Rathouisia leonina Heude, 1882
Takes shelter in dry or cold weather (Rathouis 1884).
Predation - observed to prey on snails through the aperture, not through boring; puts head or proboscis alone through aperture; curves its head to hold its prey (Wu et al. 2006)
Mating - end April to early May; positioned foot to foot; lasts a day (Rathouis 1884).
Egg-laying - digs a hole in the soil and lays eggs therein; clutches of 10-49 eggs are laid at intervals (Wu et al. 2006).
External: Long, cylindrical body; light to dark gray body, sometimes with a red tinge; short black longitudinal marks on skin; light red-brown sole; small amount of very sticky mucous produced; black optical tentacles and dark gray bilobed lower tentacles (Wu et al. 2006).
Eggs: Translucent, light blue-gray to pink, about 2.3 mm diameter (Wu et al. 2006).
To 35 mm long at rest (Wu et al. 2006).
SE China (Middle to Lower Yangtze R) (Wu et al. 2006).
Limestone hills, foothills; urban gardens; at rest between soil and leaf litter, on rocks and other smooth surfaces or in cracks in the soil; humid, shady habitat (Wu et al. 2006); found in cracks in brick walls (Rathouis 1884).
Consumes many snails and their eggs, no slugs or their eggs; Achatina fulica (an invasive species) preyed upon (Wu et al. 2006).