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Leopard Slug

Mollusks

The leopard slug, Limax maximus, is a large land slug native to Europe but now widely introduced elsewhere, named for the dark spots and blotches patterning its pale body. It is known for an unusual courtship ritual in which a mating pair entwines together while suspended in midair on a thick strand of mucus, exchanging sperm through extended, translucent blue reproductive organs before dropping to the ground.

Facts
Classification
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 2
Relationship to People
Invasive or Introduced Species 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Derived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status (w-bfill-g5-0924 browse backfill).
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Adult body 10 to 20 cm long, generally light grey or grey-brown with darker spots and blotches 1
Scientific Name
Limax maximus 1
Conservation Status
Least Concern 1
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Limax maximus (Wikipedia)
  • Introduction
    Limax maximus
  • Introduction, second sentence
    generally a light grey or grey-brown with darker spots and blotches
  • Wikidata claim, IUCN conservation status (P141)
    least concern
  • article text (relationship to people), EntityId 312566
    Although native to Europe, this species has been accidentally introduced to many other parts of the world.
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
Wikidata: Leopard Slug
WikidataWikidata Q854808, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
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