A new giant keelback slug of the genus Limax from the Balkans, described by citizen scientists

Menno Schilthuizen; Cameron Graham Thompson; Rick de Vries; Anthonie D P van Peursen; Marta Paterno; Simone Maestri; Luca Marcolongo; Chiara Degli Esposti; Massimo Delledonne; Iva Njunjić

doi:10.3897/BDJ.10.e69685

A new giant keelback slug of the genus Limax from the Balkans, described by citizen scientists

Biodivers Data J. 2022 Jun 20:10:e69685. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.10.e69685. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Menno Schilthuizen^{1

2}, Cameron Graham Thompson^{1

3}, Rick de Vries^{1

4}, Anthonie D P van Peursen^{1

2}, Marta Paterno^{1

5

6}, Simone Maestri^{1

5}, Luca Marcolongo^{1

5}, Chiara Degli Esposti^{1

5}, Massimo Delledonne^{1

5}, Iva Njunjić^{1

7

2}

Affiliations

¹ Taxon Expeditions B.V., Leiden, Netherlands Taxon Expeditions B.V. Leiden Netherlands.
² Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden Netherlands.
³ Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University Oxford United Kingdom.
⁴ Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam Netherlands.
⁵ University of Verona, Verona, Italy University of Verona Verona Italy.
⁶ Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno Baronissi Italy.
⁷ MNHN, Paris, France MNHN Paris France.

Abstract

Background: Despite their large size, striking colouration and genital extravagance, the taxonomy of the European giant keelback slugs of the genus Limax is still poorly understood. Preliminary morphological and molecular data suggest that many unnamed or unrecognised species exist, especially in the Alps, the Mediterranean and the Balkans.

New information: We organised a citizen science expedition to Durmitor National Park in Montenegro and discovered a new species, genetically distinct, but morphologically similar to the sympatric L.cinereoniger Wolf 1803 and describe it as L.pseudocinereoniger.

Keywords: Limacidae; The Balkans; genitalia; malacology; slugs; taxonomy.

Menno Schilthuizen, Cameron Graham Thompson, Rick de Vries, Anthonie D. P. van Peursen, Marta Paterno, Simone Maestri, Luca Marcolongo, Chiara Degli Esposti, Massimo Delledonne, Iva Njunjić.