Limacoidei

Globose dome snail Ventridens ligerus, copyright Bill Frank.

Belongs within: Heterobranchia.
Contains: Pristilomatidae, Oxychilidae, Gastrodontidae, Chronidae, Trochomorphidae, Euconulinae, Liardetiini, Parmacelloidea, Vitrinidae, Agriolimacidae, Limacinae, Zonites, Paravitrea, Glyphyalinia, Helicarionoidea.

The Limacoidei, sometimes referred to as the 'limacoid clade' or Limacoidea sensu lato, are a group of terrestrial gastropods characterised by a radula bearing elongate marginal teeth without entocones. This modification of the radula may represent an adaptation to an omnivorous diet. Members of the clade include the Limacoidea, a group of slugs and semislugs found in more humid biotopes. These are characterised by reduction of the spermatophore and epiphallus. The Gastrodontoidea are a group of mostly small snails, characterised by reductions in the stimulators and lung venation. The Trochomorphoidea have a more generalised generalised form of the stimulator than other Limacoidei, inserting on the penis rather than on the atrium. The Zonitidae have the capsular gland at least partially around the vagina whereas other limacoids have it only around the oviduct.

See also: Wild slug chases (Taxon of the Week: Gastrodontoidea).

<==Limacoidei [Limacacea, Limaxina, Zonitinia] BR17
    |--Gastrodontoidea BR17
    |    |--Pristilomatidae BR17
    |    |--Oxychilidae BR17
    |    `--Gastrodontidae SS10
    |--Trochomorphoidea BR17
    |    |--Chronidae BR17
    |    |--Trochomorphidae SS10
    |    |--Staffordia Godwin-Austen 1907 [Staffordiidae, Staffordiinae, Staffordioidea] BR05
    |    |    `--*S. daflaensis (Godwin-Austen 1883) [=Macrochlamys daflaensis] BR17
    |    |--Dyakiidae [Dyakioidea] BR17
    |    |    |--Dyakia Godwin-Austen 1891 [Dyakiinae, Dyakiini, Dyakinae] BR05
    |    |    |    `--*D. hugonis (Pfeiffer 1863) [=Helix hugonis] BR17
    |    |    |--Sasakina Rensch 1930 [=Sasakia Rensch 1930 non Moore 1896; Sasakinae, Sasakininae] BR05
    |    |    |    `--*S. oxyconus (Martens 1896) [=Trochonanina oxyconus, *Sasakia oxyconus] BR17
    |    |    `--Pseudoplecta Laidlaw 1932 [Pseudoplectinae] BR05
    |    |         `--*P. bijuga (Stoliczka 1873) [=Rotula bijuga] BR17
    |    `--Euconulidae BR17
    |         |  i. s.: Afroguppya FGN07
    |         |         Conibycus Thiele 1928 S88
    |         |         Microcystina calcarata Hedley 1891 S88
    |         |         Dryachloa Thompson & Lee 1980 BP90
    |         |           `--D. dauca BP90
    |         |         Guppya Mörch 1867 BP90
    |         |           |--G. gundlachi BP90
    |         |           |--G. sterkii H68
    |         |           `--G. vacans G79
    |         |         Turrisitala Iredale 1933 SS10
    |         |           `--*T. normalis Iredale 1933 [incl. Helix turriculata Cox 1868, T. wildiana Iredale 1937] SS10
    |         |         Queridomus Iredale 1937 SS10
    |         |           `--*Q. grenvillei (Brazier 1876) [=Helix (Conulus) grenvillei] SS10
    |         |--Euconulinae BR17
    |         `--Microcystinae [Microcysti, Microcystidae] BR17
    |              |  i. s.: Innesoconcha Iredale 1944 SS10
    |              |           |--*I. catletti (Brazier 1872) (see below for synonymy) SS10
    |              |           `--I. princeps Iredale 1944 SS10
    |              |         Melloconcha Iredale 1944 [incl. Tribocystis Iredale 1944] SS10
    |              |           |--*M. delecta Iredale 1944 SS10
    |              |           |--M. flavescens (Iredale 1944) SS10
    |              |           `--M. rosacea (Iredale 1944) [incl. Tribocystis alma Iredale 1944] SS10
    |              |         Allenoconcha Preston 1913 SS10
    |              |           `--*A. basispiralis Preston 1913 (see below for synonymy) SS10
    |              |         Fanulena Iredale 1945 (see below for synonymy) SS10
    |              |           `--*F. insculpta (Pfeiffer 1846) (see below for synonymy) SS10
    |              |         Greenwoodoconcha Preston 1913 SS10
    |              |           `--*G. nux (Sykes 1900) (see below for synonymy) SS10
    |              |         Mathewsoconcha Preston 1913 [incl. Belloconcha Preston 1913] SS10
    |              |           `--M. suteri (Sykes 1900) (see below for synonymy) SS10
    |              |         Quintalia Preston 1913 SS10
    |              |           `--*Q. stoddartii (Gray 1834) [=Carocolla stoddartii] SS10
    |              |         Roybellia Preston 1913 SS10
    |              |           `--*R. platysoma (Sykes 1900) (see below for synonymy) SS10
