Summary ⁵

Limax flavus (syn. Limacus flavus), known commonly as the yellow slug or tawny garden slug, is a medium to large species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae.

General description ⁶

L. flavus is a synanthropic slug that was probably native to the Mediterranean region and has been introduced worldwide.

Morphology ⁷

External: Yellowish to orange-pink body, with gray-green mottling; light blue-gray tentacles; short keel; yellow-white sole; yellow body mucus, clear sole mucus (Herbert 1997; Kerney & Cameron 1979).

Internal: 9 x 6 mm internal shell; long, twisting penis 1/6 body length; vas deferens attaches next to penial retractor; a crinkled fold down entire internal length of penis; oviduct widens at junction with atrium; spermatheca connects to oviduct; long rectal caecum (Quick 1960; Wiktor et al. 2000).

Similar to Limacus pseudoflavus but L. pseudoflavus is grayer and has darker markings, coarser tubercles, gray tentacles (Kerney & Cameron 1979). Resembles Limacus maculatus but lighter in color and spermatheca does not connect to penis (Wiktor et al. 2000).

Eggs: 6 x 4 mm, light amber, lemon-shaped (Quick 1960).

Juveniles: 10-13 mm long, light green-yellow with blue tentacles at hatching; yellow spots appear later (Quick 1960).

Size ⁸

75-100 mm long extended (Herbert 1997).

Behaviour ⁹

Regularly returns, or "homes," to shelter (Cook 1979). Active at night (Quick 1960).

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Les, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/7660999@N05/763341190
2. (c) Vlad Proklov, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/evergestis/11117977794/
3. (c) Fabio Moretzsohn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Fabio Moretzsohn
4. (c) Scott Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5599/15333889530_8c4dbf2ab8_o.jpg
5. Adapted by Ken-ichi Ueda from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limax_flavus
6. Adapted by Ken-ichi Ueda from a work by (c) Paustian, Megan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/17764873
7. (c) Paustian, Megan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/17764875
8. (c) Paustian, Megan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/11591503
9. Adapted by Ken-ichi Ueda from a work by (c) Paustian, Megan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/17764874

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• SeaLifeBase
• World Register of Marine Species

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