about_the_slug:about_the_slug
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about_the_slug:about_the_slug [2015/07/15 20:26] ceisenhart Major changes under way, please let me finish before doing more |
about_the_slug:about_the_slug [2015/08/18 21:01] jaredc |
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| - | ====== About the slug ====== | + | =========== About the slug ============ |
| The //Ariolimax Dolicophallus// is a relatively unstudied species. Here we aim to provide concise and accurate biological information about the //Ariolimax Dolicophallus//. | The //Ariolimax Dolicophallus// is a relatively unstudied species. Here we aim to provide concise and accurate biological information about the //Ariolimax Dolicophallus//. | ||
| - | =====Banana Slug Biology===== | + | ===========Banana slug biology=========== |
| - | ==== Presentation of John Pearse and Jan Leonard ==== | + | |
| - | Presented to the BME235 Slug Genome class on April 23, 2010, this website [[http://compbio.soe.ucsc.edu/slugGenome/|http://compbio.soe.ucsc.edu/slugGenome/]] contains a pdf "All About Banana Slugs". | + | |
| ====Taxonomy==== | ====Taxonomy==== | ||
| - | The term "banana slug" refers to any member of the genus //Ariolimax//, of which there are three species. They are part of the mollusc superfamily Arionoidea, which contains most terrestrial air-breathing slugs. Within //Ariolimax//, there are three species: //A. columbianus//, //A. californicus//, and //A. dolichophallus//, which is the UC Santa Cruz mascot. | + | The term "banana slug" refers to any member of the genus //Ariolimax//, of which there are three species. They are part of the mollusk superfamily Arionoidea, which contains most terrestrial air-breathing slugs. Within //Ariolimax//, there are three species: //A. columbianus//, //A. californicus//, and //A. dolichophallus//, which is the UC Santa Cruz mascot. |
| - | ====Appearance and Anatomy==== | + | Snails and slugs belong to the gastropod class in the mollusc phylum. The term "[[http://www.seaslugforum.net/showall/nonslug|slug]]" is polyphyletic, does not refer to a specific phylogenetic group but rather have a converged body shape not inherited from common ancestors. Slugs are gastropods that through the course of evolution have lost their functional shell. The term "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_slug|banana slug]]" is the common name for members of the Ariolimax genus. The [[http://memim.com/banana-slug.html|Ariolimax]] genus were first described in publication by Otto Andreas Lowson Mörch in 1859. The species //[[http://eol.org/pages/396042/overview|A. dolichophallus]]// was first described in publication, [[http://www.jstor.org/stable/2421208|here]], by Albert R. Mead in 1943. |
| - | //Ariolimax dolichophallus//, the slender banana slug, can grow up to 7" long. As the name suggests, banana slugs are usually bright yellow in color, although they can also be green, black, brown, or white. | + | |
| + | ====Appearance and anatomy==== | ||
| + | //Ariolimax dolichophallus//, the slender banana slug, can grow up to 7" long. As the name suggests, banana slugs are usually bright yellow in color, although they can also be green, black, brown, or white. The scientific name, //dolichophallus// given by Mead in 1943 literally translates into "long slender penis." Because the outside appearance of banana slugs are so similar Mead decided the most prominent distinction for this species was the reproductive anatomy. | ||
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| + | {{ :wiki:slug_parts.png|}} | ||
| Banana slugs are similar to other terrestrial species in their anatomy. They have two sets of retractable tentacles on their head. The top pair of larger tentacles are frequently referred to as eyestalks, and are used for light-sensing. The smaller lower pair of tentacles provide the slug with a sense of smell. The slug's mouth is on the underside of the head. | Banana slugs are similar to other terrestrial species in their anatomy. They have two sets of retractable tentacles on their head. The top pair of larger tentacles are frequently referred to as eyestalks, and are used for light-sensing. The smaller lower pair of tentacles provide the slug with a sense of smell. The slug's mouth is on the underside of the head. | ||
