''Deroceras'' is a

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

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 small to medium sized 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 ...

s in the family

Agriolimacidae ''Agriolimacidae'' is a family of small and medium-sized land slugs, or shell-less snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc, mollusks. Distribution Distribution of Limacidae is Holarctic, this include: Nearctic, wes ...

Description

Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and between species but common patterns are pale cream, with or without darker flecks (never stripes), and a more uniform light gray or brown to black-brown. Mucus is usually colourless but in some species includes a white deposit when the slug has been disturbed. No

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

continues from the tail along the back. The

mantle A mantle is a piece of clothing, a type of cloak. Several other meanings are derived from that. Mantle may refer to: *Mantle (clothing), a cloak-like garment worn mainly by women as fashionable outerwear **Mantle (vesture), an Eastern Orthodox ve ...

is large (up to half the body length), containing a shell plate internally. The pneumostome lies in the posterior half of the mantle. Generally external appearance does not reliably distinguish one species from certain others, so species identification requires dissection to reveal the genitalia, unless the local species diversity is known to be low. The taxonomy, anatomy and other aspects of the biology of this genus were reviewed in 2000,Wiktor, A. (2000). Agriolimacidae (Gastropoda: Pulmonata): a systematic monograph. ''Annales Zoologici'' 49: 347-590
abstract
/ref> and the diverse mating behaviors were reviewed in 2007.

Species

In 2000, in the most recent monograph on the genus, Wiktor rejected earlier attempts (including his own) at a subgeneric (''Agriolimax'' Mörch, 1865, ''Plathystimulus'' Wiktor, 1973) classification, because there appeared to be so many convergences and reversals. The only exception was that he split off ''Liolytopelte'' as a subgenus because of its distinctive hard plate within the penis; all other species were included in the subgenus ''Deroceras''. There are at least 123 species in the genus ''Deroceras''. Subgenus ''Deroceras'' Rafinesque, 1820 * ''

Deroceras abessinicum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras adolphi ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras afer ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras agreste ''Deroceras agreste'' is a species of air-breathing land slug in the family Agriolimacidae. Its common names include field slug, grey field slug, milky slug,Linnaeus,

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

) * '' Deroceras altaicum'' * ''

Deroceras altimirai ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within an ...

'' * '' Deroceras astypalaeensis'' * '' Deroceras bakurianum'' * ''

Deroceras barceum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras berytensis ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras bisacchianum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras bistimulatum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras boeoticum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras boettgeri ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras bulgaricum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras cazioti ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras cecconii ''Deroceras cecconii'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Agriolimacidae. Although it was long considered a synonym of ''Deroceras panormitanum'', a 2020 article establishes that it is ...

'' * ''

Deroceras chevallieri ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within an ...

'' * ''

Deroceras christae ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within an ...

'' * ''

Deroceras chrysorroyatissensis ''Deroceras'' is a Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies cons ...

'' * '' Deroceras concrementosum'' * '' Deroceras cycladicum'' * ''

Deroceras dallaii ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras deckeni ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras demirtensis'' * ''

Deroceras dubium ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras ercinae ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras famagustensis'' * ''

Deroceras fatrense ''Deroceras fatrense'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Agriolimacidae. This species is endemic to Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( s ...

'' * ''

Deroceras gardullanum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras gavdosensis'' * '' Deroceras giustianum'' * ''

Deroceras glandulosum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras golcheri ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras gorgonium ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras halieos ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras helicoidale ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras hesperium'' * ''

Deroceras heterura ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras ikaria ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras ilium'' * ''

Deroceras invadens ''Deroceras invadens'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Agriolimacidae. Until 2011, this widely distributed species was known as ''Deroceras panormitanum'', and earlier as ''Derocera ...

'' * '' Deroceras johannae'' * ''

Deroceras juranum ''Deroceras juranum'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Agriolimacidae. Taxonomy Wüthrich (1993) described ''Deroceras juranum'' from the Jura Mountains in Switzerland, distinguis ...

