treatments-xml/data/4E/82/F6/4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F.xml

<document ID-DOI="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495" ID-Pensoft-Pub="1314-2828-10-e85495" ID-Pensoft-UUID="66CCC6EAD17E5D6EA809D65F2D1970D1" ModsDocID="1314-2828-10-e85495" checkinTime="1665870508485" checkinUser="pensoft" docAuthor="Ali, Reham Fathey, Robinson, David G &amp; Liberto, Fabio" docDate="2022" docId="4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F" docLanguage="en" docName="BiodivDatJour 10: e85495" docOrigin="Biodiversity Data Journal 10" docPubDate="2022-10-07" docSource="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495" docTitle="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" docType="treatment" docVersion="1" id="66CCC6EAD17E5D6EA809D65F2D1970D1" lastPageNumber="85495" masterDocId="66CCC6EAD17E5D6EA809D65F2D1970D1" masterDocTitle="Morphological description of Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) (Pulmonata, Veronicellidae) from Egypt" masterLastPageNumber="85495" masterPageNumber="85495" pageNumber="85495" updateTime="1665870508485" updateUser="pensoft">
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<mods:title>Morphological description of Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) (Pulmonata, Veronicellidae) from Egypt</mods:title>
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<mods:name type="personal">
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<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
</mods:role>
<mods:namePart>Ali, Reham Fathey</mods:namePart>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="ORCID">https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3368-8107</mods:nameIdentifier>
<mods:affiliation>Faculty of Organic Agriculture, Heliopolis University, Cairo, Egypt &amp; Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt</mods:affiliation>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="email">reham.ali@agr.cu.edu.eg</mods:nameIdentifier>
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<mods:name type="personal">
<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
</mods:role>
<mods:namePart>Robinson, David G</mods:namePart>
<mods:affiliation>USDA APHIS PPQ National Malacology Laboratory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America</mods:affiliation>
</mods:name>
<mods:name type="personal">
<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
</mods:role>
<mods:namePart>Liberto, Fabio</mods:namePart>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="ORCID">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8533-0911</mods:nameIdentifier>
<mods:affiliation>Via del Giubileo Magno 93, 90015, Cefalu, Italy</mods:affiliation>
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<mods:title>Biodiversity Data Journal</mods:title>
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<mods:date>2022</mods:date>
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<mods:number>2022-10-07</mods:number>
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<mods:start>85495</mods:start>
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<mods:url>http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495</mods:url>
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<mods:identifier type="DOI">http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495</mods:identifier>
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<treatment LSID="urn:lsid:plazi:treatment:4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F" httpUri="http://treatment.plazi.org/id/4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F" lastPageNumber="85495" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="nomenclature">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName LSID="4E82F6BD-9656-5FAF-95A9-E70694DCB90F" authority="(Simroth, 1895)" baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895)</taxonomicName>
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="reference_group">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Synonymy</emphasis>
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</taxonomicName>
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Vaginula stuhlmanni</emphasis>
Simroth, 1895
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Eleutherocaulis" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Eleutherocaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Eleutherocaulis stuhlmanni</taxonomicName>
(Simroth, 1895)
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</taxonomicName>
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Vaginula schnitzleri</emphasis>
Simroth, 1895
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName authorityName="Simroth" authorityYear="1896" class="Nodosariata" family="Vaginulinidae" genus="Vaginula" kingdom="Chromista" lsidName="Vaginula aequatorialis" order="Vaginulinida" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Foraminifera" rank="species" species="aequatorialis">Vaginula aequatorialis</taxonomicName>
Simroth, 1896
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</taxonomicName>
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Vaginula brauni</emphasis>
Simroth, 1913
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni subsp. aegypti" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="subSpecies" species="stuhlmanni" subSpecies="aegypti">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti</taxonomicName>
Ali and Robinson, 2017 (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">nomen nudum</emphasis>
)
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="materials_examined">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Materials</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<materialsCitation collectingDate="2022-01-01" collectingDateMax="2022-12-31" collectingDateMin="2022-01-01" collectingMethod="collecting by hand and observation" collectionCode="USDA" collectorName="Reham Fathey Ali, Taxon, Laevicaulis, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Veronicellidae, Location, Africa, El Gezira Street, Event, Record Level, National Malacology Collection, Philadelphia, PreservedSpecimen" country="Egypt" county="Academy of Natural Sciences" location="Occurrence" municipality="El Zamalek district" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" specimenCode="USDA 144250" specimenCount="25" stateProvince="Cairo" typeStatus="Other material">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Type status:</emphasis>
