Fastosarion aquila
Description
The black spotted semi-slug is a browny-orange colour with distinctive black spotting on tissue surrounding its shell. It has an ear-shaped, yellowy-brown shell with fine, spiral grooves. Despite having a shell like other gastropods such as snails, the shell is too small for the semi-slug to completely retract into. They grow to about 40mm with a shell diameter between 14-17mm.
They are common in undisturbed rainforest patches between Mullumbimby in New South Wales to Kenilworth in Queensland, but most common at Tamborine Mountain and Lamington National Park.
Adaptations
- Hermaphrodite: each individual has both male and female reproductive organs, but they still have to find a mate to breed
- Two pairs of tentacles on their head: the large pair contain the eyes, the smaller pair are feelers
Feeding relationships
- What I eat: mainly nocturnal herbivores that feed on live or decaying plants
- What eats me: birds and lizards
Interesting facts
As they are hermaphroditic, both individuals are capable of laying eggs after mating.