Garden molluscs » Slug or snail? » Garden slugs » Position of pneumostome » Behind the mid-line of mantle » Family:Limacidae » Common Limacid slugs
Limacus flavus (L. 1758)
Description: Medium to large slug – extended length 7.5 – 10 cm. Body colour from yellowish to greenish overlaid with pale greyish mottling, and without lateral bands. Tentacles steely blue. Mantle coloured as body. Keel short, sole unicolourous yellowish-white, body slime yellow, foot slime colourless. There is some variation in colour, and juveniles have a more greenish tinge.
Habitat: Usually strongly associated with man – in gardens, outhouses, damp cellars and kitchens.
Limax maximus (L. 1758)
Description: Very large slug – extended length 10 – 20 cm. Usually grey or pale brown, with two or three darker lateral bands on each side of the body, sometimes broken up into dark marbling or spots.Tubercles rather small. Mantle well anterior, raised as a flap over head when animal retracted; spotted or marbled with darker pigment, but not banded. Tentacles uniform pinkish-brown. Keel short, about one-third distance from tail to mantle. Sole uniform whitish, body and foot slime colourless and sticky. There are a number of colour varieties.
Habitat: Widespread – in woods, hedgerows and gardens.
Description: Very large slug – extended length 10 – 20 cm. Usually grey or pale brown, with two or three darker lateral bands on each side of the body, sometimes broken up into dark marbling or spots.Tubercles rather small. Mantle well anterior, raised as a flap over head when animal retracted; spotted or marbled with darker pigment, but not banded. Tentacles uniform pinkish-brown. Keel short, about one-third distance from tail to mantle. Sole uniform whitish, body and foot slime colourless and sticky. There are a number of colour varieties.
Habitat: Widespread – in woods, hedgerows and gardens.