic to Southern Africa.[1][2]
Taxonomy
Laevicaulis natalensis contains the following subspecies:[1]
- Laevicaulis natalensis brauni
- Laevicaulis natalensis natalensis
Description
The body is elongated-oblong, convex, and subcylindrical. It is coloured white-ashy and very finely punctate (covered with minute dots). The foot is transversely striate (marked with cross-wise lines), cut off squarely in front, and produced posteriorly into a pointed tail that is longer than the mantle. The tentacles are simple. The ocular tentacles are transversely striate. The labial tentacles (those near the mouth) are broader, blunt and twice as long as the ocular tentacles.[3][a]
Distribution
This species is endemic to Southern Africa.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Brown Leatherback Slug (Laevicaulis natalensis)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b Herbert, D. G. (1997-11-01). "The terrestrial slugs of KwaZulu-Natal: diversity, biogeography and conservation (Mollusca: Pulmonata)". Annals of the Natal Museum. 38 (1): 197–239. doi:10.10520/AJA03040798_174.
- ^ Krauss, F. (1848). Die Südafrikanischen Mollusken. Ein Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Mollusken des Kap- und Natallandes und zur Geographischen Verbreitung derselben mit Beschreibung und Abbildung der neuen Arten. Stuttgart: Die Südafrikanischen Mollusken. Ein Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Mollusken des Kap- und Natallandes und zur Geographischen Verbreitung derselben mit Beschreibung und Abbildung der neuen Arten. p. 72. Retrieved 9 December 2025. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Forcart, L. (1967). Studies on the Veronicellidae, Aperidae and Urocyclidae (Mollusca) of Southern Africa. Annals of the Natal Museum. 18(3): 505-570
Notes
- ^ Original description in Latin