    |              |--Liardetiini BR05
    |              |--Microcystis Beck 1837 non Kutzing 1833 (ICBN) [Microcystini] BR05
    |              |    `--*M. pellicula (Férussac 1821) [=Helicolimax pellicula] BR17
    |              `--Philonesia Sykes 1900 [Philonesiae, Philonesiini] BR05
    |                   `--*P. baldwini (Ancey 1889) [=Microcystis baldwini] BR17
    `--+--Parmacelloidea H00
       `--+--Limacoidea [Aceratophora, Limaxinia] H00
          |    |  i. s.: Grandipatula Cossmann 1889 [Grandipatulidae, Grandipatulinae] BR05
          |    |           |--*G. (Grandipatula) hemisphaerica (Michaud 1837) [=Helix hemisphaerica] BR17
          |    |           `--G. (Sphaerozonites) oppenheimi (Pfeffer 1929) TTE93
          |    |         Palaeoxestina Wenz 1919 [Palaeoxestinidae, Palaeoxestininae] BR05
          |    |           `--*P. occlusa (Edwards 1852) [=Helix occlusa] BR17
          |    |         Rhysota BR17
          |    |--Vitrinidae H00
          |    `--+--Boettgerilla Simroth 1910 BR05 [Boettgerillidae H00]
          |       |    `--*B. compressa Simroth 1910 BR17
          |       `--+--Agriolimacidae H00
          |          `--Limacidae [Limacidia, Limacina, Limaxia] H00
          |               |  i. s.: Malacolimax tenellus (Müller 1774) HM07
          |               |         Lehmannia Heynemann 1862 SS10
          |               |           |--*L. marginata (Müller 1774) [=Limax marginata] SS10
          |               |           |--L. nyctelia (Bourguignat 1861) (see below for synonymy) RAS75
          |               |           |--L. poirieri R66
          |               |           `--L. valentiana (Férussac 1823) SS10
          |               |         Limacus Lehmann 1864 SS10
          |               |           `--L. flavus (Linnaeus 1758) SS10 (see below for synonymy)
          |               |--Limacinae BR05
          |               `--Eumilax Boettger 1881 [Eumilacinae] BR05
          |                    `--*E. brandti (Martens 1880) [=Limax brandti] BR17
          `--+--Zonitidae [Ceratophora, Zonitacea, Zonitoidea] H00
             |    |--Thomeonanina PB27
             |    |--Kerkophorus PB27
             |    |--Microkerkus PB27
             |    |--Suterella Iredale 1915 P61
             |    |    `--*S. novarae (Pfeiffer 1862) [=Helix novarae] P61
             |    |--Vitrinizonites Binney 1879 BP90
             |    |    `--V. latissimus BP90
             |    |--Pilsbryna Baker 1926 BP90
             |    |    |--P. aurea BP90
             |    |    `--P. castanea BP90
             |    |--Zonites BR05
             |    |--Nesovitrea Cooke 1921 BP90
             |    |    |--N. binneyana BP90
             |    |    |--N. electrina BP90
             |    |    `--N. hammonis V09
             |    |--Mesomphix Rafinesque 1819 BP90
             |    |    |--M. cupreus BP90
             |    |    |    |--M. c. cupreus BP90
             |    |    |    `--M. c. politus BP90
             |    |    |--M. friabilis H68
             |    |    |--M. inornatus H68
             |    |    |--M. pilsbryi R65
             |    |    |--M. ruidus H68
             |    |    `--M. vulgatus H68
             |    |--Retinella BP90
             |    |    |--R. burringtoni G59
             |    |    |--R. dalliana R64
             |    |    |--R. electrina D63
             |    |    |--R. indentata G59
             |    |    |    |--R. i. indentata B63
             |    |    |    `--R. i. paucilirata B63
             |    |    |--R. nitens J63
             |    |    `--R. rhoadsi G59
             |    |--Ventridens Binney 1863 TMT96, BP90
             |    |    |--V. acerra (Lewis 1875) TMT96
             |    |    |--V. demissus H68
             |    |    |    |--V. d. demissus B63
             |    |    |    `--V. d. brittsi B63
             |    |    |--V. gularis H68
             |    |    |--V. intertextus H68
             |    |    |--V. lens (Gabb 1864) TTE93
             |    |    |--V. ligerus H68
             |    |    `--V. suppressus [=Zonitoides (Ventridens) suppressus] BP90
             |    |--Paravitrea BP90
             |    |--Striatura Morse 1864 BP90
             |    |    |--S. exigua BP90
             |    |    |--S. ferrea BP90
             |    |    |--S. meridionalis B63
             |    |    `--S. millium PF15
             |    |         |--S. m. millium PF15
             |    |         `--S. m. meridionalis PF15
             |    `--Glyphyalinia BP90
             `--Helicarionoidea H00

