User:Fluttershy162/Banana slug

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Slime

The mucus secreted by banana slugs contains chemicals that can numb the tongue of predators. This mucus can absorb up to 100 times its volume in water. Technically, this slime is neither liquid nor solid, but rather a liquid crystal substance and has many properties that interest materials engineers.

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The mucus secreted by banana slugs contains chemicals that can numb the tongue of predators. This mucus can absorb up to 100 times its volume in water. Technically, this slime is neither liquid nor solid, but rather a liquid crystal substance. Slug slime bears a resemblance to human mucus, primarily composed of proteins known as mucins. Upon contact with environmental moisture, dry mucin granules swell dramatically, expanding to hundreds of times their original volume. This expansion contributes to the slimy texture but doesn't 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. 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. 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. 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’s mucus has potential to carry mites and other parasitic organisms.

Ecology

Banana slugs are detritivores, or decomposers. They process leaves, animal droppings, moss, and dead plant material, and then recycle them into soil humus.^{[citation needed]} They seem to have a fondness for mushrooms, spread seeds and spores when they eat, and excrete a nitrogen-rich fertilizer.^{[citation needed]} By consuming detritus (dead organic matter) slugs contribute to decomposition and the nutrient cycles and are an important aspect of the ecosystem.

Raccoons, garter snakes, ducks, geese and salamanders sometimes eat banana slugs; they roll the slugs in soil to bind the slime. Juvenile banana slugs are sometimes eaten by moles or shrews.

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Two banana slugs feeding on a mushroom on Vancouver island.

Banana slugs are detritivores, or decomposers. They process leaves, animal droppings, moss, and dead plant material, and then recycle them into soil humus. They are generalist feeders, though they exhibit a preference for mushrooms. Through their consumption of various plant matter and animal excretion, banana slugs acts as agents of seed dispersal, in turn effecting seed survival, deposition, and germination rates. They spread seeds and spores when they eat, and excrete a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Additionally, by consuming detritus (dead organic matter), slugs also contribute to decomposition and the nutrient cycles, playing an important role of within their ecosystems.

Raccoons, garter snakes, ducks, geese and salamanders sometimes eat banana slugs; they roll the slugs in soil to bind the slime. Juvenile banana slugs are sometimes eaten by moles or shrews. However, their slime has a numbing effect when predators attempt to consume them, effecting whatever moist surface it touches.

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 including slug races and a contest for recipes – 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.

The banana slug (specifically Ariolimax dolichophallus, which is the most common banana slug on campus) is the mascot of the University of California, Santa Cruz. It is common in local forests, was approved by a student vote and has won awards. One T-shirt caption was: "No known predators!"

[EDITED VERSION]

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 including slug races and a contest for recipes – 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.

Sammy is the banana slug mascot of UCSC

The banana slug (specifically Ariolimax dolichophallus, which is the most common banana slug on campus) is the mascot of the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). It is common in local forests, was approved by a student vote and has won awards. The “Every Little Thing” podcast also dedicated half an episode to discussing the banana slug and its historical relevance to the UCSC. After celebrating 25 years of the establishment of the banana slug as UCSC’s mascot, on Sept. 27, 2011, the Santa Cruz City Council declared that day as the official “Day of the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slug.” One T-shirt caption was: "No known predators!"

Reproduction

The mating dance of two banana slugs.

An intriguing facet of this genus, encompassing six species, is their hermaphroditic nature, possessing both male and female reproductive organs. This feature allows them to mate as either sex or even fertilize themselves. The versatile slime also plays a role in their mating rituals. During the mating phase, banana slugs release pheromones through their adhesive trails to attract potential partners. Due to a slug's ability for self-fertilization, there is a high degree of homozygosity. Notably, their courtship process can be quite robust and, in certain species, may culminate in apophallation. During the mating ritual between two slugs, they both engage in a mesmerizing dance wherein they will circle each other, occasionally lunging, nipping, and tail whipping. University of California, Santa Cruz research associate Janet Leonard notes that apophallation occurs some time after copulation, and the process of chewing takes around 45 minutes, but can take longer. 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 will acquire the distinct yellow color they're known to have.