Testacella

Testacella is genus of small to medium-large, predatory, air-breathing, land slugs.
They are terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Testacellidae, the shelled slugs. They are not often seen because they live underground.
Testacella is the only genus in the family, in other words it is a monotypic family. Testacella is the type genus of the family Testacellidae.

Distribution

Species within this genus of slugs live in north Africa, southern and western Europe, and Britain.

Species

Species within the genus Testacella include:

Subgenus Testacella Draparnaud, 1801
Subgenus Testacelloides A. J. Wagner, 1914
† Testacella asinium Serres, 1827 Testacella bisulcata Risso, 1826Testacella bracciai Nardi & Bodon, 2011
† Testacella bruntoniana Serres, 1851
† Testacella deshayesii Michaud, 1855 Testacella fischeriana Bourguignat, 1862Testacella gestroi Issel, 1873Testacella haliotidea Lamarck, 1801 - the shelled slug, the type species of the genus
† Testacella lartetii Dupuy, 1850 Testacella maugei Férussac, 1819
† Testacella pedemontana Sacco, 1886
† Testacella pontileviensis de Morgan, 1920
† Testacella puisseguri Schlickum, 1967 Testacella riedeli Giusti, Manganelli & Schembri, 1995
† Testacella sandbergeri Wenz, 1914
† Testacella schuetti Schlickum, 1967 Testacella scutulum Sowerby I, 1821
† Testacella zellii Klein, 1853

;Nomen dubium:Testacella antillarum Grateloup, 1855
;Synonyms:Testacella anomala Torres Minquez, 1924: synonym of Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801Testacella barcinonensis Pollonera, 1888: synonym of Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801Testacella catalonica Pollonera, 1888: synonym of Testacella scutulum G. B. Sowerby I, 1821 Testacella dikrangensis Godwin-Austen, 1876: synonym of Girasia dikrangensis Testacella dubia Pollonera, 1888: synonym of Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801Testacella esserana Fagot, 1892: synonym of Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801Testacella europaea de Roissy, 1805: synonym of Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801Testacella galliae Oken, 1816: synonym of Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801Testacella guadeloupensis Lesson, 1838: synonym of Omalonyx unguis

† Testacella larteti Dupuy, 1850 : synonym of † Testacella lartetii Dupuy, 1850 Testacella matheronii Potiez & Michaud, 1838: synonym of Omalonyx unguis Testacella subtrigona Pollonera, 1888: synonym of Testacella haliotidea Draparnaud, 1801Testacella vagans F. W. Hutton, 1882: synonym of Testacella maugei Férussac, 1819

Description

These slugs have a very small, ear-shaped shell, which is situated far back on their bodies.
In the family Testacellidae, the number of haploid chromosomes lies between 31 and 35.

Habitat

These slugs are rarely observed, but they tend to live in gardens and farms where there is rich soil and a lot of earthworms.

Life habits

These slugs live underground and hunt earthworms. They are usually only seen when they are forced up to the surface because the soil has become completely saturated with rain.