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n2doc

(47,953 posts)
Thu May 30, 2013, 11:45 AM May 2013

Giant, fluorescent pink slugs discovered

Ben Cubby
Environment Editor



High in the mists that shroud Mount Kaputar, near Narrabri in north-western NSW, scientists have discovered a secret world.
By day it is an isolated pocket of snow gums, wrapped in straggling native vines.
People tend to focus on the cute and cuddly bird and mammal species like koalas. But these little invertebrates drive whole ecosystems.

But on rainy nights, it is the domain of giant, fluorescent pink slugs - up to 20 centimetres long - and carnivorous, cannibal land snails that roam the mountaintop in search of their vegetarian victims.


The cannibal snail dines on other vegetarian snails.


''It's just one of those magical places, especially when you are up there on a cool, misty morning,'' said Michael Murphy, a national parks ranger for 20 years, whose beat covers the mountain top.


''It's a tiny island of alpine forest, hundreds of kilometres away from anything else like it. The slugs, for example, are buried in the leaf mould during the day, but sometimes at night they come out in their hundreds and feed off the mould and moss on the trees. They are amazing, unreal-looking creatures.''


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/one-will-really-amaze-you-the-other-just-eats-his-mates-20130528-2n9ik.html

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Giant, fluorescent pink slugs discovered (Original Post) n2doc May 2013 OP
And here I thought I was clicking on another post about Congress!!! MADem May 2013 #1
I thought it was an interview of Limbaugh's parents Warpy May 2013 #9
The color doesn't improve my reaction - ew, ick. Nt xchrom May 2013 #2
Darn, why can't we get interesting critters like that here? The Velveteen Ocelot May 2013 #3
it is the snalils that eat slugs, says the ariticle dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #4
Still. I really want a giant pink slug for my garden. The Velveteen Ocelot May 2013 #5
What garden? Lochloosa May 2013 #6
I imagine if you had flourescent pink slugs... Scootaloo May 2013 #7
Here's a recipe to rid your garden of snails ReRe Jun 2013 #17
I don't have a problem with snails (and I know the beer method). The Velveteen Ocelot Jun 2013 #19
Yuk! ReRe Jun 2013 #21
makes the banana slug look downright pedestrian frylock May 2013 #8
It made me think of Banana Slugs too EverHopeful Jun 2013 #22
Needs salt. OnyxCollie May 2013 #10
What the hell is northwestern NSW? Thanks for your effort. xtraxritical May 2013 #11
I'm guessing New South Wales BrotherIvan May 2013 #12
Only one question: Warren DeMontague May 2013 #13
How the hell does that slug survive? sakabatou May 2013 #14
That's a good question. Curmudgeoness May 2013 #15
If Nature does a program on these slugs, I would love for John Waters to write & direct it. nt MrScorpio May 2013 #16
! Kali Jun 2013 #20
Fluorescent Pink Slugs. Good name for a rock band? tclambert Jun 2013 #18

MADem

(135,425 posts)
1. And here I thought I was clicking on another post about Congress!!!
Thu May 30, 2013, 11:51 AM
May 2013

Seriously, though...those things are the oddest looking creatures!

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,681 posts)
3. Darn, why can't we get interesting critters like that here?
Thu May 30, 2013, 12:28 PM
May 2013

I'd love to have a big fluorescent pink slug in my garden to eat the slugs that eat my tomatoes. That would be so cool.

There are no fluorescent pink animals in Minnesota, sad to say.

Oh, wait - maybe Michele Bachmann...

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
7. I imagine if you had flourescent pink slugs...
Thu May 30, 2013, 02:18 PM
May 2013

You'd probably think they were boring and wonder, "why can't we have one of those neat spotted garden slugs, instead?"

ReRe

(10,597 posts)
17. Here's a recipe to rid your garden of snails
Sat Jun 1, 2013, 01:02 AM
Jun 2013

... save your jar lids (like tops of mayo jars, pickles, jelly, etc.) Nestle the jar lids into the dirt (not below the surface, however) and all around your garden in several places. Now get a can of beer and fill each lid. You will be shocked what slithers over there to get a drink. They may get drunk and maybe a little greedy or something, but they climb in and drown. Have fun.

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,681 posts)
19. I don't have a problem with snails (and I know the beer method).
Sat Jun 1, 2013, 12:31 PM
Jun 2013

What I *WANT* is a big fluorescent pink slug!!

EverHopeful

(185 posts)
22. It made me think of Banana Slugs too
Sun Jun 2, 2013, 07:05 AM
Jun 2013

and I was gonna' try to find a picture to post but then, I don't know how to post pictures here so FAIL. Bet they'd look cute together though.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
15. That's a good question.
Fri May 31, 2013, 09:07 PM
May 2013

When you figure that it lives the days in the leaf litter, you would expect it to blend in instead of sticking out like a, well, pink slug.

I can only suppose that it has few predators. Poisonous? Bad taste?

tclambert

(11,085 posts)
18. Fluorescent Pink Slugs. Good name for a rock band?
Sat Jun 1, 2013, 06:48 AM
Jun 2013

FSP for short. (Like ELO for Electric Light Orchestra.)

Here we come,
crawlin' out of the leaf mold,
Get the funniest looks from
Australian park rangers.

Hey, hey, we're the Pink Slugs,
Come and watch us slither and crawl,
We're just fluorescent invertebrates,
With nothin' to say at all . . .

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