'' * ''

Deroceras karnaniensis ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras kasium'' * '' Deroceras keaensis'' * ''

Deroceras kontanum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras korthionensis'' * ''

Deroceras koschanum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras kythirensis ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras laeve ''Deroceras laeve'', the marsh slug, is a species of small air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Agriolimacidae. Distribution The distribution of ''Deroceras laeve'' was originally Palearctic, from ...

'' (O. F. Müller, 1774) * '' Deroceras lasithionensis'' * '' Deroceras levisarcobelum'' * ''

Deroceras libanoticum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras limacoides'' * '' Deroceras lombricoides'' * '' Deroceras lothari'' * '' Deroceras maasseni'' * ''

Deroceras malkini ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras melinum'' * '' Deroceras minoicum'' * '' Deroceras neuteboomi'' * '' Deroceras nigroclypeatum'' * '' Deroceras nitidum'' * ''

Deroceras nyphoni ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras oertzeni ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras orduensis ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras osseticum'' * '' Deroceras padisii'' * '' Deroceras pageti'' * ''

Deroceras panormitanum ''Deroceras panormitanum'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Agriolimacidae. This article is about ''Deroceras panormitanum'' ''sensu stricto'', which occurs predominantly only on Si ...

'' (Lessona & Pollonera, 1882) * '' Deroceras parium'' * ''

Deroceras parnasium ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras planarioides ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras ponsonbyi'' * ''

Deroceras praecox ''Deroceras praecox'' is a species of small air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Agriolimacidae. Taxonomy When Wiktor (1966) described ''D. praecox'' he distinguished two forms on the basis of their ...

'' * ''

Deroceras pseudopanormitanum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within an ...

'' * '' Deroceras rethimnonensis'' * ''

Deroceras reticulatum ''Deroceras reticulatum'', common names the "grey field slug" and "grey garden slug", is a species of small air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Agriolimacidae. This species is an important agricul ...

'' (O. F. Müller, 1774) * '' Deroceras rhodensis'' * '' Deroceras riedelianum'' * ''

Deroceras roblesi ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras rodnae ''Deroceras rodnae'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Agriolimacidae. Taxonomy ''Deroceras rodnae'' was originally described from the Rodna Mountains in Romani ...

'' * '' Deroceras samium'' * ''

Deroceras seriphium ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras sturanyi ''Deroceras sturanyi'' is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Agriolimacidae. Distribution This species is not listed in the IUCN red list and therefore is not evaluated (NE) 2006 IUCN Re ...

'' * '' Deroceras subagreste'' * '' Deroceras tarracense'' * ''

Deroceras tauricum ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * ''

Deroceras thersites ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras turcicum'' * '' Deroceras uataderensis'' * ''

Deroceras vascoana ''Deroceras vascoana'' is a species of air-breathing land slug in the family Agriolimacidae. It is native to France and Spain. This slug is pale brown in color. Collected specimens are 2.2 to 3.2 centimeters long. ''D. vascoana'' "is easily reco ...

'' * '' Deroceras zilchi'' Subgenus ''Liolytopelte'' Simroth, 1901 * '' Deroceras bureschi'' * '' Deroceras caucasicum'' * ''

Deroceras kandaharensis ''Deroceras'' is a taxonomic genus of small to medium sized air-breathing land slugs in the family Agriolimacidae. Description Most species reach only 30–35 mm in length (max 45 mm). Coloration varies considerably within and ...

'' * '' Deroceras moldavicum'' * '' Deroceras occidentalis'' * '' Deroceras trabzonensis''

Relevance to humans

Several species in this genus are recognised as

pests PESTS was an anonymous American activist group formed in 1986 to critique racism, tokenism, and exclusion in the art world. PESTS produced newsletters, posters, and other print material highlighting examples of discrimination in gallery represent ...

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

and

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

, including ''

'', ''

Deroceras agreste ''Deroceras agreste'' is a species of air-breathing land slug in the family Agriolimacidae. Its common names include field slug, grey field slug, milky slug,Deroceras laeve ''Deroceras laeve'', the marsh slug, is a species of small air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Agriolimacidae. Distribution The distribution of ''Deroceras laeve'' was originally Palearctic, from ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q293311 Agriolimacidae Gastropod genera Agricultural pest molluscs Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque