The pneumostome is a feature (the respiratory opening) of the external body anatomy of an air-breathing land slug or land snail. This feature is usually clearly visible on the right side of the animal when the pneumostome is open, but may not be easy to see when it is closed.

This is an opening in the right side of the mantle of a Pulmonata ordered or subclassed slug (suborder Stylommatophora) or snail, through which its single lung is filled with air.

The frequency of pneumostome closing and opening is typically less than 0.5 closures per minute in fully hydrated slugs and snails. The rate of closures per minute increases the more dehydrated the slug is.

Images showing the position of the pneumostome in three different families of slugs:

Arionidae, (Arion ater), the pneumostome is just anterior to the mid-point of the mantle

Limacidae, (Bielzia coerulans), the pneumostome is just posterior to the mid-point of the mantle

Milacidae, (Tandonia budapestensis), the pneumostome is just posterior to the mid-point of the mantle

References

External links

• Pneumostome's response to dehydration

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