Grey Field Slug at Evatt, ACT
Identification history
| Deroceras reticulatum | 4 Oct 2022 | Michael123 | ||
| Unidentified | 4 Oct 2022 | TimL |
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User's notes
The sequence of images shows part of the prolonged mating ritual of two slugs. I understand the sighting is showing the following. Slugs are hermaphrodites, with both male and female reproductive organs. When a slug is in heat, amongst other things it releases a chemical in its slime which attracts other slugs. When slugs locate a potential mate, they will circle around each other in ever tightening circles. They circle in a clockwise direction when viewed from above, ensuring their right sides face each other as this is the side from which their genitalia appear from beneath their mantles. They stroke each other over a prolonged period and eventually exchange sperm.
1 comment
Michael123
wrote:
4 Oct 2022
Trevor, would you like to post this on 'Snails of Australia" ? It shows the two most common colour forms of this variable species and would be useful as an identification aid.
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Nearby sightings
Location information
- Coordinates 149.064067-35.213487
- Altitude 572.0m
- Places Evatt, ACT
Sighting information
- 2 Abundance
- 3 Oct 2022 07:41 AM Recorded on
- TimL Recorded by
Species information
- Deroceras reticulatum Scientific name
- Grey Field Slug Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Exotic
- Minor Weed or Pest
- Up to 803m Recorded at altitude
- Machine learning
- External link More information
Record quality
- Overall Fit for scientific/research use
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Confirmed by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes
