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ANIMAL SPECIES:Red Triangle Slug

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This native slug is probably the best known and one of the most spectacular slugs in Sydney gardens.

Identification

The Red Triangle Slug is Australia's largest native land slug. The distinctive red triangle on its back contains the breathing pore.

Size range

14 cm

Distribution

East coast of Australia: Queensland, New South Wales.

Habitat

Red Triangle Slugs are found in urban areas, forests and woodlands and heath.

Behaviour and adaptations

Feeding and Diet

The Red Triangle Slug is usually found grazing on microscopic algae growing on the surface of smooth-barked eucalypt trees, leaving behind scalloped tracks as it goes. If given the chance, it will also remove bathroom mould.

Other behaviours and adaptations

Native slugs can be differentiated from introduced slugs because they have only one pair of tentacles, while introduced snails and slugs have two pairs. Also, the saddle-shaped mantle seen in introduced snails is reduced or absent in native snails and slugs.

Classification

Species:
graeffei
Genus:
Triboniophorus
Family:
Athoracophoridae
Phylum:
Mollusca
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?


Last Updated: 6 December 2011

4 comments

Megan Hamling

Meegziee
10.02 PM, 03 February 2012

I just found on my front door step and I live in enoggera, Brisbane :-) they are beautiful slugs

Heather Coutts

Endeavour
6.12 PM, 26 December 2011

Just found three in our garden, near Coffs Harbour (mid nth coast NSW). Pale grey colour, with pink-red markings.

David Alexander

davex
8.08 PM, 27 August 2011

Just saw two of these amazing creatures in my backyard in Nundah, Brisbane. August 2011

john birch

crazyhorse
11.03 AM, 05 March 2011

Hi ,yeah just discovered a pair of these in our garden,after all this rain,except these two are white not black..Live at kenilworth qld. rgds john

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