*Allenoconcha basispiralis Preston 1913 [incl. A. belli Preston 1913, A. congener Preston 1913, A. mathewsi Preston 1913, A. monspittensis Preston 1913, A. perdepressa Preston 1913, A. royana Preston 1913] SS10

Fanulena Iredale 1945 [incl. Dolapex Iredale 1945, Lutilodix Iredale 1945, Parcolena Iredale 1945] SS10

*Fanulena insculpta (Pfeiffer 1846) [=Helix insculpta; incl. H. basiodon Morelet 1866, Fanulena nepeanensis Iredale 1945] SS10

*Greenwoodoconcha nux (Sykes 1900) [=Microcystis nux; incl. M. castaneocincta Sykes 1900, Greenwoodoconcha castaneocincta serica Iredale 1945, G. tomi Preston 1913] SS10

*Innesoconcha catletti (Brazier 1872) [=Helix (Microcystis) catletti; incl. Microcystis catletti major Hedley 1891, Innesoconcha catletti subconica Iredale 1944] SS10

Lehmannia nyctelia (Bourguignat 1861) [=Limax nyctelius; incl. Li. legrandi Tate 1881] RAS75

Limacus flavus (Linnaeus 1758) SS10 [=Limax flavus SS10, Lehmannia (Limacus) flava RAS75; incl. Limax bicolor Selenka 1865 SS10, *Limacus breckworthianus Lehmann 1864 SS10, Limacella concava G40, Limax megalodontes Quoy & Gaimard 1824 SS10, Limax olivaceus Gould 1852 SS10]

Mathewsoconcha suteri (Sykes 1900) [incl. M. albocincta Preston 1913, *M. belli Preston 1913, Belloconcha compacta Preston 1913, B. norfolkensis Preston 1913] SS10

*Roybellia platysoma (Sykes 1900) [=Trochononanina platystoma; incl. R. depressa Preston 1913] SS10

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BR05] Bouchet, P., & J.-P. Rocroi. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia 47 (1–2): 1–397.

[BR17] Bouchet, P., J.-P. Rocroi, B. Hausdorf, A. Kaim, Y. Kano, A. Nützel, P. Parkhaev, M. Schrödl & E. E. Strong. 2017. Revised classification, nomenclator and typification of gastropod and monoplacophoran families. Malacologia 61 (1–2): 1–526.

[B63] Branson, B. A. 1963. Notes on snail distribution and leech feeding habits in Oklahoma. Nautilus 76 (4): 148–149.

