Giant African Slug

Polytoxon robustum

a large tailed slug, Urocyclidae, from Nairobi, Kenya, December 2012. Photo © by Michael Plagens

Observed at Nairobi, Kenya, Africa. December 2012.

a large banana slug, Urocyclidae, from South Nandi Forest, Kenya, April 2013. Photo © by Michael Plagens

Observed at South Nandi Forest, Kenya, Africa. April 2013. The slug is feeding on foliage of a very spiny Acanthus sp. This appears to be another species. There is a distinct border to the foot.

Land snails lacking shells are known as slugs. There are several families of snail that include species without shells. Like typical land snails they move along on a layer of mucus secreted by their 'stomach-foot'. This is the reason for the order name 'Gastropoda'. This restricts slug activity to times when the relative humidity is high. In moist cloud forests slugs and snails can forage by day, but in other environments they must come out of underground hiding only at night or during rain events.

a large slug, from Kitale, Kenya, April 2013. Photo © by Michael Plagens

Observed at Kitale, Kenya, Africa. April 2013. I am uncertain if this is a separate species from the one shown at left.

Urocyclidae -- Tailed Land Snail Family

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 14 April 2012,
updated 23 June 2022.