Bielzia coerulans, commonly known as the Carpathian blue slug or simply the blue slug, is a species of very large land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod in the family Limacidae, the keelback slugs.
| Bielzia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Bielzia coerulans | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Stylommatophora |
| Family: | Limacidae |
| Genus: | Bielzia Clessin, 1887[1] |
| Species: | B. coerulans |
| Binomial name | |
| Bielzia coerulans M. Bielz, 1851[2] | |
 | |
| Range of B. coerulans Extant, resident | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
Taxonomy
Bielzia coerulans was discovered in 1847 and described under the name Limax coerulans by Austrian-Hungarian malacologist, Michael Bielz (1787-1866), in 1851. (His son Eduard Albert Bielz was also a malacologist.)
Bielzia coerulans is the only species in the genus Bielzia.[4]
Some authors, for example Russian malacologists,[3] classify genus Bielzia as the only genus (monotypic) within the separate family, Limacopsidae.[3][5] There is also a separate subfamily, Bielziinae, for genus Bielzia (I. M. Likharev & Wiktor, 1980).
According to the taxonomy of Bouchet & Rocroi (2005), Limacopsidae and Bielziinae are synonyms for Limacinae.[6]
Distribution
This species is endemic to the Carpathian Mountains in Central and Eastern Europe.
The type locality of Bielzia coerulans is South Carpathians in Romania.[3]
- Czech Republic - in Moravia only, vulnerable (VU) in Moravia[7][8]
- Southern Poland[4]
- Slovakia[9]
- Ukraine[3]
- Romania[3]
- Hungary
- Germany (presumed introduction in Westerwald, Rhineland-Palatinate, discovered 2012)[10]
Description
This slug turns blue when an adult and becomes 100 – 140 mm in length.[11] It is evenly blue or bluish green (occasionally black) with a dark greyish head and tentacles, and margins pale yellowish, sole pale yellowish or whitish.[11]
Juveniles are yellowish brown with dark lateral bands.[11]
Reproductive system: Genitalia are without penis.[11] There is only an accessory organ for copulation.[11]
Ecology
Bielzia coerulans inhabits deciduous and coniferous forests in mountains, usually at the bottom, or under dead wood logs.[11]
Maturity is in June to July.[11] Copulation occurs at the soil.[11] There are 30-80 eggs laid in one clutch.[11] Adults die after egg deposition.[11] Half grown juveniles hibernate.[11] Fully grown slugs appear in May.[11]
References
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