Banana slug: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Genus of molluscs}}

{{Taxobox

{{Automatic taxobox

| color = pink

| name = Banana slugsslug

| image = Banana_slugTwo Banana Slugs.jpg

| image_caption = Two banana slugs preparing to mate

| image_width = 200px

| regnumtaxon = [[Animal]]iaAriolimax

| authority = [[Otto Andreas Lowson Mörch|Mörch]], 1859

| phylum = [[Mollusca]]

| synonyms= ''Aphallarion'' <small>Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1896</small>

| classis = [[Gastropoda]]

|display_parents= 3

| ordo = [[Pulmonata]]

|type_species =''[[Ariolimax columbianus]]''

| familia = [[Arionidae]]

| genus = '''''Ariolimax'''''

| genus_authority = [[Morch]], 1859

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision =

''Ariolimax californicus''<br/>

''Ariolimax columbianus''<br/>

''Ariolimax dolichophallus''

}}

[[File:Slug parts.png|thumb|Anatomy of a slug]]

'''Banana slugs''' ('''''Ariolimax''''') are a [[genus]] of [[Pulmonata|air-breathing]], [[terrestrial mollusc|terrestrial]] [[Gastropoda|gastropod]] [[slug]]s in the family [[Ariolimacidae]].<ref name="WoRMS">MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Ariolimax Mörch, 1859. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=995725 on 2021-08-25</ref> Their often yellow color and elongated shape can resemble a [[banana]], thus giving rise to their common name.

==Species==

The '''banana slug''' (''Ariolimax'') is a [[genus]] of [[mollusk]], although when used in the context of a [[species]] banana slug usually refers to the '''Pacific banana slug''' (''Ariolimax columbianus''). Banana slugs are usually ugly [[yellow]] (somewhat resembling a [[banana]]) although they may also be green, brown, or white. The Pacific banana slug is the second-largest species of [[slug]] in the world, growing up to 25cm (9.8 inches) long (the largest slug is ''[[Limax cinereoniger]]'' of [[Europe]], which can reach 30 cm (12 inches) in length).

Species within the genus ''Ariolimax'' include:

It is native to the [[forest]] floors along the [[Pacific Northwest|Pacific Coast of North America]]<!-- this link is somewhat dubious because [[West Coast of the United States]] seems a lot more relevant from the title, but the content of that article refers mostly to colloquial usage, which is not relevant to this context. Please fix if you are knowledgable! -->.

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Image !! Scientific name !! Common Name !! Distribution !! Description

|-

|[[File:Ariolimax buttoni.jpg|120px]]||''[[Ariolimax buttoni]]'' <small>(Pilsbry & Vanatta, 1896)</small>|| Button's banana slug ||California || Single spot on the mantle

|-

|[[File:Ariolimax californicus 003.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Ariolimax californicus]]'' <small>(J. G. Cooper, 1872)</small>|| California banana slug<ref name="TURGON">{{cite book|author=Turgeon, D. D. |author2=A. E. Bogan |author3=E. V. Coan |author4=W. K. Emerson |author5=W. G. Lyons |author6=W. Pratt|display-authors=et al |year=1988|title= Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: molluscs|publisher= American Fisheries Society|series= Special Publications|number= 26|pages=277}}</ref>|| California, Oregon || Light yellow, Length 175–200mm

|-

|[[File:Banana Slug-1.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Ariolimax columbianus]]'' <small>(Gould, 1851)</small> || Pacific banana slug<ref name="TURGON" />|| United States (Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, Washington), Canada (British Columbia) || Olive green with black spots and blotches, Length 185–260mm

|-

|[[File:Slender banana slug (Ariolimax dolichophallus) and Dandelion Seed.jpg|120px]] || ''[[Ariolimax dolichophallus]]'' <small>(Mead, 1943)</small> || Slender banana slug<ref name="TURGON" /><ref>[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=77084 ITIS Standard Report Page Ariolimax dolichophallus Mead, 1943], Integrated Taxonomic Information System - United States Government</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mead |first1=Albert R. |title=Revision of the Giant West Coast Land Slugs of the Genus ''Ariolimax'' Moerch (Pulmonata: Arionidae) |journal=American Midland Naturalist |date=1943 |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=675–717 |doi=10.2307/2421208|jstor=2421208 }}</ref>|| Coastal Central California || Light yellow, Length 150–180mm

|-

|[[File:Ariolimax stramineus.jpg|120px]]||''[[Ariolimax stramineus]]''<small>(Hemphill, 1891)</small>||Southern Pacific banana slug||Santa Barbara|

|}

Synonyms:

