| Philomycus virginicus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Philomycidae |
| Genus: | Philomycus |
| Species: | P. virginicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Philomycus virginicus Hubricht, 1953 | |
Philomycus virginicus, common name Virginia mantleslug, is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Philomycidae.
Description and anatomy
editThese slugs are large at 50-100mm long, and their mantle covers the entire upper side of their bodies. They create and use love darts as part of their mating behavior.[2]
Ecology
editRange
editThese slugs are distributed from Virginia to Tennessee and west to Eastern Kentucky. In Virginia they are found from the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Ridge and Valley.[2] This slug is rated vulnerable by NatureServe in Virginia, Imperiled in Tennessee and West Virginia, and Critically Imperiled in North Carolina
References
edit- ^ NatureServe. "Philomycus virginicus". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
- ^ a b "Philomycus virginicus". carnegiemnh.org. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
