What is this creature or creatures?

May 24, 2006 7:45 PM

What is this slimy little critter?

I found this tableau on the sidewalk during a walk around the neighborhood this evening. Sorry there's no scale. It was about 2 inches long. I am assuming it is a slug feeding on the remains of a worm. However, the worm part looked like it was still moving -- I didn't know slugs were predatory of other animals. Also, where are its head antennas? Is it ailing as well as the worm? What kind of slug is it?

posted by macinchik to science & nature (15 comments total)

It looks like a Spanish or Brown Slug.
posted by tellurian at 8:08 PM on May 24, 2006

According to "The Wiki", some slugs are predatory, and it certainly looks like a slug to me (but yea, the lack of antennae is a little odd--my guess is that they're retracted somehow? I doubt it could even find its prey without them, so I doubt it's lost them).

However, my background is compsci and not biology, so I could theoretically be incorrect.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:08 PM on May 24, 2006

And yea, from looking at the extra slug related pages on Wikipedia, it looks a lot like the Spanish slug, as tellurian says.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:09 PM on May 24, 2006

I think the slug is eating a worm. Sounds somewhat common.

I also found a few hits for "slug eat worm".
posted by acoutu at 8:10 PM on May 24, 2006

And yes, they're carnivorous.
posted by tellurian at 8:15 PM on May 24, 2006

Brown Slug photo. On yours, the head is to the left, but it's turned under with the optic and sensory tentacles retracted.
posted by cenoxo at 8:16 PM on May 24, 2006

I should not have clicked on that link whilst eating a bowl of stew.
posted by tomble at 8:26 PM on May 24, 2006

Heheheh, sorry tomble. All these answers are terrific. Thanks!
posted by macinchik at 8:33 PM on May 24, 2006

Compare this photo (sublink via Tellurian's carnivorous link above): you can see the slug's head & tentacles partially withdrawn under its mantle.
posted by cenoxo at 8:38 PM on May 24, 2006

cyrusdogstar, slugs do not have antennae (which are tactile), they have ommatophores (my favorite word)!
posted by aubilenon at 9:25 PM on May 24, 2006

slugs and snails are attracted to slug/snail/worm slime.

Once when I had a bad infestation, I would go out at night and toss slugs and snails on a patio and stomp them.

The next night I would go out and on the patio there would lots of live slugs and snails feasting on the slime. Stomp and repeat.
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:40 PM on May 24, 2006

aubilenon, I have to agree, ommatophore is a pretty cool word. Thanks for the correction!

Like I said, compsci, not biology :D
posted by cyrusdogstar at 5:46 AM on May 25, 2006

Please pass the salt.
posted by spakto at 11:25 AM on May 25, 2006

Two inches? Pikers! You should (or maybe not?) see the monsters that grow in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. I've seen 10'-12' versions.
posted by trinity8-director at 12:56 PM on May 25, 2006

Er, make that 10"-12". Geez, those would be monsters!
posted by trinity8-director at 12:57 PM on May 25, 2006