<materialsCitation collectingDate="2022-01-01" collectingDateMax="2022-12-31" collectingDateMin="2022-01-01" collectingMethod="collecting by hand and observation" collectionCode="USDA" collectorName="Reham Fathey Ali, Taxon, Laevicaulis, Mollusca, Gastropoda, Veronicellidae, Location, Africa, El Gezira Street, Event, Record Level, National Malacology Collection, Philadelphia, PreservedSpecimen" country="Egypt" county="Academy of Natural Sciences" location="Occurrence" municipality="El Zamalek district" specimenCode="USDA 144250" specimenCount="25" stateProvince="Cairo" typeStatus="Other material">
<typeStatus pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Other material</typeStatus>
. 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<location LSID="urn:lsid:plazi:treatment:4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F:95DCCC217D4C4E5D84F5FC0AA917D9B4" country="Egypt" county="Academy of Natural Sciences" municipality="El Zamalek district" name="Occurrence" stateProvince="Cairo">Occurrence</location>
:
</emphasis>
catalogNumber: 
<specimenCode pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">USDA 144250</specimenCode>
; occurrenceRemarks: found on grass in 
<location LSID="urn:lsid:plazi:treatment:4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F:08FD7456F71735DF2F604D026A8128CC" country="Egypt" county="Academy of Natural Sciences" municipality="El Zamalek district" name="Marriot Hotel" stateProvince="Cairo">Marriot Hotel</location>
in 
<collectingRegion country="Egypt" name="Al Qahirah">Cairo</collectingRegion>
; recordedBy: 
<collectorName pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<location LSID="urn:lsid:plazi:treatment:4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F:70567598336C3FA2655F0B160F3B2A26" country="Egypt" county="Academy of Natural Sciences" municipality="El Zamalek district" name="Reham Fathey Ali" stateProvince="Cairo">Reham Fathey Ali</location>
</collectorName>
; individualCount: 
<specimenCount pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="generic">25</specimenCount>
; sex: 
<specimenType pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">hermaphrodite</specimenType>
; lifeStage: 
<specimenType pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">juvenile and adults</specimenType>
; preparations: whole animal (ETOH); 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<collectorName>Taxon</collectorName>
:
</emphasis>
scientificNameID: urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:1255847; scientificName: 
<collectorName>Laevicaulis</collectorName>
stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895); kingdom: 
<collectorName>Mollusca</collectorName>
; class: 
<collectorName>Gastropoda</collectorName>
; family: 
<collectorName>Veronicellidae</collectorName>
; 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<collectorName>Location</collectorName>
:
</emphasis>
continent: 
<collectorName>Africa</collectorName>
; country: 
<collectingCountry name="Egypt" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Egypt</collectingCountry>
; stateProvince: 
<collectorName>El Gezira Street</collectorName>
, on 
<location LSID="urn:lsid:plazi:treatment:4E82F6BD96565FAF95A9E70694DCB90F:5EB16BD89114320D7DAE1DA7543F8FD4" country="Egypt" county="Academy of Natural Sciences" municipality="El Zamalek district" name="Gezira Island" stateProvince="Cairo">Gezira Island</location>
, 
<collectingMunicipality>El Zamalek district</collectingMunicipality>
; county: 
<collectingCountry name="Egypt">Egypt</collectingCountry>
; 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<collectorName>Event</collectorName>
:
</emphasis>
samplingProtocol: 
<collectingMethod pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">collecting by hand and observation</collectingMethod>
; year: 2006; month: 4; day: 15; habitat: garden; eventRemarks: collecting at late hours of night in activity periods; 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<collectorName>Record Level</collectorName>
:
</emphasis>
institutionCode: USDA - USDA APHIS 
<collectorName>National Malacology Collection</collectorName>
, 
<collectingCounty>Academy of Natural Sciences</collectingCounty>
, 
<collectorName>Philadelphia</collectorName>
, Pennsylvania, USA; collectionCode: &quot;Terrestrial slugs&quot;; basisOfRecord: 
<collectorName>PreservedSpecimen</collectorName>
</materialsCitation>
</materialsCitation>
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="description">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Description</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">General description of external morphology</emphasis>
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
The slug has a dorsal-ventrally flattened body; the notum has a dark brown background, with a light longitudinal colour band running down the centre; in some specimens, it is reduced to punctation (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F7733794" captionText="Figure 1. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt; external morphology and colouration." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691877" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">1</figureCitation>
). Some specimens have a darker band on both sides of the notum, these bands being connected together on the head and in the back and could be thick or thin or as rows of dark spots (Figs 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F7733794" captionText="Figure 1. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt; external morphology and colouration." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691877" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">1</figureCitation>
, 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F7733816" captionText="Figure 2. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691880" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">2</figureCitation>
). The hyponata are uniform light brown. The head has two pairs of tentacles that are hidden under the notum, the first (lower) shorter chemotactic pair and a longer (upper) pair of ocular tentacles. The adult specimens of 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
preserved in alcohol have been measured (n = 15): mean length 44 mm (range: 36-52 mm), mean width 16 mm (range: 12-19 mm), mean foot length 38 mm (range: 23-48 mm), mean foot width 6 mm (range: 4-9 mm), mean width of right hyponota 5 mm (range: 3-7 mm), mean width of left hyponota 5 mm (range: 3-7 mm).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="diagnosis">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Diagnosis</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Genitalia description</emphasis>
:
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
