Publication Date: 2020
Seller: ConchBooks, Harxheim, Germany
Heterobranchia represent the most species-rich group among Swedish gastropods. The richness of shape and color is tremendous, and there are species that have shells and those that do not have shells. Of the approximately 370 species found in Sweden, a little more than half live on land or in freshwater and the remaining ones in the sea. The variation in appearance and way of life is greatest among the marine species, with, for example, the often spectacularly colored marine slugs. Some species in Heterobranchia swim or float freely in the water, others live among the grains of sand at the bottom. The majority move forward over the surface with their foot. Slugs are a group of marine snails that lack shells and often have long, motley-colored protrusions on the back. In some species, these protrusions, called cerata, are loaded with poisonous nettle capsules from prey that are nettles. If a fish attacks, the nettle capsules are squeezed out and burn or stun the enemy just like a stingray. Other slugs have glands with glands that contain nasty substances. Many lack committees and are camouflaged to avoid detection. In Sweden, there are 95 species of marine slugs which, with their strong color drawings and cool projections, are popular photo objects for scuba divers. Even today, new species are still found in Swedish waters. The book is the introductory volume on the subclass Heterobranchia and includes marine species as well as the limnic representatives. Slightly less than half of the species found in Sweden within the subclass Heterobranchia are presented in this volume and they are mainly marine species. Uppsala. Nationalnyckeln till Sveriges Flora och Fauna. 352 pp., num. color figs, clouth bound 4 [22 x 29 cm] [with dust jacket] [in Swedish, determination key bilingual Swedish/English].