Milacidae

Milacidae is a family of terrestrial, air-breathing slugs within the Stylommatophora, commonly known as milacid slugs. The family comprises several genera, including Milax and Tandonia, among others. Milacids are part of the diverse group of land snails and slugs that inhabit temperate regions around the world.

Milacids are elongate, soft-bodied gastropods that lack an external shell. They have a mantle covering part of the body and a pneumostome, the breathing aperture on the body’s side. In many species the shell is vestigial or internal, a common feature among slugs.

Native range of Milacidae includes temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The group has been introduced to other regions, notably parts of North America, where some species have established populations. Milacids occupy a variety of habitats, including gardens, forests, grasslands, and damp, sheltered spots such as under logs and leaf litter.

Ecology and behavior: Milacids are primarily herbivorous or detritivorous, feeding on decaying vegetation, fungi, and occasionally living plant tissue. They are typically nocturnal or crepuscular, seeking moisture and cover during the day. Reproduction is hermaphroditic, with many species engaging in reciprocal mating. Eggs are laid in moist soil or leaf litter, and hatch into juvenile slugs that resemble adults.

Taxonomy and systematics: The Milacidae have undergone taxonomic revisions, with molecular studies helping to clarify relationships within Limacoidea and leading to changes in genus placement. The precise circumscription of Milacidae and its genera can vary among classifications.