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Chlamydephoridae

Chlamydephorus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata
clade Eupulmonata
clade Stylommatophora
informal group Sigmurethra

Superfamily: Rhytidoidea
Family: Chlamydephoridae
Cockerell, 1935
Genus: Chlamydephorus
Binney, 1879
Diversity
10 species
Synonyms

Aperidae Möllendorff, 1903
Apera Heynemann, 1885


clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata
clade Eupulmonata
clade Stylommatophora
informal group Sigmurethra

Aperidae Möllendorff, 1903
Apera Heynemann, 1885

Chlamydephorus is a genus of air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Chlamydephoridae. It is the only genus within the family Chlamydephoridae.

The family Chlamydephoridae has no subfamilies and it is placed in the superfamily Rhytidoidea.

Chlamydephorus is the type genus of the family Chlamydephoridae.

Species within the genus Chlamydephorus include:

Species of Chlamydephorus occur across southern Africa; they are most commonly found in the Natal region of South Africa.

Chlamydephorus slugs have an internal vestigial shell. The pallial organs are located at the posterior end of the elongated body and embedded under the dorsal integument. The elongation of the buccal mass varies greatly among the different species of the family and this is reflected in the size of the radula and the number of teeth. In all species the jaw is absent.The largest specimens of these slugs are up to 120 mm long.

These slugs are believed to be mostly subterranean dwellers. Gut analysis of one species found both plant and animal matter, indicating that they are facultative predators who will also eat vegetation. They have been recorded as eating pill millipedes of the genus Sphaerotherium, snails, other arthropods and soft-bodied invertebrates such as earthworms. The prey is subdued by injecting a toxin into its flesh.


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Wikipedia

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