Skip to main content

Kerry Slug

Geomalacus maculosus
The Kerry Slug is a rare Slug that was first discovered in County Kerry, Ireland back in 1842. Since then they have also been found in parts of northern Spain and Portugal. They are medium sized slugs that are easy to identify by their spotted pattern.

The one thing that makes them stand out from other slugs is the fact that they aren't at all considered to be a pest. They are found only in wild areas, rather than in gardens. Their need for wild habitats in one of the reasons the slug has become so rare.

They are also distinctive because of their defensive behavior. When they feel threatened they roll up into a tight ball and unstick themselves from whatever they were holding on to. Other Slugs remain attached.

Kerry Slugs are protected in all of the locations that they are found in. Habitat loss and loss of some of their favorite foods (lichens and mosses) have been hurting the populations of the unique little slug. Protection, monitoring, and captive breeding of the species have helped to keep them going.
IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Ireland, Spain, Portugal
Size : Length up to 3.2in (8cm)
Classification : Phylum : Mollusca -- Class : Gastropoda -- Superfamily : Arionoidea
Family : Arionidae -- Genus : Geomalacus -- Species : G. maculosus
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a
59 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent
Post a Comment
Read more