The female genital pore is located on the right hyponotum, posterior to the middle of the total length and the male genital pore opens in the anterior portion just below the right ocular tentacle. The anterior male genital complex is composed of two elements, the phallus 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">sensu stricto</emphasis>
and the phallic gland, both enclosed in a muscular sheath sharing a common atrium that opens through the genital pore. The phallus is slender (Figs 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F7733888" captionText="Figure 3. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt, transverse dissecting view of the phallic sheath; the arrow points to tubule branched into two smaller tubules." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691910" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">3</figureCitation>
, 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F7733923" captionText="Figure 4. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt, phallus." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691911" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">4</figureCitation>
) and has a sub-distal annular swelling. In some specimens, the phallus is less slender, with a distal swelling, caused by the invagination of the distal part. The phallic gland is composed of a conical papilla that arises from a vase-shaped base. On the proximal part, there are a number digitiform tubules, numbering from ten to seventeen, averaging 12.5 
<normalizedToken originalValue="±">+/-</normalizedToken>
1.8 tubules. In three specimens, it was noticed that one of the tubules branched into two smaller tubules (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F7733888" captionText="Figure 3. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt, transverse dissecting view of the phallic sheath; the arrow points to tubule branched into two smaller tubules." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691910" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">3</figureCitation>
). The papilla gland is at the same level as the phallus papilla tip in some samples or distally forward (Figs 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 5" captionStartId="F7733931" captionText="Figure 5. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt, the verge with contracted distal part, the phallus gland tip is at the same level as the phallus tip." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure5" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691912" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">5</figureCitation>
, 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 6" captionStartId="F7733944" captionText="Figure 6. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt, the verge with erected distal part, the phallic gland tip is not at the same level as the phallus tip." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure6" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691913" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">6</figureCitation>
). However, in two specimens, the phallus papilla stalk was distally more forward than the gland papilla or not at the same level (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 7" captionStartId="F7733959" captionText="Figure 7. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895), transverse dissecting view of the phallic sheath; on the base of papilla, there are four to five thin lines of wrinkles." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure7" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691914" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">7</figureCitation>
). The papilla of the phallic gland is pointed conical and different in length and width relative to its base in each individual; at the base of the papilla, typically four to five thin lines of wrinkles can be seen, possibly produced by the contraction and expansion of the papilla. Some specimens have up to seven to twelve thin lines of wrinkles (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 7" captionStartId="F7733959" captionText="Figure 7. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895), transverse dissecting view of the phallic sheath; on the base of papilla, there are four to five thin lines of wrinkles." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure7" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691914" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">7</figureCitation>
). The posterior genitalia are characterised by a more or less oval hermaphroditic gonad (ovotestis) made up of rounded acini; from it arises a large convoluted hermaphroditic duct that connects to the albumen gland, the latter being conical and very large. The vas deferens can be divided into four parts: the proximal posterior vas deferens (from the fertilisation complex to the prostatic gland), the distal posterior vas deferens (from the prostate to the ligament duct), the middle vas deferens (from the ligament duct, in anterior direction inside the integument) and the anterior vas deferens (from the exit of the tegument to the phallus). The prostatic gland is dark yellow to pale coffee colour with a smooth surface; the ligament duct is a short duct that connects the middle vas deferens to the short duct of the bursa copulatrix; the bursa copulatrix is large and oval (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStartId="F7734078" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">8</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="distribution">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Distribution</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
was first collected from the indoor ornamental plants garden of a hotel located in El Gezira Street, on Gezira Island, Cairo, El Zamalek District, Cairo, Egypt (30°03 
<normalizedToken originalValue="’27.4”">'27.4&quot;</normalizedToken>
N 31°13 
<normalizedToken originalValue="’28.1”">'28.1&quot;</normalizedToken>
E). There have been subsequent unconfirmed reports from anthropochorus environments elsewhere in Egypt. The distribution map of 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</taxonomicName>
, 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Ferussac" baseAuthorityYear="1822" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis alte" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="alte">Laevicaulis alte</taxonomicName>
</emphasis>
