Tandonia kusceri | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
Order: | Stylommatophora |
Family: | Milacidae |
Genus: | Tandonia |
Species: | T. kusceri
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Binomial name | |
Tandonia kusceri (H. Wagner
, 1931) | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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Tandonia kusceri is a species of slug belonging to the family Milacidae.[1][2][3]
Tandonia kusceri has the long keel continuing up to the mantle that is typical of the Milacidae and is pale pinky brown, usually with small black spots. It is thus liable to be confused with its close relative[4] Tandonia rustica, requiring dissection for reliable distinction. Tandonia kusceri is distinct from this and other Tandonia species in having a very long epiphallus, five or more times as long as the penis.[5] Another externally similar species is Tandonia serbica; it has been questioned whether it is truly distinct from T. kusceri.[6] Length of crawling individuals up to 100 mm.[6] Specimens preserved in alcohol lose the pink colouration.[6]
The species is believed to be native to parts of the Balkans (Bulgaria, the European part of Turkey, northern Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia) and eastern Romania.[5] It has been introduced more widely: