Identification of a Black Slug

August 11, 2003
From: Elvis

Hello,
I'm looking for an ID on a particular slug ... Here's some info, I started out with one and now have hundreds of these little creatures in my aquarium....

The slug is black, round, and has a white stripe ton the back, which gets larger, and sometimes completely closes ..... The slug has tentacles, and has black flaps on the side making it look like a flower .... I heard it's called an elephant slug, but can't seem to find it anywhere..

I'd appreciate a link to the species or what it's diet consists of..
Thank you.
Elvis

vplebowski@sbcglobal.net

Elvis, 2003 (Aug 11) Identification of a Black Slug. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10704

Dear Elvis,
At the top of each page on the Forum there is a black navigation bar which includes a SEARCH button. If you had searched there for 'elephant slug' you would have got your answer. Your animal is Scutus. If you go to that page you will find plenry of background information on the Fact Sheet and the many attached messages. I am not sure how nany species there is either one black species with a widespread distribution in the tropical and temperate Indo-West Pacific, or a number of very similar-looking species. From the many messages to the Forum it is a very common hitch-hiker on 'live rock' which is sold to aqaurium keepers. Scutus is a snail, not a sea slug, and unlike sea slugs it is single sexed. Therefore you must have either had two animals in your aquarium before all the 'babies' appeared, or else you bought a piece of live rock with many microscopic juveniles on it.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Aug 11). Comment on Identification of a Black Slug by Elvis. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10704

Factsheet

Elephant Slug, Shield Slug, Ducksbill Limpet (Scutus sp.)

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