and 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1896" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis striatus" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is illustrated in Africa (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 9" captionStartId="F7734230" captionText="Figure 9. Distribution map of Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (red dots), Laevicaulis alte (yellow triangle) and Laevicaulis striatus (green dots) in Africa." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure9" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/730688" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">9</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="biology">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Biology</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
The species 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
was reported for the first time in Egypt under the 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
nomen nudum 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni subsp. aegypti" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="subSpecies" species="stuhlmanni" subSpecies="aegypti">L. stuhlmanni aegypti</taxonomicName>
</emphasis>
(
<bibRefCitation author="Ali, R. F." journalOrPublisher="The Egyptian Journal of Experimental Biology (Zoology)" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="187 - 192" refId="B7733266" refString="Ali, R. F., 2017. The influence of overcrowding on the biology of veronicellid slug Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies record in Egypt under laboratory conditions. The Egyptian Journal of Experimental Biology (Zoology) 13 (2): 187 - 192" title="The influence of overcrowding on the biology of veronicellid slug Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies record in Egypt under laboratory conditions" volume="13" year="2017">Ali 2017a</bibRefCitation>
, 
<bibRefCitation author="Ali, R. F." journalOrPublisher="Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 11" refId="B7733275" refString="Ali, R. F., 2017. Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system. Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology 9 (2): 1 - 11" title="Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system" volume="9" year="2017">Ali 2017b</bibRefCitation>
) and the biological attributes, such as life cycle, pre-oviposition period, oviposition period, post-oviposition period, reproductive output, incubation period, generation period and life span, were documented and described.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
As in all veronicellid species, the slug is a hermaphrodite species that possessing both male and female genitalia and self-fertilisation can occur. However, mating or cross-fertilisation was not observed for this species under laboratory conditions. The reproductive season of this species starts in March, when the seasonal temperature rises and lasts until November (
<bibRefCitation author="Ali, R. F." journalOrPublisher="Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 11" refId="B7733275" refString="Ali, R. F., 2017. Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system. Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology 9 (2): 1 - 11" title="Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system" volume="9" year="2017">Ali 2017b</bibRefCitation>
). The incubation period for the eggs to hatch averaged 15 days with ranges from 10 to 19 days at a temperature of 29 to 31°C and a humidity between 52% and 64%. 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
reaches sexual maturity after an average of 86 days with ranges 53 to 115 days after hatching, depending on the surrounding conditions. Total life span averaged 155 days with ranges between 127 to 188 days. The oviposition period averaged 46 days with ranges one to 74 days; each slug can produce around five egg clutches ranging from one to twelve egg clutches/slug with an average of 47 eggs/clutch (range 10 to 120 egg/clutch) under laboratory conditions. Generation period averaged 102 days with ranges 69 to 127 days (
<bibRefCitation author="Ali, R. F." journalOrPublisher="Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 11" refId="B7733275" refString="Ali, R. F., 2017. Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system. Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology 9 (2): 1 - 11" title="Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system" volume="9" year="2017">Ali 2017b</bibRefCitation>
). This species laid multiple egg masses during its activity months. In Figs 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 10" captionStartId="F7904365" captionText="Figure 10. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt; the photos include the egg masses of this species. The eggs are joined together by a thin interconnecting thread that forming spiral-like egg mass." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure10" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691906" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">10</figureCitation>
, 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 11" captionStartId="F7904369" captionText="Figure 11. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt; the species during the egg-laying process under laboratory conditions." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure11" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691907" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">11</figureCitation>
, 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 12" captionStartId="F7904373" captionText="Figure 12. Laevicaulis stuhlmanni (Simroth, 1895) Gezira Island, Cairo, Egypt; the species deposited eggs that are darker in colour ready to hatch and covered with a distinct faecal ribbon on the top of the eggs." figureDoi="10.3897/BDJ.10.e85495.figure12" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/691908" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">12</figureCitation>
, the eggs are oval to spherical elongate shape and translucent. The eggs are joined together by a thin interconnecting thread producing a gradually spiral-like egg mass with distinct faecal pellets ribbon deposited on the top of the eggs.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="taxon discussion">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Taxon discussion</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is a native slug of Eastern and Central Africa (Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania) (
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart 1953</bibRefCitation>
). Veronicellids have been recorded throughout the tropics on a number of ornamental plants including flower beds and seedlings causing significant economic losses (