Banana slugs are [[decomposer]]s. They process leaves, animal droppings, and dead plant material, and then recycle them into soil. They seem to have a fondness for [[mushroom]]s, and they spread [[seed]]s and [[spore]]s when they eat. They move relatively slowly since banana slugs, like all slugs, have only one muscular foot.

[[File:2022-06-13, Banana Slug in Motion (Beaver Lake Park, Sammamish, Washington), video1.webm|thumb|Banana slug in Washington]]

* ''Ariolimax andersonii'' <small>J. G. Cooper, 1872</small>: synonym of Prophysaon andersonii (J.G. Cooper, 1872) (unaccepted combination)

Slugs use two pairs of [[tentacle]]s, termed eye-stalks, to sense their environment. The larger pair is used to detect light or movement. The second pair is used to detect [[pheromone]]s. The tentacles can retract and extend themselves to avoid damage from leaves and twigs.

* ''Ariolimax californicus'' <small>J.G. Cooper, 1872</small>: synonym of ''Ariolimax californicus'' <small>J.G. Cooper, 1872</small>

* ''Ariolimax californicus costaricensis'' <small>Cockerell, 1890</small>: synonym of ''[[Deroceras costaricensis]]'' <small>(Cockerell, 1890)</small>

* ''Ariolimax hemphilli'' W<small>. G. Binney, 1875</small>: synonym of ''[[Hesperarion hemphilli]]'' (W.G. Binney, 1875)

* ''Ariolimax niger'' <small>J. G. Cooper, 1872</small>: synonym of ''[[Hesperarion niger]]'' <small>(J. G. Cooper, 1872)</small>

* ''Ariolimax steindachneri'' <small>Babor, 1900</small>: synonym of ''Ariolimax columbianus'' <small>(Gould, 1851)</small>

==Description==

[[Image:Slugxingcan.JPG|thumb|left|A Slug Crossing at Capilano Park in Vancouver, Canada]]Banana slugs have a single [[lung]] which opens externally with a [[pneumostome]]. The pneumostome holds [[air]] which is passed through the lung cavity. Banana slugs excrete a thick coating of slime around their bodies. The slime keeps the skin moist, so the slug can breathe through it. If the skin is not moist, the slug cannot exchange gases. The slime gathers moisture from the air on damp days, and from soil beneath logs on dry days. To prevent themselves from drying out, slugs can also [[estivation|estivate]]: they secrete a protective layer of mucus, and insulate themselves with a layer of soil and leaves. They remain inactive in this state until the environment is moist again.

[[File:Banana slug closeup.jpg|thumb|left|Head, optic tentacles, and sensory tentacles of a banana slug]]

[[File:Slender banana slug (Ariolimax dolichophallus) and Dandelion Seed.jpg|left|thumb|Slender banana slug (''Ariolimax dolichophallus'')]]

Banana slugs are often bright yellow (giving rise to the banana nomenclature) although they may also be greenish, brown, tan, or white. The species ''[[Ariolimax columbianus]]'' sometimes has black spots that are so extensive that the animal looks almost entirely black. Individual slugs can change colors with alterations in diet, light exposure, and moisture levels. Color may also be an indicator of the age or health status of an individual.<ref name=Harper1988>{{cite book|last=Harper|first=Alice Bryant|title=The Banana Slug: A Close Look at a Giant Forest Slug of Western North America|date=1988|publisher=Bay LeavesPress|___location=Aptos, CA|isbn=0962121800}}</ref>

The coating offers other protections as well. It allows slugs to travel unharmed across the sharp edge of a razor blade or piece of glass, and can thwart predators; the slug excretes thick [[mucus]] and humps its body up, making itself appear larger. When the slime comes into contact with a moist surface, it produces an anesthetic which causes the membranes to go numb.

