They have a bizarre and somewhat brutal biological quirk. Because their anatomy is so large, they occasionally get "stuck" during mating. When this happens, one slug will actually chew off the other's phallus to separate. This is called apophallation. The "victim" then lives the rest of its life as a female (they are #hermaphrodites).

#photography
#molluscs
#BananaSlug
#apophallation

A banana slug navigates difficult terrain in Pacific Grove, California, US. It has a phallus that can stretch the entire length of its body (up to 15cm), and it emits a tongue-numbing mucous to deter predators.

Photograph: Rory Merry/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock

#photography
#molluscs
#BananaSlug

https://inaturalist.org Observation of the Day for Mar 27, 2026: Antidrymaeus stramineus [Mollusca], by user: floydh
[via @inatrepostbot]
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/345004880
Youngmans Valley, Cumberland Watershed, St Vincent and the Grenadines
2026-03-24T10:55:00-04:00
Credit: (c) floydh, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/inat-observation-of-the-day
#inaturalist #inaturalistorg #citizenscience #antidrymaeusstramineus #antidrymaeusstramineus #youngmansvalley #cumberlandwatershed #stvincentandthegrenadines #mollusca #animals #molluscs #gastropods #heterobranchs #commonlandsnailsandslugs
Session 3.3 Molluscan Research from Biology to Management hosted by Fedor Lishchenko and Elizaveta Vlasova
#ICYMARE2026Bremen #molluscs #ecology #marinemolluscs #marineecology #earlycareerconference #oceandecade
https://inaturalist.org Observation of the Day for Feb 23, 2026: Calliostoma [Mollusca], by user: kychinmay
[via @inatrepostbot]
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/338864768
Raigarh, IN-MH, IN
2024-02-14T09:12:00+05:30
Credit: (c) Chinmay Sonawane, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)
See more: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/inat-observation-of-the-day
#inaturalist #inaturalistorg #citizenscience #calliostoma #calliostoma #raigarh #inmh #in #mollusca #animals #molluscs #gastropods
#Sciart for #ValentinesDay 💕:
Heart Cockles! (Corculum cardissa)
“Cardium,” Plate 59 in General Conchology by William Wood (London, 1815)
Via Biodiversity Heritage Library:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/51003621825/
#Shells #Mollusks #Molluscs