<bibRefCitation author="Robinson, D. G." journalOrPublisher="Bombay Natural History Society Journal" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 11" refId="B7904454" refString="Robinson, D. G., Hollingsworth, R. G., 2005. Survey of slug and snail pests on subsistence and garden crops in the islands of the American Pacific: Guam, andthe Northern Mariana Islands: Part I. The Leatherleaf Slugs (Family: Veronicellidae). In: United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.: 1 - 11" title="Survey of slug and snail pests on subsistence and garden crops in the islands of the American Pacific: Guam, andthe Northern Mariana Islands: Part I. The Leatherleaf Slugs (Family: Veronicellidae)." volumeTitle="United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service." year="2005">Robinson and Hollingsworth 2005</bibRefCitation>
, 
<bibRefCitation author="Gomes, S. R." journalOrPublisher="Malacologia" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 30" refId="B7733402" refString="Gomes, S. R., Robinson, D. G., Zimmerman, F. J., Obregon, O., Barr, N. B., 2013. Morphological and molecular analysis of the andean slugs Colosius confusus, n. sp., A newly recognized pest of cultivated flowers and coffee from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and Colosius pulcher (Colosi, 1921) (Gastropoda, Veronicellidae). Malacologia 56 (1-2): 1 - 30" title="Morphological and molecular analysis of the andean slugs Colosius confusus, n. sp., A newly recognized pest of cultivated flowers and coffee from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and Colosius pulcher (Colosi, 1921) (Gastropoda, Veronicellidae)" volume="56" year="2013">Gomes et al. 2013</bibRefCitation>
). It is a phytophagous species and often occurs in large numbers beneath decaying vegetation in its natural habitat; however, through this study and from other growers and 
<normalizedToken originalValue="farmers’">farmers'</normalizedToken>
observations, the species was also found in commercial plantations. 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is usually active during the night, while it is buried in the ground during the day (
<bibRefCitation author="Ali, R. F." journalOrPublisher="Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 11" refId="B7733275" refString="Ali, R. F., 2017. Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system. Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology 9 (2): 1 - 11" title="Laboratory observations of the veronicellid slug biology Laevicaulis stuhlmanni aegypti Ali &amp; Robinson, a new subspecies and record in Egyptian agro-system" volume="9" year="2017">Ali 2017b</bibRefCitation>
). It is a hermaphrodite and member of a genus that includes some widespread and invasive pests, such as 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Ferussac" baseAuthorityYear="1822" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis alte" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="alte">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis alte</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(
<bibRefCitation author="Raut, S. K." journalOrPublisher="Bombay Natural History Society Journal" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="346 - 347" refId="B7904472" refString="Raut, S. K., 1999. On the occurrence of the pestiferous slugs Laevicaulis alte in Jorthan, Sikkim. Bombay Natural History Society Journal 96 (2): 346 - 347" title="On the occurrence of the pestiferous slugs Laevicaulis alte in Jorthan, Sikkim" volume="96" year="1999">Raut 1999</bibRefCitation>
, 
<bibRefCitation author="Das, B." journalOrPublisher="Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="132 - - 134" refId="B7904463" refString="Das, B., Parida, L., 2015. Morphometric studies of the tropical leatherleaf slug Laevicaulis alte from prachi belt of Odisha. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 3: 132- - 134" title="Morphometric studies of the tropical leatherleaf slug Laevicaulis alte from prachi belt of Odisha" volume="3" year="2015">Das and Parida 2015</bibRefCitation>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" type="taxonomic remarks">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Taxonomic remarks</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
The validity of 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Simroth" authorityYear="1913" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Simroth, 1913 as the objective senior synonym of 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Simroth" authorityYear="1913" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Eleutherocaulis" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Eleutherocaulis" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Eleutherocaulis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Simroth, 1913 was recently confirmed by 
<bibRefCitation author="Sajan, Sheikh" journalOrPublisher="Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="160 - 164" refId="B7894517" refString="Sajan, Sheikh, Tripathy, Basudev, 2021. Laevicaulis Simroth, 1913 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Systellommatophora, Veronicellidae) is the valid name for a widespread genus of slugs, including the highly invasive Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822). 78: 160-164. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 78: 160 - 164" title="Laevicaulis Simroth, 1913 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Systellommatophora, Veronicellidae) is the valid name for a widespread genus of slugs, including the highly invasive Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822). 78: 160 - 164." volume="78" year="2021">Sajan and Tripathy (2021)</bibRefCitation>
. The type species, in both cases by subsequent designation, is 
<taxonomicName class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Vaginulus" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Vaginulus comorensis" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="comorensis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Vaginulus comorensis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Fischer, 1883, a junior synonym of 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Ferussac" authorityYear="1822" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Vaginulus" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Vaginulus alte" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="alte">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Vaginulus alte</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
A. 