The Pacific banana slug is the second-largest species of terrestrial slug in the world, achieving a length of up to {{convert|25|cm|in}}<ref name=Thomas>{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=K.|title=Ariolimax columbianus|work=Animal Diversity Web|publisher=University of Michigan Museum of Zoology|year=2000|url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ariolimax_columbianus.html|access-date=May 19, 2009}}</ref> and a weight of up to {{convert|115|g|oz|abbr=off}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://spiralbound.net/2009/05/01/the-banana-slug-is-not-a-mythical-creature|title=The Banana Slug is not a Mythical Creature {{!}} spiralbound.net<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=2010-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615164325/http://spiralbound.net/2009/05/01/the-banana-slug-is-not-a-mythical-creature|archive-date=2010-06-15|url-status=dead }}</ref> The largest slug species is ''[[Limax cinereoniger]]'', which can reach {{convert|30|cm|in}} in length. Banana slugs have an average lifespan of 1–7 years.<ref name=Harper1988/>

The slime of the banana slug also lubricates the terrain over which they move, so they can travel more easily. When climbing a tree, a slug can drop back down quickly using a string of slime. Researchers have made unsuccessful attempts to reproduce slug slime, since it is one of the best natural glues, and has potential uses in [[medicine]].

Banana slugs (like other gastropods and many other mollusks) have a [[radula]], a ribbon-like anatomical structure covered in rows of microscopic teeth. The radula is used for feeding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutslugs.com/slug-and-snail-science/slug-anatomy/|title=All About Slugs - Anatomy}}</ref> Individuals can move at {{convert|6+1/2|in|cm}} per minute.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/nurspest/slugs.htm|title=Slugs|website=oregonstate.edu}}</ref>

The slime also contains [[pheromone]]s to attract other slugs for mating. Slugs are [[hermaphrodite]]s, and reproduce by exchanging [[sperm]] with their mate. They produce up to twenty translucent eggs, which are laid in a log or on leaves. Slugs mate and lay eggs throughout the year. The eggs and young of banana slugs are not protected by their parents.

Slugs use two pairs of [[tentacle]]s to sense their environment. The longer, upper pair are used to [[Mollusc eye|detect light or movement]]. The shorter, lower pair are used to [[chemoreceptor|detect chemicals]]. Both pairs of tentacles are [[muscular hydrostat]]s which can be fully retracted when necessary to avoid damage. If the animal loses a tentacle, the slug can grow a new one.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slugwatch.co.uk/?page_id=13|title=All About Slugs {{!}} SlugWatch|access-date=2019-01-03}}</ref>

[[Raccoon]]s, [[garter snake]]s, [[duck]]s, [[goose|geese]] and [[salamander]]s sometimes eat banana slugs, but they roll the slugs in the dirt to bind up the slime. Baby banana slugs are sometimes eaten by [[shrew]]s or [[mole (animal)|mole]]s.

Banana slugs have a single [[Respiratory_system_of_gastropods#Terrestrial_gastropods|pallial lung]] which opens externally via a [[pneumostome]] on the right side of the [[Mantle (mollusc)|mantle]] of the animal. The pneumostome lung cavity is heavily vascularized to allow gas exchange. Dehydration is a major problem for the mollusk; to combat this, banana slugs excrete a thick coating of [[snail slime|mucus]] around their bodies and can also [[aestivation|aestivate]]. To do so, they secrete a protective layer of mucus and insulate themselves with a layer of soil and leaves. They remain inactive in this state until the environment becomes moist again. Due to their susceptibility to desiccation, they are more commonly active at night, but also appear during cool, moist days.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/exhibits/terrestrial-panel/banana-slug/|title=Banana Slug |website=University of Puget Sound }}</ref>

[[Sodium chloride|Salt]] is harmful to all slugs; it causes the slug to dehydrate. Blood rushes to the surface of the skin to dilute the salt. This process is only effective with small quantities of salt.

