Ocular tentacle malformation in Deroceras reticulatum (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Agriolimacidae)

Abstract

Malformations in animals have long been known. In gastropod, natural and induced malformations are mentioned in different systems and in ocular tentacles, mainly linked to cases of parasitism and exposure to pollutants (molluscicides and chemicals). In this study we present a new malformation not documented in the ocular tentacles of slug Deroceras reticulatum that could be due to the action of pesticides. This malformation in D. reticulatum is the first malformation to be mentioned for South America in nursery gardens.

Land slugs in plant nurseries, a potential cause of dispersal in Argentina

“…For San Pedro, the two slugs recorded, Deroceras leave and D. reticulatum (Müller, 1774), are the first records for this city. Although D. reticulatum, according to Virgillito and Miquel (2013), has more records from urban gardens in the province of Buenos Aires, in this study it had the least frequent occurrence, represented by only one individual, which showed abnormalities in the tentacles, perhaps because of pesticides (Daglio et al, 2019).…”