<normalizedToken originalValue="Férussac">Ferussac</normalizedToken>
, 1822.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
The systematics of the 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Simroth" authorityYear="1913" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
species are uncertain, due to the description of several taxa in the second half of the 1800s, based only on external characters such as body colour and body measurements of the slug or on inadequate descriptions of genitalia. 
<bibRefCitation author="Simroth, H." journalOrPublisher="Sitzungsberichte der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Leipzig" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="51 - 77" refId="B7733606" refString="Simroth, H., 1895. Uber die von Herrn Dr. Stuhlmann im Innern von Ostafrika gesammelten Nacktschnecken. Sitzungsberichte der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Leipzig 19 (21): 51 - 77" title="Uber die von Herrn Dr. Stuhlmann im Innern von Ostafrika gesammelten Nacktschnecken" volume="19" year="1895">Simroth (1895)</bibRefCitation>
described a subspecies 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1912" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni subsp. atrolimbatus" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="subSpecies" species="stuhlmanni" subSpecies="atrolimbatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni atrolimbatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, but its validity is questionable.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1896" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis striatus" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
have similar female genitalia and phallic glands. However, the phallus in the two species reportedly has a different apex. In 
<bibRefCitation author="Simroth, H." journalOrPublisher="Sitzungsberichte der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Leipzig" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="51 - 77" refId="B7733606" refString="Simroth, H., 1895. Uber die von Herrn Dr. Stuhlmann im Innern von Ostafrika gesammelten Nacktschnecken. Sitzungsberichte der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft zu Leipzig 19 (21): 51 - 77" title="Uber die von Herrn Dr. Stuhlmann im Innern von Ostafrika gesammelten Nacktschnecken" volume="19" year="1895">Simroth 1895</bibRefCitation>
: 62, the original description of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
describes a cylindrical phallus, slightly tapered distally, with a flat terminal disc, in the middle of which the sperm duct opens. The descriptions and figures of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in Simroth (1896: 18, Pl. 3, figs. 6 B-C) and the synonym 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Simroth" authorityYear="1896" class="Nodosariata" family="Vaginulinidae" genus="Vaginula" kingdom="Chromista" lsidName="Vaginula aequatorialis" order="Vaginulinida" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Foraminifera" rank="species" species="aequatorialis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Vaginula aequatorialis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
) and those of Forcart L (1953: 74-76, Pl. 5, figs. 1 A-E) are consistent with the original description of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. However, part of Forcart's description of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart 1953</bibRefCitation>
: 75, Pl. 4 figs. 10 A-B) is not consistent with 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
's original description, while it fits well with 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. striatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in the same paper (
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart 1953</bibRefCitation>
). 
