Slug is a name given to apparently shell-less gastropod molluscs. They lead a mostly terrestrial existence, and are prone to dessication - hence they favour a moist environment such as leaf litter, or beneath rocks. Many retain a remnant of their ancestral shell, although this is often internal. Slugs move using their flat underside - known as the "foot". By contracting the muscles and exuding a layer of mucus, they are able to move at a slow but steady pace. This mucus also aids in retaining moisture. Slugs are hermaphrodites and able to reproduce as both male and female. With some species - like this Banana Slug - the penis becomes trapped within the partner's body and must be chewed off before they can separate. After that, the Slug is only able to mate as a female.
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