Limax is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of 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...

s, terrestrial

Terrestrial animal

Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...

 pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Limacidae

Limacidae

Limacidae, common name the keelback slugs, are a taxonomic family of medium-sized to very large, air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Limacoidea.- Distribution :...

.

The generic name Limax literally means "slug".

Some species within this genus are considered to be pests when they inhabit gardens, as they can damage plants by feeding on the tender foliage.

The genus Limax sensu stricto is probably monophyletic.

Distribution

This genus is native to Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, but at least one species (L. maximus) has been introduced into North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

.

Species

The genus Limax includes at least 33 species:

• Limax aeolianus Giusti, 1973
• Limax albipes Dumont & Mortillet, 1853
• Limax bielzii Seibert, 1873
• Limax brandstetteri Falkner, 2008
• Limax canapicianus Pollonera, 1885
• Limax cephalonicus Simroth, 1886
• Limax ciminensis Pollonera, 1890
• Limax cinereoniger
  Limax cinereoniger
  Limax cinereoniger is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae, the keelback slugs.-Description:Rarely this slug can grow up to 30 cm long...
  
  Wolf, 1803 - synonym: Limax alpinus Férussac, 1822
• Limax conemenosi Böttger, 1882
• Limax corsicus Moquin-Tandon, 1855
• Limax dacampi
  Limax dacampi
  Limax dacampi is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae, the keelback slugs.This species is known to occur in the northern Italian mainland and in southern Switzerland.-External links:...
  
  Menegazzi, 1854
• Limax dobrogicus Grossu & Lupu, 1960
• Limax erythrus Bourguignat, 1864
• Limax gerhardti Niethammer, 1937
• Limax graecus Simroth, 1889
• Limax granosus Bérenguier, 1900
• Limax hemmeni Rähle, 1983
• Limax ianninii Giusti, 1973
• Limax lachensis Bérenguier, 1900
• Limax maximus Linnaeus, 1758 - Great Grey Slug
• Limax millipunctatus Pini, 1885
• Limax pironae Pini, 1876
• Limax polipunctatus Pollonera, 1888
• Limax punctulatus Sordelli, 1871
• Limax redii Gerhardt, 1933
• Limax sarnensis Heim & Nitz, 2009
• Limax squamosus Bérenguier, 1900
• Limax subalpinus Lessona, 1880
• Limax veronensis Lessona & Pollonera, 1882
• Limax wohlberedti Simroth, 1900
• Limax zilchi Grossu & Lupu, 1960

Subgenus Limacus

• Limax ecarinatus Boettger, 1881
• Limax flavus Linnaeus, 1758 Yellow Garden Slug

Synonyms

• Limax marginatus Müller, 1774 is a synonym for Lehmannia marginata
  Lehmannia marginata
  Lehmannia marginata is species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae. Sometimes classified in the genus Limax, the species is distinct in its ecology, and its nearly transparent body. It is a medium-sized species, rarely exceeding 12 cm in...
  
  (Müller, 1774)
• Limax nyctelius Bourguignat, 1861 is a synonym for Lehmannia nyctelia
  Lehmannia nyctelia
  Lehmannia nyctelia is a species of air-breathing land slug, a shell-less pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae.-Distribution:This species is known to occur in a number of countries and islands including:...
  
  (Bourguignat, 1861)
• Limax valentianus Férussac, 1822 is a synonym for Lehmannia valentiana
  Lehmannia valentiana
  Lehmannia valentiana is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae.- Distribution :This species is known to occur in a number of countries and islands including:...
  
  (Férussac, 1822)