Khostalestes kochetkovi is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of predatory air-breathing land slug

Slug

Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...

. It is a shell-less pulmonate gastropod mollusc in the family Trigonochlamydidae.

Khostalestes kochetkovi is the only species in the genus Khostalestes.

The generic name Khostalestes is composed of the name of the settlement Khosta, which is its type locality, along with the suffix -lestes, which means "robber".

Distribution

The known distribution of Khostalestes kochetkovi includes only its type locality.

The type locality of Khostalestes kochetkovi is the wood near Khosta settlement in the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve, Krasnodar Krai

Krasnodar Krai

-External links:* **...

, Russia, Northwestern Caucasus

Caucasus

The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...

.

Description

The tail of the slug is pointed and has a keel. The mantle

Mantle (mollusc)

The mantle is a significant part of the anatomy of molluscs: it is the dorsal body wall which covers the visceral mass and usually protrudes in the form of flaps well beyond the visceral mass itself.In many, but by no means all, species of molluscs, the epidermis of the mantle secretes...

 covers the first one third of the body. The pneumostome

Pneumostome

The pneumostome is a feature of the external body anatomy of an air-breathing land slug or land snail. It is a part of the respiratory system of gastropods....

 is in the posterior part of the mantle.

Ecology

Khostalestes kochetkovi inhabits deciduous subtropical forest with yew

Taxus baccata

Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...

 and with box tree

Box Tree

Box Tree is a restaurant located in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, England. , the restaurant holds one star in the Michelin Guide.- External links :*...

s and can be found under stones.