[[File:Ariolimax columbianus 0510.JPG|right|thumb|This individual ''Ariolimax columbianus'' has numerous black spots. The patterning may be so extensive as to make the animal look almost solid black. Banana slugs have a single lung which opens externally via a pneumostome. The placement of the pneumostome on the mantle helps to distinguish the species of ''Ariolimax''.]]

==Appearances in culture==

* The banana slug is the official [[mascot]] of the [[University of California, Santa Cruz]].

* In 1988, Byron Sher, a Democratic Assemblyman from [[Palo Alto]], in response to a request from a group of [[Camp Fire USA|Camp Fire]] Bluebirds from [[Redwood City]], introduced a bill proposing that the banana slug be designated California's "official state mollusk." The bill was vetoed by then-governor [[George Deukmejian]], who said, "It is not representative of the international reputation California enjoys." [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDD173BF932A0575BC0A96E948260]

* A band called the "Banana Slug String Band" exists in Santa Cruz, California, singing primarily educational material for children.

* The band [[Severe Tire Damage]] has a song entitled The Banana Slug Song, consisting of various ways to cook and eat Banana Slugs.

* The cover of the album [[Thirteenth Step]] by the band [[A Perfect Circle]] shows a banana slug resting on the side on a woman's face.

*[[List of characters in Camp Lazlo#Slinkman|Slinkman]] is a fictional character from the series ''[[Camp Lazlo]]''.

*The [[Buffalo Sabres]] new logo is jokingly refered to as a banana slug, since it is somewhat similar in appearance.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}

The [[snail slime|slime]] also contains [[pheromone]]s to attract other slugs for mating. Slugs are [[simultaneous hermaphrodite]]s,<ref name="National Geographic-2023">{{cite web |title=Banana slug |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/banana-slug |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210405030407/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/banana-slug |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 5, 2021 |website=National Geographic |publisher=[[National Geographic]] |access-date=30 September 2023 |language=en |date=30 September 2023}}</ref> and reproduce by exchanging [[sperm]] with their mate. They produce up to 75 translucent eggs, which are laid in a log or on leaves. Slugs mate and lay eggs throughout the year. The adults provide no further care for their eggs beyond finding a suitable hiding spot, and the eggs are abandoned as soon as the clutch is laid.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dolkas |first=Matt |date=2021-02-03 |title=The Romantic Lives of Banana Slugs |url=https://openspacetrust.org/blog/banana-slug/ |website=Peninsula Open Space Trust}}</ref>

==Gallery==

<gallery>

Image:Banana slug closeup.jpg|Close up of a banana slug.

Image:White_Banana_Slug.jpg|An example of a white banana slug.

Image:Banana_Slug_on_Burl.jpg|This banana slug is on a piece of [[burl]].

Image:Two_Banana_Slugs.jpg|Two banana slugs.

Image:Banana_Slug_Closeup2.jpg|Close up of another banana slug.

Image:Banana_Slug_Top.jpg|Top view of a banana slug.

Image:Banana_slug_IMG_3371.JPG|Banana slug on trail, eyes extended.

</gallery>

==Distribution==

[[Category:Slugs]]

''[[Ariolimax columbianus]]'' is native to the [[forest floor]]s along North America's Pacific coastal coniferous rainforest belt (including douglas-fir forests and redwood forests) which stretches from Southeastern [[Alaska]] to [[Santa Cruz, California]].

Several discontinuous populations also occur in forested slopes of the coastal and transverse mountain ranges south of Santa Cruz as far south as [[Ventura County]], with a tiny, isolated population located in [[Palomar Mountain State Park]] within the [[Palomar Mountain Range]] in [[San Diego County, California]]. The Palomar Mountains have lush Sierra Nevada-like coniferous forests and black oak woodlands unlike the surrounding semiarid lands of inland San Diego County and mark the southernmost population of banana slugs.

