| Yellow slug | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| (unranked): | clade Heterobranchia informal group Pulmonata clade Eupulmonata clade Stylommatophora informal group Sigmurethra clade limacoid clade |
| Superfamily: | Limacoidea |
| Family: | Limacidae |
| Subfamily: | Limacinae |
| Genus: | Limax |
| Subgenus: | Limacus |
| Species: | L. flavus |
| Binomial name | |
| Limax flavus Linnaeus, 1758 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Limacus flavus |
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Limax flavus, synonym Limacus flavus, sometimes called the Yellow slug, is a medium to large species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae.
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This slug has a yellow body with grey mottling, and pale blue tentacles. When extended, the body length can be 7.5 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches).[1]
The yellow slug is common in England, Wales and Ireland as well as most of southern and western Europe.
Yellow slugs, like the majority of other land slugs, use two pairs of tentacles on their heads to sense their environment. The upper pair, called optical tentacles, is used to sense light. The lower pair, oral tentacles, provide the slug's sense of smell. Both pairs can retract and extend themselves to avoid hazards, and, if lost to an accident or predation, can be regrown.
Like all slugs, the yellow slug moves relatively slowly, gliding along using a series of muscular contractions on the underside of its foot, which is lubricated with mucus, such that it leaves a slime trail behind it.
This species feeds mostly on fungi, decaying matter[4] or vegetables.
Yellow Slugs are sometimes preyed upon by raccoons, geese, ducks, garter snakes, salamanders, moles, and shrews.
This species is strongly associated with human habitation, and is usually found in damp areas such as cellars, kitchens, and gardens. Generally speaking it is only seen at night, because it is nocturnal. Thus often it goes unnoticed and people are unaware of how (relatively) common the species is.
Parasites of Limax flavus include: