Biology:Veronicella cubensis

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Short description: Species of gastropod


Veronicella cubensis
Veronicella cubensis.png
A live individual of Veronicella cubensis
NE[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Class:
(unranked):
Superfamily:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
V. cubensis
Binomial name
Veronicella cubensis
(L. Pfeiffer, 1840)
Synonyms[2]
  • Onchidium sp. Pfeiffer, 1839
  • Onchidium cubense Pfeiffer, 1840
  • Vaginulus cubensis Pfeiffer

Veronicella cubensis, common name the Cuban slug, is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Veronicellidae, the leatherleaf slugs.

Distribution

This species occurs in countries and areas including:

  • Cuba[2]
  • Introduced in California[3]
  • Introduced in Dominica[4]

This species is already established in the USA, and is considered to represent a potentially serious threat as a pest, an invasive species which could negatively affect agriculture, natural ecosystems, human health or commerce. Therefore it has been suggested that this species be given top national quarantine significance in the USA.[5]

References

  1. IUCN (2007). 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 7 August 2008.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Maceira D. F. (2003). "Las especies de la familia Veronicellidae (Mollusca, Soleolifera) en Cuba". Revista de Biología Tropical 51(3): 453-461. PDF.
  3. Mc Donnell et al. (2008). "A record of the invasive slug Veronicella cubensis (Pfeiffer, 1840) in California".
  4. Robinson D. G., Hovestadt A., Fields A. & Breure A. S. H. (July 2009). "The land Mollusca of Dominica (Lesser Antilles), with notes on some enigmatic or rare species". Zoologische Mededelingen 83 http://www.zoologischemededelingen.nl/83/nr03/a13
  5. Cowie R. H., Dillon R. T., Robinson D. G. & Smith J. W. (2009). "Alien non-marine snails and slugs of priority quarantine importance in the United States: A preliminary risk assessment". American Malacological Bulletin 27: 113-132. PDF .
 Wikidata ☰ Q12072088 entry