[[de:Bananenschnecke]]

[[it:Ariolimax californicus]]

Small, isolated populations also occur east of the Pacific Coast such as in the inland coniferous rainforests of [[British Columbia]]'s [[Columbia Mountains]] (interior wet-belt), just west of the [[Canadian Rockies]], and have been seen at lower elevations near creeks and damp areas of [[Mount Revelstoke National Park]]. Small populations of banana slugs have also been seen along creek and damp areas of the western slopes of the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] mountains to the north of [[Yosemite National Park]] in California. Slug densities in these outlying areas in the Columbia Mountains, Sierra Nevada Mountains, and areas south of Santa Cruz are low compared to densities in the coastal coniferous rainforest belt and are rather restricted to damp areas near creeks, ravines, and gullies.<ref>Banana Slugs by the Project Noah Nature School https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/12002129</ref> This population may also be a relic from the Pleistocene epoch.

==Ecology==

[[File:Banana Slug Eating.jpeg|thumb|A banana slug eating a small plant in [[Big Basin Redwoods State Park]]]]

Banana slugs are [[detritivore]]s, or decomposers. They consume leaves, animal droppings, moss, and dead plant material, and then recycle them into [[humus|soil humus]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Banana Slug - Ariolimax columbianus - |url=https://wildernessclassroom.org/wilderness-library/banana-slug/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=wildernessclassroom.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-12-19|title=Banana slug, facts and photos |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/banana-slug|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210405030407/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/banana-slug |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 5, 2021|access-date=2023-10-25|website=Animals}}</ref> They are generalist feeders, though they exhibit a preference for certain mushrooms.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Banana Slug {{!}} University of Puget Sound|url=https://www.pugetsound.edu/puget-sound-museum-natural-history/exhibits/terrestrial-panel/banana-slug|access-date=2023-10-25|website=www.pugetsound.edu}}</ref> Through their consumption of various plant matter and animal excretion, banana slugs acts as agents of seed dispersal.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gervais|first1=Jennifer A.|last2=Traveset|first2=Anna|last3=Willson|first3=Mary F.|date=1998|title=The Potential for Seed Dispersal by the Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus)|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2426993 |journal=The American Midland Naturalist |volume=140 |issue=1 |pages=103–110 |doi=10.1674/0003-0031(1998)140[0103:TPFSDB]2.0.CO;2 |jstor=2426993 |s2cid=86216776}}</ref> They spread seeds and spores, and excrete a nitrogen-rich fertilizer.<ref name="KQED-2015">{{Cite web|date=2015-02-17|title=Banana Slugs: Secret of the Slime|url=https://www.kqed.org/science/27260/banana-slugs-secret-of-the-slime |access-date=2023-10-25|website=KQED}}</ref> Additionally, by consuming dead [[organic matter]], they contribute to decomposition and the [[nutrient cycles]]<ref>Wetzel, R. G. Limnology: Lake and River Ecosystems. Academic Press. 2001. 3rd. p.700.</ref> and are an important aspect of the [[ecosystem]].

Small mammals, snakes, and salamanders sometimes eat banana slugs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licking a Banana Slug Will Make Your Tongue Go Numb|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/student-contributors-environment-did-you-know/licking-banana-slug-will-make-your-tongue-go-numb|access-date=2023-10-25|website=Office for Science and Society}}</ref>

