Tandonia rustica is a species of air-breathing, keeled, land slug, a shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc in the family Milacidae.
70 mm.- 100 mm. long whitish In colour creamy or reddish to yellowish grey with numerous black dots . The mantle is 40% of body length (preserved specimens) . The mantle is granular with a deep but not conspicuous horseshoe-shaped groove with black streaks. The breathing pore has a pale rim. The keel is yellowish to white. The sole is cream.
The penis and epiphallus form a single long cylindrical organ: penis with a swelling anteriorly, inside with a richly ornamented papilla, epiphallus obviously longer than penis. ,The vas deferens opens symmetrically, the spermatheca is elongate with a sharp pointed end, its duct slightly shorter and with a swelling half-way. The vagina is not much wider than the oviduct, accessory glands are compact duct-like canals, surrounding and opening to the anterior end of the vagina, The atrium is short.(Francisco Welter Schultes)
This is a keeled slug.
This slug is native to Europe.
This species has not yet become established in the USA, but it 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.[3]
Deciduous and mixed forests on mountain slopes with limestone rock rubble, also in open habitats on calcareous soils.
Tandonia rustica is a species of air-breathing, keeled, land slug, a shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc in the family Milacidae.
