Limax maximus

Family

Limacidae

Species

Limax maximus Linnaeus, 1758

Common name

Giant gardenslug, Great slugSlug:
A snail that either does not possess a shell or has one that is very reduced (no definite coiling) or internal.
, Tiger slugSlug:
A snail that either does not possess a shell or has one that is very reduced (no definite coiling) or internal.
, Spotted leopard slug

Description

This is one of the larger garden slugs, with the potential to grow up to 150 mm or more in length. The body of this slugSlug:
A snail that either does not possess a shell or has one that is very reduced (no definite coiling) or internal.
is yellow-grey or brown in color. It usually has black markings that may resemble spots or stripes. These markings may sometimes coalesce into two or three pairs of stripes that run the length of the body, but never forming a continuous line. The tentaclesTentacles:
Sensory projections on the head end of a mollusc. There are generally two pairs; upper (posterior) and smaller, lower (anterior). The upper pair bears the eyes. In many snails the eyes are located at the tips of this structure; however, in Basommatophoran snail species, the eyes are located at the base of the tentacles.
are red-brown in color. The mantleMantle:
A fleshy, membranous covering of the anterior portion of the body of a mollusc. It secretes the materials that form the shell.
has a yellow or white baseBase:
This is the lower or underside of the shell; opposite of apical.
color and it is also patterned with a brown color; however, it never has bands or stripes; instead it is irregularly spotted or mottled. Albino variants of this species do exist. The ridges on the mantleMantle:
A fleshy, membranous covering of the anterior portion of the body of a mollusc. It secretes the materials that form the shell.
appear to have a fingerprint-like pattern. The pneumostomePneumostome:
This is the breathing hole on the right side of the mantle of molluscs. This allows air to pass through to the lung for gas exchange.(See also breathing pore).
(breathing pore) is located in the right, posteriorPosterior:
Directional term: the rear or tail end of an animal.
margin of the mantleMantle:
A fleshy, membranous covering of the anterior portion of the body of a mollusc. It secretes the materials that form the shell.
. The keelKeel:
Also known as the carina. This is a longitudinal ridge that runs dorsally along the apex of the tail of the animal.
only occurs near the tip of the tail, and the sole of the footFoot:
The muscular organ on the undersurface of the body of a mollusc upon which the animal rests or uses to crawl.
is creamy white and produces colorless mucus.

Note: L. cinereoniger has an obvious tripartiteTripartite:
Having three distinct section/regions.
sole (the center of the footFoot:
The muscular organ on the undersurface of the body of a mollusc upon which the animal rests or uses to crawl.
is pale and the margins dark); whereas, L. maximus has a uniformly white sole. Also, a pale tan to white stripe runs down the back of L. cinereoniger, but it is absent in L. maximus. Also, juveniles of L. cinereoniger may be confused with adult L. maximus due to their uniformly colored sole.

Native range

Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor

Distribution

North America:

• U.S.: California, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Washington, Wisconsin

Pacific Islands: Hawaii

Australasia: New Zealand

Europe

Ecology

The giant gardenslug prefers habitats modified by humans such as gardens, greenhouses or wooded areas. They prefer damp, shaded places such as beneath rocks or vegetation. They are nocturnalNocturnal:
Occurring or becoming active at night.
in nature and have a very developed homing behavior. The diet includes fungi, decaying plant material and green plants. They are able to mate while suspended on a thread of mucus and generally produces oval eggs, in clusters (50-130) that are approximately 5-5.5 mm in diameter. The total number of eggs laid by this species throughout its lifetime is roughly 650-850. Mating occurs in spring and autumn. They have a lifespan of approximately three to four years.

Synonyms

• Limax maximus Linnaeus, 1758. Systema Naturae, Edito decima, reformata 1: 652. Type locality Sweden.
• Limax cinereus Muller, 1774. Verm. HIst. 2: 5.
• Limacella parma Brard, 1815. Hist. terr. fluv. Environs. Paris: 110.
• Limax antiquorum Ferussac, 1819. Hist. nat. Moll. II: 68 (part).
• Limax maculatus Nunneley, 1837. Trans. Phil. Soc. Leeds I: 46.
• Limax cellarius (d'Argenville) Lessona & Pollonera, 1882. Monogr. Limacidae Ital. 1: 23.

References

Anderson 2005; Barker 1979; Branson 1959; Branson 1962; Branson 1980; Cowie 1997; Forsyth 2004; Horsak 2004; Kantor et al. 2009; Kerney et al. 1979; Niemela et al. 1988; Meyer and Cowie 2010; McDonnell et al. 2009; Roth and Sadeghian 2006; Stephenson 1968, Thomas et al. 2010