Shelled slug

Shelled backpack worm ( Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801)

The Grey Yellow backpack worm ( Testacella haliotidea ) is a " semi- slug " of the genus and family of snails backpack ( Testacella or Testacellidae ) from the subordination of terrestrial snails ( gastropod ). The Latin species name haliotidea alludes to the ear shape of rudimentary housing.

Features

The housing is relatively small in the adult animal, ear - shaped flat and sits on the back of the body just before the end. The juvenile animal can retract into the case initially. Then the growth of the enclosure is quickly back behind the growth of the soft body. The animal is in the adult stage to the " half- slug ". The small case measures 7 to 8 mm in length and 5-6 mm in width. It is generally yellowish and has the rough surface on growth lines, which give the surface a wrinkled appearance. The animal is stretched out 8 to 12 cm long and 1 cm wide. At rest, the animal pulls together hemispherical. The body color varies from creamy yellow to pale yellow to light brown, the sole of the foot is much brighter than the back. The two lateral furrows begin at the front edge of the mantle, clearly separated from each other shortly before the rudimentary housing.

Life, the occurrence and distribution

The species is synanthropic and prefers to live in the cultural landscape, such as gardens and parks, to the south of its range even in fields and vineyards. The species is nocturnal and predacious of earthworms, which are usually completely devoured. Whether the shelled backpack snail eats other snails and possibly even other dogs, is controversial in the literature. The range extends from the British Isles to the west of France, as well as the Mid-Atlantic islands ( Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira). The isolated occurrence in Heidelberg in southern Germany, in Schleswig -Holstein, near Turin ( northern Italy) and in Jutland (Denmark) are attributed to procrastination. Meanwhile, the species has been abducted but not only within Europe, but also to New Zealand and Australia as well as America.

System

The Grey Yellow backpack worm ( Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801) has many synonyms: Testacella barcinonensis Pollonera, 1888, Testacella dubia Pollonera, 1888, Testacella esserana Fagot, 1892, Testacella europaea Roissy, 1805 Testacella Galliae Oken, 1815 Testacella pascali Massot, 1870 and Testacella servaini Massot, 1870. shelled backpack worm ( Testacella haliotidea ) is the typical species of the genus Testacella Draparnaud, 1801.