Testacella is genus of small to medium-large, predatory, air-breathing, land slugs. They are terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the family Testacellidae, the shelled slugs. They are not often seen because they live underground. Testacella is the only genus in the family, in other words it is a monotypic family. Testacella is the type genus of the family Testacellidae.

Distribution

Species within this genus of slugs live in north Africa, southern and western Europe, and Britain.

Species

Species within the genus Testacella include:

Description

These slugs have a very small, ear-shaped shell, which is situated far back on their bodies. In the family Testacellidae, the number of haploid chromosomes lies between 31 and 35 (according to the values in this table).

Habitat

These slugs are rarely observed, but they tend to live in gardens and farms where there is rich soil and a lot of earthworms.

Life habits

These slugs live underground and hunt earthworms. They are usually only seen when they are forced up to the surface because the soil has become completely saturated with rain.

[Drawing from 1896 showing the three species of Testacella found in Great Britain

1 - Testacella haliotidea 2 - Testacella scutulum 3 - Testacella maugei | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Testacella.jpg]