[BP90] Burch, J. B., & T. A. Pearce. 1990. Terrestrial Gastropoda. In: Dindal, D. L. (ed.) Soil Biology Guide pp. 201–309. John Wiley & Sones: New York.

[D63] Dimelow, E. J. 1963. Mollusks from hardwoods of the Chigneto Isthmus. Nautilus 77 (1): 21–23.

[FGN07] Fontaine, B., O. Gargominy & E. Neubert. 2007. Land snail diversity of the savanna/forest mosaic in Lopé National Park, Gabon. Malacologia 49 (2): 313–338.

[G79] Gibbons, J. S. 1879. Notes on the habits and distribution, &c., of certain W. Indian Pulmonifera. Journal of Conchology 2: 129–134.

[G40] Gray, J. E. 1840. A Manual of the Land and Fresh-water Shells of the British Islands, with figures of each of the kinds. By William Turton, M.D. A new edition, thoroughly revised and much enlarged. Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans: London.

[G59] Grimm, W. 1959. Land snails of Carroll County, Maryland. Nautilus 72 (4): 122–127.

[H00] Hausdorf, B. 2000. Biogeography of the Limacoidea sensu lato (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora): vicariance events and long-distance dispersal. Journal of Biogeography 27: 379–390.

[HM07] Honek, A., & Z. Martinkova. 2007. A field method for quantifying the grazing activity of slugs, with particular reference to Arion lusitanicus (Mollusca). Malacologia 49 (2): 273–281.

[H68] Hubricht, L. 1968. The land snails of Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. Nautilus 82 (1): 24–28.

[J63] Jánossy, D. 1963. Letztinterglaziale Vertebraten-Fauna aus der Kálmán Lambrecht-Höhle (Bükk-Gebirge, nordost-Ungarn) I. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 9 (3–4): 293–331.

[PB27] Pilsbry, H. A., & J. Bequaert. 1927. The aquatic mollusks of the Belgian Congo, with a geographical and ecological account of Congo malacology. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 53 (2): 69–602, pls 10–77.

[PF15] Pilsbry, H. A., & J. H. Ferriss. 1915. Mollusca of the southwestern states, VII: the Dragoon, Mule, Santa Rita, Baboquivari, and Tucson Ranges, Arizona. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 67 (2): 363–418, pls 8–15.

[P61] Powell, A. W. B. 1961. Shells of New Zealand: An illustrated handbook 4^th ed. Whitcombe and Tombs Limited: Christchurch.

[RAS75] Regteren Altena, C. O. van, & B. J. Smith. 1975. Notes on introduced slugs of the families Limacidae and Milacidae in Australia, with two new records. J. Malac. Soc. Aust. 3 (2): 63–80.

[R64] Ross, L. T. 1964. The land mollusks of Siesta Key, Sarasota County, Florida. Nautilus 78 (2): 50–52.

[R65] Ross, L. T. 1965. Two new land mollusk records from Florida. Nautilus 79 (2): 70–71.

[R66] Ross, L. T. 1966. Lehmannia in Massachusetts. Nautilus 80 (2): 71–72.

[S88] Solem, A. 1988. Non-camaenid land snails of the Kimberley and Northern Territory, Australia. I. Systematics, affinities and ranges. Invertebrate Taxonomy 4: 455–604.

[SS10] Stanisic, J., M. Shea, D. Potter & O. Griffiths. 2010. Australian Land Snails vol. 1. A. field guide to eastern Australian species. Bioculture Press: Mauritius.

[TMT96] Tillier, S., M. Masselot & A. Tillier. 1996. Phylogenetic relationships of the pulmonate gastropods from rRNA sequences, and tempo and age of the stylommatophoran radiation. In: Taylor, J. D. (ed.) Origin and Evolutionary Radiation of the Mollusca pp. 267–284. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

[TTE93] Tracey, S., J. A. Todd & D. H. Erwin. 1993. Mollusca: Gastropoda. In: Benton, M. J. (ed.) The Fossil Record 2 pp. 131–167. Chapman & Hall: London.

[V09] Verdcourt, B. (ed.) 2009. Additions to the wild fauna and flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. XXVI. Miscellaneous records. Kew Bulletin 64 (1): 183–194.

Last updated: 15 August 2021.