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 Limax maximus
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| Limax maximus Linnaeus, 1758 |
The Great Grey Slug, Limax maximus (literally, "great slug"), also known as the Tiger slug or the Spotted leopard slug, is one of the largest kinds of keeled slug (Limax cinereoniger being the largest). The species is noted for its dark-spotted pale-grey body and the short keel on its tail. These nocturnal animals can grow to be as long as 8 inches (20 cm), feeding mostly on rotting plant matter and fungi. They live for up to three years and are inactive during the winter.
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Mating
The mating habits of Limax maximus are considered unusual among slugs: the hermaphrodite slugs court, usually for hours, by circling and licking each other. After this, the slugs will climb into a tree or other high area and then, entwined together, lower themselves on a thick string of mucus, evert their white translucent mating organs (penises) from their gonopores (openings on the right side of the head), entwine these organs, and exchange sperm. Both participants will later lay hundreds of eggs.
A commonly seen practice among many slugs is apophallation, when one or both of the slugs chews off the other's penis. The penis of these species is curled like a cork-screw and often becomes entangled in their mate's genitalia in the process of exchanging sperm. When all else fails, apophallation allows the slugs to separate themselves. Once its penis has been removed, a slug is still able to participate in mating subsequently, but only using the female parts of its reproductive system.
The tiny slugs which emerge from the eggs need at least two years to reach sexual maturity.1
Photographs of mating:
 Two mating Limax maximus suspended by a mucus thread, Oklahoma |
 Mating Limax maximus found in Maryland |
 Close up of mating Limax maximus found in Maryland |
 Close up of Mating Limax maximus found in Maryland |
Distribution
Native to Europe, the slugs have been introduced to Northern America and occur along the East and West sides of that continent. The slugs are almost always found near human habitation — usually in lawns, gardens, cellars or in other damp areas.
Health Risks
A meningitis-causing nematode, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which normally infests the lungs of rats, has a larval stage requiring it to live in mollusks, including slugs. Previously, the worm had only been known to be a problem in tropical areas but has since moved to other regions. Live slugs accidentally eaten with improperly cleaned vegetables (such as lettuce), or improperly cooked slugs (for use in recipes requiring larger slugs such as banana slugs), can act as a vector for a parasitic infection.23
See also
References
- ^ Limax maximus, Invertebrate Anatomy OnLine, Lander University.
- ^ Sanjaya N. Senanayake, Don S. Pryor, John Walker & Pam Konecny (2003) First report of human angiostrongyliasis acquired in Sydney. - The Medical Journal of Australia, 179 (8): 430-431.
- ^ "Man's brain infected by eating slugs" (20 October 2003).
- The Wildlife Trusts; retrieved March 26, 2005.
- Stuart M. Bennett, 2000; Great Grey Slugs; retrieved March 26, 2005.
- Michael P. Kerney & R.A.D. Cameron, 1979, A field guide to the land snails of Britain and north-west Europe, Collins, Glasgow.
External links
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 1 October 2008, at 17:43.
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