<bibRefCitation author="Simroth, H." journalOrPublisher="Die Thierwelt Ost-Afrika und der Nachbargebiete. Wirbellose Thiere" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 23" refId="B7733615" refString="Simroth, H., 1896. Nacktschnecken. In: Moebius, K. Deutsch-Ost-Afrika. Die Thierwelt Ost-Afrika und der Nachbargebiete. Wirbellose Thiere 4 (4): 1 - 23" title="Nacktschnecken. In: Moebius, K. Deutsch-Ost-Afrika" volume="4" year="1896">Simroth (1896)</bibRefCitation>
described the new species 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Simroth" authorityYear="1896" class="Nodosariata" family="Vaginulinidae" genus="Vaginula" kingdom="Chromista" lsidName="Vaginula striata" order="Vaginulinida" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Foraminifera" rank="species" species="striata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Vaginula striata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, based on external features of sexually immature specimens. Forcart (1953: 79-86, Pl. 5, figs. 3 A and C) reviewed 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. striatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, based on adult specimens sampled in the type locality. These specimens are characterised by the phallus with a subdistal annular swelling. The important character given for 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is that it has a phallus with a flat terminal disc, while 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. striatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
has a phallus with a subdistal annular swelling. Based on these data, 
<bibRefCitation author="Liberto, F." journalOrPublisher="Biodiversity Journal" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="325 - 334" refId="B7733527" refString="Liberto, F., Abusneina, A., Sparacio, I., 2021. New data on slugs and semi-slugs from Cyrenaica (north-eastern Libya) (Parmacellidae, Limacidae, Agriolimacidae, Veronicellidae). Biodiversity Journal 12 (2): 325 - 334" title="New data on slugs and semi-slugs from Cyrenaica (north-eastern Libya) (Parmacellidae, Limacidae, Agriolimacidae, Veronicellidae)" volume="12" year="2021">Liberto et al. (2021)</bibRefCitation>
classified the 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Simroth" authorityYear="1913" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
population from Libya as 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. striatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
However, as shown by 
<bibRefCitation author="Colosi, G." journalOrPublisher="Bollettino della Societa dei Naturalisti di Napoli" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="271 - 279" refId="B7733366" refString="Colosi, G., 1927. Nota sopra alcuni Vaginulidi. Bollettino della Societa dei Naturalisti di Napoli 39: 271 - 279" title="Nota sopra alcuni Vaginulidi" volume="39" year="1927">Colosi (1927)</bibRefCitation>
for 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Colosi" baseAuthorityYear="1927" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis somalicus" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="somalicus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis somalicus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(
<bibRefCitation author="Colosi, G." journalOrPublisher="Bollettino della Societa dei Naturalisti di Napoli" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="271 - 279" refId="B7733366" refString="Colosi, G., 1927. Nota sopra alcuni Vaginulidi. Bollettino della Societa dei Naturalisti di Napoli 39: 271 - 279" title="Nota sopra alcuni Vaginulidi" volume="39" year="1927">Colosi 1927</bibRefCitation>
) and as evidenced by 
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart (1953)</bibRefCitation>
(P1. 4, fig. 10; P1. 5, figs. 1, 3) for 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. striatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, the length of the phallus and the shape of the phallic apex are variable according to the contraction or erection of the phallus; therefore, it cannot be excluded that 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. striatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is a synonym of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
. Pending a modern taxonomic review involving a molecular analysis of the 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1895" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis stuhlmanni" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">Laevicaulis stuhlmanni</taxonomicName>
/ 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1896" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis striatus" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="striatus">Laevicaulis striatus</taxonomicName>
</emphasis>
group, the authors attribute the population examined here and the one reported from Libya (as 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Simroth" baseAuthorityYear="1896" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Eleutherocaulis" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Eleutherocaulis striatus" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Eleutherocaulis striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in 
<bibRefCitation author="Liberto, F." journalOrPublisher="Biodiversity Journal" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="325 - 334" refId="B7733527" refString="Liberto, F., Abusneina, A., Sparacio, I., 2021. New data on slugs and semi-slugs from Cyrenaica (north-eastern Libya) (Parmacellidae, Limacidae, Agriolimacidae, Veronicellidae). Biodiversity Journal 12 (2): 325 - 334" title="New data on slugs and semi-slugs from Cyrenaica (north-eastern Libya) (Parmacellidae, Limacidae, Agriolimacidae, Veronicellidae)" volume="12" year="2021">Liberto et al. (2021)</bibRefCitation>
to the senior taxon 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Simroth, 1895). The length of the phallus stalk of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
in 
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart (1953)</bibRefCitation>
(when not contracted) is similar to that measured in the population from Cairo (Egypt) i.e. one or one and a half times the length of the papilla of the phallic gland, whereas in the populations from Benghazi (Libya), it is longer, i.e. two and a half times. The 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
populations described by 