==Slime==

The mucus secreted by banana slugs contains chemicals that can numb the tongue of predators.<ref name="KQED-2015" /><ref name="Roberts-2013">{{Cite journal |last=Roberts |first=Leslie Carol |date=2013-08-01 |title=On Slug Trails |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.14321/fourthgenre.15.2.0143 |journal=Fourth Genre: Explorations in Nonfiction |language=en |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=143–152 |doi=10.14321/fourthgenre.15.2.0143 |issn=1522-3868}}</ref> This mucus can absorb up to 100 times its volume in water.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=Michael |title=Why are Banana Slugs so Slimy? - |url=https://baynature.org/article/why-are-banana-slugs-so-slimy/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Bay Nature |language=en-US}}</ref> Technically, this slime is neither liquid nor solid, but rather a liquid crystal substance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kqed.org/science/27260/banana-slugs-secret-of-the-slime|title=Banana Slugs: Secret of the Slime|date=17 February 2015|website=kqed.org}}</ref> [[Slug slime]] bears a resemblance to human [[mucus]], primarily composed of proteins known as [[Mucin|mucins]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-11-27 |title=Science Spotlight: Banana Slug Slime |url=https://hilltromper.com/article/science-spotlight-banana-slug-slime |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Santa Cruz |language=en}}</ref> Upon contact with environmental moisture, dry mucin granules swell dramatically, expanding to hundreds of times their original volume.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McQuate |first=Sarah |title=He Slimed Me! |url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/he-slimed-me/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Scientific American Blog Network |language=en}}</ref> This expansion contributes to the slimy texture but does not involve the numbing effect seen in banana slugs. Moreover, the slime serves the purpose of maintaining moisture on the skin of these slug-like creatures, akin to fruit, which facilitates gas exchange to support [[Respiration (physiology)|respiration]]. The [[glycoprotein]]-based mucous behaves as a liquid crystal, occupying a unique state between a solid and a liquid. Its molecular dispersion prevents it from being a true liquid, yet it lacks the compactness of a solid, displaying an organized, crystal-like pattern.

This mucous secretion serves a multitude of purposes in the life of a banana slug. It aids in locomotion, allowing them to glide gracefully across the forest floor.<ref name="Roberts-2013" /> The slime also serves as a protective barrier, acting as a deterrent against potential predators and pathogens. Additionally, banana slug slime plays a role in reproduction, as slugs deposit chemical cues within the slime to attract potential mates.<ref name="National Geographic-2023" /> The slime's vivid yellow color, which is responsible for their common name, not only adds to their eccentric appearance but also acts as a warning signal to potential predators that it may not be a tasty meal. Banana slug mucus has potential to carry mites and other parasitic organisms.<ref name="Coastside Land Trust-2020">{{Cite web |date=2020-09-27 |title=The Fascinating World Of the Banana Slug with Dr. Janet Leonard Recording |url=https://www.coastsidelandtrust.org/our-blog/2020/9/27/the-fascinating-world-of-the-banana-slug-with-dr-janet-leonard-recording |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Coastside Land Trust |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Reproduction ==

[[File:Two Banana Slugs.jpg|thumb|The mating dance of two banana slugs]]

Banana slugs are [[hermaphroditic]], possessing both male and female reproductive organs. This feature allows them to mate as either sex or even fertilize themselves.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Terry Tom |date=2012-11-18 |title=Love and other animals: the banana slug |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/18/banana-slug |access-date=2023-10-25 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The versatile slime also plays a role in their mating rituals. During the mating phase, banana slugs release [[Pheromone|pheromones]] through their adhesive trails to attract potential partners.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Licking a Banana Slug Will Make Your Tongue Go Numb |url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/student-contributors-environment-did-you-know/licking-banana-slug-will-make-your-tongue-go-numb |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Office for Science and Society |language=en}}</ref> Due to a slug's ability for self-fertilization, there is a high degree of [[Zygosity|homozygosity]]. Notably, their [[Courtship display|courtship]] process can be quite robust and, in certain species, may culminate in [[apophallation]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Reise |first=H |date=2002-04-01 |title=Penis-biting slugs: wild claims and confusions |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0169-5347(02)02453-9 |journal=Trends in Ecology & Evolution |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=163 |doi=10.1016/s0169-5347(02)02453-9 |bibcode=2002TEcoE..17..163R |issn=0169-5347}}</ref> During the mating ritual between two slugs, they both engage in a dance-like action where they will circle each other, occasionally lunging, nipping, and tail whipping.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gordon |first=David George |title=Western Society of Malacologists: Field Guide to the Slug |publisher=Sasquatch Books |year=1994 |isbn=1-57061-011-8}}</ref>  [[University of California, Santa Cruz]] research associate Janet Leonard notes that apophallation occurs some time after [[Copulation (zoology)|copulation]], and the process of chewing takes around 45 minutes, but can take longer.<ref name="Coastside Land Trust-2020" />  After mating, the slugs separate and seek a sheltered ___location to lay their eggs. An impregnated slug will typically lay a range of 3 to 50 eggs in a small crevice. These eggs will typically hatch within a month or two, and the young slugs will mature over several months. Their [[offspring]] will typically contain a pale white hue and as they grow acquire their distinct yellow color.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

