''Chlamydephorus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of air-breathing

land slug Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...

terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to ...

pulmonate Pulmonata or pulmonates, is an informal group (previously an order, and before that a subclass) of snails and slugs characterized by the ability to breathe air, by virtue of having a pallial lung instead of a gill, or gills. The group includ ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s in the family

Chlamydephoridae ''Chlamydephorus'' is a genus of air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is the only genus within the family Chlamydephoridae.Herbert D. G. (1997). "The terrestrial slugs of KwaZulu- ...

. It is the only genus within the family Chlamydephoridae.Herbert D. G. (1997). "The terrestrial slugs of KwaZulu-Natal: diversity, biogeography and conservation (Mollusca: Pulmonata)". '' Annals of the Natal Museum'' 38: 197-239
PDF

Taxonomy

The family Chlamydephoridae has no subfamilies and it is placed in the superfamily

Rhytidoidea The Rhytidoidea are a superfamily of air-breathing land snails and slugs, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the suborder Helicina. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Rhytidoidea Pilsbry, 1893. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Spec ...

. ''Chlamydephorus'' is the type genus of the family Chlamydephoridae.

Species

Species within the genus ''Chlamydephorus'' include: * ''

Chlamydephorus bruggeni ''Chlamydephorus'' is a genus of air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is the only genus within the family Chlamydephoridae.Herbert D. G. (1997). "The terrestrial slugs of KwaZul ...

'' * ''

Chlamydephorus burnupi Burnup's hunter slug (''Chlamydephorus burnupi'') is a species of land slug in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is endemic to South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. ...

'' (Smith, 1892) - Burnup's hunter slug * ''

Chlamydephorus dimidius The snake skin hunter slug (''Chlamydephorus dimidius'') is a species of land slug in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is endemic to South Africa, where it is known from six localities in KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZ ...

'' (Watson, 1915) - Snake skin hunter slug * ''

Chlamydephorus gibbonsi ''Chlamydephorus'' is a genus of air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is the only genus within the family Chlamydephoridae.Herbert D. G. (1997). "The terrestrial slugs of KwaZulu-N ...

'' Binney, 1879 * ''

Chlamydephorus purcelli Purcell's hunter slug, scientific name ''Chlamydephorus purcelli'', is an endangered species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Chlamydephoridae. Distribution This species is endemic to Table Moun ...

'' (Collinge, 1901) - Purcell's hunter slug * ''

Chlamydephorus sexangulus ''Chlamydephorus'' is a genus of air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is the only genus within the family Chlamydephoridae.Herbert D. G. (1997). "The terrestr ...

Distribution

Species of ''Chlamydephorus'' occur across southern Africa; they are most commonly found in the Natal region of South Africa.

Description

''Chlamydephorus'' slugs have an internal vestigial shell. The pallial organs are located at the posterior end of the elongated body and embedded under the dorsal integument. The elongation of the buccal mass varies greatly among the different species of the family and this is reflected in the size of the radula and the number of teeth. In all species the jaw is absent. The largest individuals of these slugs can be up to 120 mm in length.

Ecology

These slugs are believed to be mostly subterranean dwellers. Gut analysis of one species found both plant and animal matter, indicating that they are facultative predators who will also eat vegetation. They have been recorded as eating

pill millipede Pill millipedes are any members of two living (and one extinct) orders of millipedes, often grouped together into a single superorder, Oniscomorpha. The name Oniscomorpha refers to the millipedes' resemblance to certain woodlice (Oniscidea), also ...

s of the genus ''

Sphaerotherium ''Sphaerotherium'' is a genus of millipedes belonging to the family Sphaerotheriidae. Species * '' Sphaerotherium angulatum'' * '' Sphaerotherium compessum'' * '' Sphaerotherium compressa'' * '' Sphaerotherium compressum'' * '' Sphaerotherium c ...

'',Herbert D. G. (2000). "Dining on diplopods: remarkable feeding behaviour in chlamydephorid slugs (Mollusca: Gastropoda)". ''

Journal of Zoology The ''Journal of Zoology'' is a scientific journal concerning zoology, the study of animals. It was founded in 1830 by the Zoological Society of London and is published by Wiley-Blackwell. It carries original research papers, which are targeted t ...

'' 251(1): 1–5. . snails, other arthropods and soft-bodied invertebrates such as earthworms. The prey is subdued by injecting a toxin into its flesh.

Taxonomy

Species

Distribution

Description

Ecology

References

Further reading