Red-triangle Slug

Slug 1

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Gastropoda

Sub-order: Pulmonata

Family: Athoracophoridae

Genus: Triboniophorus

Species: graeffei

The Red-triangle Slug (Triboniophorus graeffei, length 70mm) is common in the greater Brisbane region of south-eastern Queensland. This species which lives in coastal forests from around Wollongong NSW north to Mossman in northern Qld has many colour forms. The most common colour form is a creamy white animal with a prominent red triangular mantle shield.red-triangle-slug

However, various colour forms exist including all-red and all-yellow animals, both of which occur at Mount Cordeaux near Brisbane. It is likely that future molecular studies may reveal that some of these colour forms are actually distinct species. This lichen-eating slug leaves feeding tracks (lines of small arc-shaped markings) which can often be seen on smooth barked eucalypts.

P7b

Red form found at Mt Kaputar, New South Wales

P1020822

Feeding tracks of the Red Triangle slug. These are found on the snow gums of Mt Kaputar and the large tracks from the red form of this slug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Information:

Atlas of Living Australia

Australian Museum

P1 slug

Orange form- from Mt Superbus, Qld