Prophysaon
Encyclopedia
Prophysaon, common name
taildropper slugs, is a genus
of air-breathing land slug
s, terrestrial
pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Arionidae
, the roundback slugs.
These slugs can self-amputate (autotomy
) a portion of their tail. This autotomy has been observed in the species Prophysaon andersoni.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
taildropper slugs, 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 Arionidae
Arionidae
Arionidae, common name the "roundback slugs" or "round back slugs" are a taxonomic family of air-breathing land slugs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Arionoidea.- Distribution :...
, the roundback slugs.
These slugs can self-amputate (autotomy
Autotomy
Autotomy or self amputation is the act whereby an animal severs one or more of its own appendages, usually as a self-defense mechanism designed to elude a predator's grasp...
) a portion of their tail. This autotomy has been observed in the species Prophysaon andersoni.
Species
Species in the genus Prophysaon include 10 species (9 according to Turgeon et al. 1998 and one new):- Prophysaon andersoni (J. G. Cooper, 1872) - Reticulate Taildropper, Anderson's Taildropper Slug
- Prophysaon boreale Pilsbry, 1948 - Northern Taildropper
- Prophysaon coeruleum Cockerell, 1890 - Blue-Gray Taildropper
- Prophysaon dubium Cockerell, 1890 - Papillose Taildropper
- Prophysaon fasciatum Cockerell in W. G. Binney - Banded Taildropper
- Prophysaon foliolatum (GouldAugustus Addison GouldAugustus Addison Gould was an American conchologist and malacologist.-Biography:...
, 1851) - Yellow-bordered Taildropper - Prophysaon humile Cockerell, 1890 - Smoky Taildropper
- Prophysaon obscurum (Cockerell, 1890) - Mottled Taildropper
- Prophysaon vanattae Pilsbry, 1948 - Scarlet-backed Taildropper
- Prophysaon vanattae var. pardalis
- Prophysaon undescribed species from Siskiyou County, CaliforniaSiskiyou County, CaliforniaSiskiyou County is a county located in the far northernmost part of the U.S. state of California, in the Shasta Cascade region on the Oregon border. Yreka is the county seat. Because of its substantial natural beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Gold Rush era history, it is an important...
from year 2006.
External links
- information about Prophysaon andersoni: http://www.livinglandscapes.bc.ca/cbasin/molluscs/arionidae.html
- Wilke T. & Duncan N. 2004. Phylogeographical patterns in the American Pacific Northwest: lessons from the arionid slug Prophysaon coeruleum. Molecular Ecology, volume 13, issue 8, pages 2303-2315.
- Prophysaon sp. 1 A Terrestrial Slug. NatureServeNatureServeNatureServe is a non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to provide the scientific basis for effective conservation action. NatureServe and its network of natural heritage programs are the leading source for information about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems in...
Explorer.