Leopard slug, Limax maximus. This species is native to Europe, but is now found in many other parts of the world. I wasn’t aware until just now that this member of the Gastropoda actually does have a “shell,” only it is internal, underneath the shield, which is that spotted portion at the top front end. I think the shell itself is that obvious hump there at the right end of the shield. (Um, no, I didn’t touch it to find out.)
Last year in Inwood Park at the northern tip of Manhattan, during a night hike, we watched these things mate. Whoa! Wikipedia has some images and drawings of this. I’d already seen the episode of Life in the Underbrush that showed this, so I was prepared, but still, to see it live was amazing. Let’s let the inimitable David Attenborough (OK, he’s actually pretty imitable) take it from the top:
There are more things in heaven and earth, readers, than dreamed of in our philosophies.
Another Back 40 Gastropoda
8 responses to “Another Back 40 Gastropoda”
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oh my god that is incredible…I’m… speechless…agagagagagag wow. Yikes. Whew. Okay, thank you for sharing.
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I’m enjoying your blog. I heard about your blog from my blog friend amarilla. I am interested in your blog. But I can’t use English very well, so amarilla is always “feeling” my words very kindly instead understanding. Forgive me about that.
By the way, I saw first time this Gastropoda. Very interesting!
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Thank you. I understand and feel your words quite well. Your English is very, very much better than my Japanese.
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I have these leopard slugs every night. They come out and eat the dog food our dogs didn’t eat. I’m not sure what else they eat, but I don’t want to find out. I had picked 0ne up the other day, there is no exterior shell. They are a slug. If you want pics, please let me know. Ours are bigger.
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[…] loved by everything from owls to turtles to moles,, which eat them. For more on leopard slugs, check out my earlier post, which includes the now notorious David Attenborough Slug Sex Scene, banned in 20 countries and […]
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[…] Slugs (Limax maximus). An introduced species, thinking about making more of themselves. And what a process that […]
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Hi , I live in Bath , Pa. , I have large slugs in my yard also just seen them this year , HOW DO WE GET RID OF THEM?
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Check out the suggestions here https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/slugs/ and also http://www.organicauthority.com/organic-gardening/organic-gardening/know-your-enemy-the-slug.html
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Backyard and Beyond 
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