New species and records of terrestrial slugs from East Africa (Gastropoda, Urocyclidae, Veronicellidae, Agriolimacidae)

Abstract

New and little-known terrestrial slugs are dealt with based on extensive collections made in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda) 1993–2007. This account deals primarily with larger species from forests in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. In Veronicellidae, Pseudoveronicella Germain, 1908 is extended to Tanzania by P. (Hoffmannia) zootoca tanzaniensis subsp. n. in the Udzungwa Mts. In Urocyclidae, Dendrolimax parensis sp. n. is described from the Pare Mts. and Leptichnoides avisexcrementis sp. n. is described from the Uluguru Mts. In Urocyclinae, Tanzalimax tattersfieldi gen. & sp. n. is described from the Usambara Mts., Tanzalimax seddonae gen. & sp. n. from the Uluguru Mts., and Udzungwalimax suminis gen. & sp. n. from the Udzungwa Mts. In addition, the ill-defined genus Atrichotoxon Simroth, 1910 is discussed and the little-known Dendrolimax leprosus Pollonera, 1906 is reported from Uganda. In Agriolimacidae, a species of Deroceras Rafinesque, 1820 is reported for the first time from southern Tanzania. The taxonomic attribution and significance of each discovery is discussed.