Slugs

KINGDOM: Animalia

PHYLUM: Mollusca

CLASS: Gastropoda

SUBCLASS: Pulmonata

ORDER: Stylommatophora

SUBORDER: Sigmurethra

FAMILIES: Testacellidae, Urocyclidae, Parmacellidae, Milacidae, LimacidAe, Trigonochlamydidae, Boettgeritlidae, Arionidae, Philomycidae

HOW BIG? : One-half inch (13 mm) to ten inches (25.4 cm), depending on species.

HOW LONG DO THEY LIVE?: One to six years, depending on species.

WHAT DO THEY EAT?: Whatever the forest and field have to offer: fungi, lichens, green plants, worms, centipedes, certain insects, animal feces, carrion, other slugs.

WHAT EATS THEM?: Small mammals, snakes, amphibians, some birds, carnivorous beetles, other slugs, and humans.

HOW DO THEY SPREAD?: Eggs; usually small, less than 1/4, inch (6 mm) in diameter, often with a thick outer shell of calcium carbonate; laid in clutches of 3 to 50, with some species laying as many as 500 eggs per year.

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