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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Definitely a Tangential Meander ... Slug Love

Here are two Limax Maximus, aka leopard slugs.

They have created a long mucus rope, and are suspended from it.

They are entwined, and ready to exchange sperm. They are hermaphroditic. 

The conjoined sperm sac was really quite beautiful.



Bug came out to see why I was outside in the dark, taking photos.

This is probably more than you would ever want to know about slugs, but ... As I came back from the barn last night, something caught my eye at the door. It was two slugs mating. The leopard slug is the only one that mates while suspended from a "rope". It's really quite fascinating watching them, all in S  L  O  W  motion, turning and twisting in mid-air. I could go into great and gory detail, but I will contain myself. There is a good video clip on youtube of the ritual, narrated by David Attenborough. 

2 comments:

  1. Ehhh..... yuk! It is an interesting ritual, I agree, but they are not huggable animals. :)

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  2. Hello Kathryn:)This is nature on his best! I love to see this kind of things, so interesting. Thank you for showing!

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