Schizoglossa

Schizoglossa, common name the Paua slugs, is a genus of medium-sized to large predatory, air-breathing, land slugs, carnivorous terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the family Rhytididae.

Schizoglossa
Drawing of dorsal view of alcohol-preserved specimen of Schizoglossa novoseelandica.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Mollusca
Class:
Gastropoda
(unranked):
clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata
clade Eupulmonata
clade Stylommatophora
informal group Sigmurethra
Superfamily:
Rhytidoidea
Family:
Rhytididae
Genus:
Schizoglossa

Hedley, 1893[1]
Species

See text

Distribution

The genus is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand (including the Great Barrier Island),

Species and subspecies

Species and subspecies within the genus Schizoglossa include:[2]

Description

The shell is small, rudimentary, auriform (ear-shaped) and is situated far back on the animal. The shell is incapable of containing the body, and is reduced to the function of a shield for the lungs and heart. The shell is paucispiral, and is nacreous within. The columella is excavated into a pit for the reception of the shell-muscle.[1]

The animal has no rachidian teeth.[1]

Ecology

Schizoglossa has eggs with a calcareous surface which lacks cuticle.[3]

References

This article incorporates public domain text from reference.[1]

  1. Hedley C. (16 March 1893) "Schizoglossa: a new genus of carnivorous snails". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 7(III): 387-392. Linnean Society of New South Wales. Plate IX-X.
  2. New Zealand Mollusca
  3. O'Connor A. C. (June) 1945. Notes on the Eggs of New Zealand Paryphantidae, With Description of a New Subgenus. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand, volume 5, 1945-46, pages 54-57.

Further reading
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.