''''Phylum:' Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Pulmonata
''''Superfamily: Athoracophoroidea'
'Family:' Athoracophoridae
Genus: Athoracophorus
Species A. pseadophyllum
''''Binomial name: Reflectopallium pseadophyllum
'Common name: Veined slug''''
Reflectopallium pseadophyllum is a native slug that has the leaf-vein pattern that is typical of many native slugs. The breathing hole in the front part – not always obvious in slugs – can be easily seen. It is generally found in wooded areas or shrub inside rotting logs or into cavities bored by the puriri moth Grazes on fungi and algae and on leaf surfaces. It is nocturnal. It grows to about 60 mm long.
There are many species of native New Zealand slugs, and all of them can be recognized by the characteristic leaf-vein pattern on their dorsal side. This leaf-vein pattern is absent in introduced species. New Zealand native slugs belong to the family Athoracophoridae, there are about 30 species, most of which are NZ endemics. Related slugs are found in New Guinea, eastern Australia, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. Their biology is poorly studied, they are thought to feed on algae and fungi that grow on the surface of plants. These slugs do not damage garden plants. Most native slugs are characterised by a leaf pattern on the outside of their bodies.
New Zealand Native Veined Slugs
A juvenile
The photo below are eggs of a native veined slug covered in papillae (nipple-like structure)
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