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart (1953)</bibRefCitation>
have a variable external colour: greyish, reddish, yellow, brown or blackish-brown, the sole is uniformly blackish and always much darker than the hyponota or light with blackish margin (&quot;subspecies&quot; 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">atrolimabratus</emphasis>
). 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from Egypt and Libya has an external colouration more similar to that described by 
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart (1953)</bibRefCitation>
for 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. striatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="striatus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. striatus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
: notum reddish-brown, yellow or greenish-brown unicoloured or with a median stripe, flanked on each side by two rows of irregular dark spots or stripes; hyponota and foot lighter than the notum.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">
Recently, 
<bibRefCitation author="Ali, R. F." journalOrPublisher="Zoology and Ecology" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="138 - 156" refId="B7733284" refString="Ali, R. F., Robinson, D. G., 2020. Four records of new to Egypt gastropod species including the first reported tropical leather leaf slug Laevicaulis alte (d'A. de Ferussac, 1822) (Pulmonata: Veronicellidae). Zoology and Ecology 30 (2): 138 - 156" title="Four records of new to Egypt gastropod species including the first reported tropical leather leaf slug Laevicaulis alte (d'A. de Ferussac, 1822) (Pulmonata: Veronicellidae)" volume="30" year="2020">Ali and Robinson (2020)</bibRefCitation>
and 
<bibRefCitation author="Ali, R. F." journalOrPublisher="Universal Journal of Agricultural Research" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="170 - 174" refId="B7903576" refString="Ali, R. F., Robinson, D. G., 2022. Recording the Terrestrial Slug Species Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822) (Pulmonata: Veronicellidae) in Ornamental Plants Nursery in Giza Governorate, Egypt. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research 10 (2): 170 - 174" title="Recording the Terrestrial Slug Species Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822) (Pulmonata: Veronicellidae) in Ornamental Plants Nursery in Giza Governorate, Egypt" volume="10" year="2022">Ali and Robinson (2022)</bibRefCitation>
recorded 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Ferussac" baseAuthorityYear="1822" class="Gastropoda" family="Veronicellidae" genus="Laevicaulis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Laevicaulis alte" order="Systellommatophora" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" phylum="Mollusca" rank="species" species="alte">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">Laevicaulis alte</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
from Abo Rawash, Giza, Egypt. 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. alte" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="alte">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. alte</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
is distinguished from 
<taxonomicName lsidName="L. stuhlmanni" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" rank="species" species="stuhlmanni">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495">L. stuhlmanni</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
by having a very dark notum with a pale thin well-defined white or creamy line on the dorsal surface, running the length of the body; the lighter hyponota have a creamy or grey colour; both surfaces minutely granular; the phallus with a sub-basal annular swelling (
<bibRefCitation author="Grimpe, G." journalOrPublisher="Nova Caledonia; A. Zoologie" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="337 - 476" refId="B7733412" refString="Grimpe, G., Hoffmann, H., 1925. Die Nacktschnecken von Neu-Caledonien, den Loyalty-Inseln und den Neuen Hebriden. Nova Caledonia; A. Zoologie 3 (3): 337 - 476" title="Die Nacktschnecken von Neu-Caledonien, den Loyalty-Inseln und den Neuen Hebriden" volume="3" year="1925">Grimpe and Hoffmann 1925</bibRefCitation>
, 
<bibRefCitation author="Benthem-Jutting, W. S. S. van." journalOrPublisher="Treubia" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="291 - 435" refId="B7733332" refString="Benthem-Jutting, W. S. S. van., 1952. III. Critical revision of the Javanese pulmonate land-snails of the families Ellobiidae to Limacidae, with an appendix on the Helicarionidae. Treubia 21 (2): 291 - 435" title="III. Critical revision of the Javanese pulmonate land-snails of the families Ellobiidae to Limacidae, with an appendix on the Helicarionidae" volume="21" year="1952">Benthem-Jutting 1952</bibRefCitation>
, 
<bibRefCitation author="Forcart, L." journalOrPublisher="Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="1 - 110" refId="B7733375" refString="Forcart, L., 1953. The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata). Annales du Musee du Congo Belge, Sciences Zoologiques 23: 1 - 110" title="The veronicellidae of Africa (Mollusca, Pulmonata)" volume="23" year="1953">Forcart 1953</bibRefCitation>
, 
<bibRefCitation author="Brodie, G" journalOrPublisher="USP Introduced Land Snails of the Fiji Islands Fact Sheet Series, 3." pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" refId="B7733343" refString="Brodie, G, Barker, G. M., 2012. Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822). Family Veronicellidae. USP Introduced Land Snails of the Fiji Islands Fact Sheet Series, 3." title="Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822). Family Veronicellidae" year="2012">Brodie and Barker 2012</bibRefCitation>
, 
<bibRefCitation author="Prakash, S." journalOrPublisher="International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies" pageId="0" pageNumber="85495" pagination="38 - 40" refId="B7733553" refString="Prakash, S., Verma, A. K., Mishra, B. P., 2015. Anatomy of digestive tract of the Indian garden slug, Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822). International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies 2 (6): 38 - 40" title="Anatomy of digestive tract of the Indian garden slug, Laevicaulis alte (Ferussac, 1822)" volume="2" year="2015">Prakash et al. 2015</bibRefCitation>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
</treatment>
</document>