==In culture==

Banana slugs have been used as food by [[Yurok]] Natives of the North Coast and by German immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries. A yearly festival and contest is held at [[Russian River (California)|Russian River]] including slug races and a contest for recipes{{snd}}though, even when fed corn meal to purge them or soaked in [[vinegar]] to remove slime, the slugs' flavor is not always well regarded for the modern palate, and the most successful entries are often those in which the flavor is unnoticeable.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/22/us/russian-river-journal-courage-is-an-ingredient-at-banana-slug-festival.html|last=Gross|first=Jane|title=Russian River Journal; Courage Is an Ingredient At Banana Slug Festival|work=New York Times|date=1989-03-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Janiskee|first=Bob|url=http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/03/creature-feature-banana-slug-living-proof-slimy-little-gastropod-mollusk-can-be-loaded-charisma5558|title=Creature Feature: The Banana Slug is Living Proof that a Slimy Little Gastropod Mollusk Can be Loaded with Charisma|work=National Parks Traveler|date=2010-03-22}}</ref>

The banana slug (specifically ''Ariolimax dolichophallus'', which is the most common banana slug on campus) is the mascot of the [[UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs|University of California, Santa Cruz]]. It is common in local forests, was approved by a student vote,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Eric |title=Bay Nature Magazine: Banana Slugs Are Among the Weirdest Animals on Earth |url=https://baynature.org/article/not-just-a-pretty-face-the-banana-slug-is-one-of-the-weirdest-animals-on-earth/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=Bay Nature |language=en-US}}</ref> and was named the best college mascot by [[Reader's Digest|''Reader's Digest'']] in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awards and Honors, 05-17-04 |url=https://currents.ucsc.edu/03-04/05-17/awards.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=currents.ucsc.edu}}</ref> The ''Every Little Thing'' podcast also dedicated half an episode to discussing the banana slug and its historical relevance to the UCSC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dewey Decimal Drama {{!}} Every Little Thing |url=https://gimletmedia.com/shows/every-little-thing/76h58j |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Gimlet |language=en}}</ref> After celebrating 25 years of the establishment of the banana slug as UCSC's mascot, on September 27, 2011, the Santa Cruz City Council declared that day as the official "Day of the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slug."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Mascot: Sammy the Banana Slug – UC Santa Cruz |url=https://www.ucsc.edu/campus/mascot/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> One T-shirt caption was: "No known predators!".<ref>{{cite web|author=UC Santa Cruz Menu |url=http://www.ucsc.edu/about/mascot.html |title=Banana Slug Mascot |publisher=[[University of California, Santa Cruz]] |access-date=2017-08-26}}</ref>

On September 27, 2024, Governor [[Gavin Newsom]] signed AB 1850, making the banana slug the official state slug of California.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fastdemocracy.com/bill-search/ca/2023-2024/bills/CAB00030934/|title=AB 1850|work=FastDemocracy|access-date=2025-01-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/10/13/the-beloved-banana-slug-becomes-californias-official-state-slug-2/|last=Aksenfeld|first=Rita|title=The beloved banana slug becomes California’s official state slug|work=[[Mercury News]]|date=2024-10-13}}</ref>

==References==

{{refbegin}}

* {{citation|last=Schad|first=Jerry|title=Afoot & Afield in San Diego County |publisher=Wilderness Press |year=1998}}

{{refend}}

===Footnotes===

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{wikispecies|Ariolimax|position=left}}

{{commons category|Ariolimax|position=left}}

{{taxonbar|from=Q806112}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banana Slug}}

[[Category:Ariolimacidae]]

[[Category:Endemic fauna of North America]]

[[Category:Molluscs of North America]]

[[Category:Pre-Columbian California cuisine]]