fauna

Another Look at the Newly Discovered Hot Pink Slug form Australia

by Carrie Arnold

He’s big. He’s slimy. And he’s … neon pink?! Meet Triboniophorus aff. graeffei, a new species of 8-inch-long (20-cm-long) slug that’s found only on one Australian mountain.

Scientists already knew that a bright-pink slug lived on Mount Kaputar (map), thinking it was a variety of the red triangle slug, a species common along the east coast of Australia. But new research shows that the colorful critter is actually its own species, said Australia’s National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Michael Murphy.

“Recent morphological and genetics work by a researcher working on this slug family—the Athorcophoridae—has indicated the Kaputar slugs are a unique species endemic to Mount Kaputar and the only representative of this family in inland Australia,” said Murphy, who’s been stationed on Mount Kaputar for 20 years…

(read more: National Geo)                (photo: Michael Murphy/NPWS)

astronomy-to-zoology:

Ghost Slug (Selenochlamys ysbryda)

…is a species of air-breathing slug discovered in 2006 in Wales, its full population is not fully known as individuals have been found around Europe. The ghost slug is mainly nocturnal and burrowing and unlike other slugs is a carnivore and actively hunts and kills earthworms with a modified blade-like radula. Also unlike most slugs the ghost slug’s pneumostome and mantle are located at the back of the animal.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Mollusca-Gastropoda-Stylommatophora-Paramacelloidea-Trigonchlamydidae-Trigonochlamydinae-Selenochlamys-ysbryda

Image Source(s)

astronomy-to-zoology:

Long-tailed Slug (Ibycus rachelae)

Also known as the Ninja slug, the long-tailed slug is a species of semi-slug found only in the state of Sabah in Borneo. Like other semi-slugs the long-tailed slug has a partially visible shell, but it is too small to withdraw into like a snails shell. Like the other members of the genus this gastropod has a long tail which it reportedly wraps around its body when at rest. This slug also uses ‘love darts’ for reproduction.

Phylogeny 

Animalia-Mollusca-Gastropoda-Stylommatophora-Ariophantidae-Ibycus-rachelae

Image Source(s)

ichthyologist:

Intimate Slugs

Being hermaphrodites, slugs possess both male and female organs. However, it cannot simply mate with itself.

When the Leopard Slug (Limax maximus) finds a partner, they dangle off an overhang in a spiraling embrace. The slugs then extend their genitalia, and entwine them. Sperm is exchanged between the membranes, fertilising both slugs.

Jasper Nance on Flickr

The pale form of the terrestrial Carolina Mantle-slug, Philomycus carolinianus, Florida Panther NWR, FL, USA.

(photos: John Slapcinsky)

Carpathian Blue Slug (Bielzia coerulans)

- family Limacidae, “keelback slugs”

Species is endemic to deciduous and coniferous forests in mountains, usually at the bottom, or under dead wood logs, in the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. This is a slug which is blue when adult and 100 - 140 mm in length. Juveniles are yellowish brown with dark lateral bands. Genitalia are without penis. There is only an accessory organ for copulation. There are 30-80 eggs laid in one clutch.Adults die after egg deposition. Half grown juveniles hibernate. Fully grown slugs appear in May…

(read more: Wikipedia)

(photos: T - Branislav Turčina; BL - mating, by Jerzy Strzelecki; BM - Jerzy Opiala; BR - Martin Vaculík)