Limax is a genus of air-breathing land slugs in the terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk family Limacidae.

Limax
Limax maximus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Stylommatophora
Family: Limacidae
Subfamily: Limacinae
Genus: Limax
Linnaeus, 1758[1]
Species

at least 33, see text

Synonyms
List
    • Chromolimax Pini, 1877
    • Eulimax Moquin-Tandon, 1855
    • Gestroa Pini, 1877
    • Heynemannia Malm, 1868
    • Limacella Brard, 1815
    • Limax (Brachylimax) Falkner & Niederhöfer, 2008· accepted, alternate representation
    • Limax (Eulimax) Moquin-Tandon, 1855
    • Limax (Heinemannia) Malm, 1868 (junior objective synonym; incorrect subsequent spelling)
    • Limax (Heynemannia) Malm, 1868 (junior objective synonym)
    • Limax (Limax) Linnaeus, 1758· accepted, alternate representation
    • Macroheynemannia Simroth, 1888
    • Opilolimax Pini, 1877
    • Prolimax Simroth, 1906
    • Stabilea Pini, 1877
Limax cinereoniger

The generic name Limax literally means "slug".

Limax dacampi

Some species, such as the leopard slug (L. maximus) and the tawny garden slug (Limacus flavus), are beneficial for the garden.[2]

The genus Limax sensu stricto is probably monophyletic.[3]

Distribution

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This genus is native to Europe, but at least one species (L. maximus) has been introduced into North America.

Species

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The genus Limax includes at least 33 species:[4]

Subgenus Limacus (more often today treated as its own genus)

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  • Limax ecarinatus Boettger, 1881: synonym of Limacus maculatus (Kaleniczenko, 1851)
  • Limax flavus Linnaeus, 1758 yellow garden slug, tawny garden slug: synonym of Limacus flavus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms

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References

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  1. ^ Linnaeus C. 1758. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. pp. [1-4], 1-824. Holmiae. (Salvius).
  2. ^ Woman, Bug (2020-12-06). "London Natural History Society Talk – 'Slimy, Sticky and Unloved – Slugs in London' by Imogen Cavadino". Bug Woman - Adventures in London. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  3. ^ Klee, B. 2006 Towards a phylogeny of Limax (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora). Archived 2008-11-21 at the Wayback Machine The Malacologist. Molluscan Forum 2006.
  4. ^ Species in genus Limax. AnimalBase. Accessed 5 May 2009.
  5. ^ Falkner, G. (2008). Limax (Limax) brandstetteri n. sp. – ein neuer Hochgebirgsschnegel aus den Abruzzen (Gastropoda: Limacidae). Limax (Limax) brandstetteri n. sp. – a new high mountain slug from the Abruzzi Mountains (Gastropoda: Limacidae). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde A, Neue Serie. 1: 133-142.
  6. ^ a b Nitz, B., et al. (2009). Towards a new standard in slug species descriptions: the case of Limax sarnensis Heim & Nitz n. sp. (Pulmonata: Limacidae) from the Western Central Alps. Journal of Molluscan Studies 75(3): 279-294. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyp030.
  7. ^ Hutchinson, John M.C.; Reise, Heike; Schlitt, Bettina (30 June 2022). "Will the real Limax nyctelius please step forward: Lehmannia, Ambigolimax, or Malacolimax? No, Letourneuxia!". Archiv für Molluskenkunde. 151 (1): 19–41. doi:10.1127/arch.moll/151/019-041. S2CID 250188836.