Semi-slug
Semi-slugs, also spelled semislugs, are land gastropods whose shells are too small for them to retract into, but not quite vestigial. The shell of some semi-slugs may not be easily visible on casual inspection, because the shell may be covered over with the mantle.
This is a type of gastropod that is intermediate between a slug and a land snail.
There exist a number of gastropod families that have semi-slug species. There exist about 1,000 species of semi-slugs in comparison to about only 500 species of slugs.
Examples
Semi-slugs have a worldwide distribution and have evolved in several families; genera include:- Palearctic and Nearctic
- * family Parmacellidae: Cryptella
- * family Vitrinidae: Eucobresia, Semilimax, Vitrina, Vitrinobrachium
- Asia - Pacific
- * family Ariophantidae: Parmarion, Ratnadvipia, Varadia
- * family Helicarionidae: Attenborougharion, Helicarion, Howearion, Ibycus, Parmellops, Ubiquitarion
- * Semi-slugs also exist but are exceptional in the Camaenidae.
- Neotropics
- * family Amphibulimidae: Amphibulima, Gaeotis
- * family Xanthonychidae: Cryptostrakon, Semiconchula, ''Xanthonyx
- * family Pleurodontidae: Coloniconcha prima
- Tropical Africa
- * family Urocyclidae: Gymnarion''