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| Banana slugs are known for the thick mucous that they excrete from their skin. This mucous performs several functions. It keeps their skin lubricated, which is necessary for gas exchange. During mating season, banana slugs release pheromones in their mucous that signals their location to potential mates. In addition, the mucous provides some protection against predators, as it has anesthetic properties when it contacts a wet surface, such as the inside of a predator's mouth.((http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ariolimax_columbianus.html)) | Banana slugs are known for the thick mucous that they excrete from their skin. This mucous performs several functions. It keeps their skin lubricated, which is necessary for gas exchange. During mating season, banana slugs release pheromones in their mucous that signals their location to potential mates. In addition, the mucous provides some protection against predators, as it has anesthetic properties when it contacts a wet surface, such as the inside of a predator's mouth.((http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ariolimax_columbianus.html)) | ||
| - | ====Behavior and Ecology==== | + | {{:wiki:pulmon16la.gif |}} The internal anatomy of gastropods is very asymmetrical and contorted. This is an artifact of packing their internal organs into a shell. Even though slugs have adapted to life without a shell their internal organs are still asymmetrical and contorted. The image on the left, provided by Lander University [[http://lanwebs.lander.edu/faculty/rsfox/invertebrates/limax.html|here]], was diagramed from a dissected //Limax maximus// which is a close relative of banana slugs. This illustration is sufficiently accurate to banana slugs with exceptions to the reproductive anatomy. The illustration bellow details the "extremely attenuate apical phallus which not infrequently is of greater length than the slug itself!" (Mead 1943) {{ :wiki:dolichophallus.png?direct|}} |
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| + | ====Behavior and ecology==== | ||
| Banana slugs are detritivorous, eating dead and decomposing plant and animal matter. They also eat living plant material and have a special fondness for mushrooms. Since banana slugs are prone to desiccation in hot, arid environments, they are typically nocturnal, and come out during the day only when the weather is acceptable. During particularly dry periods of time, banana slugs can estivate by burying themselves in debris, secreting an especially thick coat of protective mucous, and going dormant until the conditions become more hospitable.((http://ic.ucsc.edu/college8core/c8wiki/index.php/Natural_History_of_UCSC)) | Banana slugs are detritivorous, eating dead and decomposing plant and animal matter. They also eat living plant material and have a special fondness for mushrooms. Since banana slugs are prone to desiccation in hot, arid environments, they are typically nocturnal, and come out during the day only when the weather is acceptable. During particularly dry periods of time, banana slugs can estivate by burying themselves in debris, secreting an especially thick coat of protective mucous, and going dormant until the conditions become more hospitable.((http://ic.ucsc.edu/college8core/c8wiki/index.php/Natural_History_of_UCSC)) | ||
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| Many animals are predators of the banana slug, including birds, raccoons, snakes, and salamanders. However, due to the mucous secreted by the slug, most such predators will roll the slug around in the dirt to remove the slime before eating the slug.((http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/10/banana-slug/)) | Many animals are predators of the banana slug, including birds, raccoons, snakes, and salamanders. However, due to the mucous secreted by the slug, most such predators will roll the slug around in the dirt to remove the slime before eating the slug.((http://www.greatwildoutdoors.com/2007/09/10/banana-slug/)) | ||
| - | ====Search Strategies ==== | + | |
| + | ==== Presentation by John Pearse and Jan Leonard ==== | ||
| + | Presented to the BME235 Slug Genome class on April 23, 2010, this website [[http://compbio.soe.ucsc.edu/slugGenome/|http://compbio.soe.ucsc.edu/slugGenome/]] contains a pdf "All About Banana Slugs". | ||
| + | A similar presentation was given to the Spring 2015 class, notes can be found [[https://banana-slug.soe.ucsc.edu/lecture_notes:04-01-2015|here]]. | ||
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| + | ====Search strategies ==== | ||
| To find the rather sparse literature on //A. dolichophallus// requires doing sensitive literature searches, then weeding the results to get higher specificity. This section should list searches tried, how many hits they got, and what sort of specificity they had. The results should be collected in the Annotated Bibliography section. | To find the rather sparse literature on //A. dolichophallus// requires doing sensitive literature searches, then weeding the results to get higher specificity. This section should list searches tried, how many hits they got, and what sort of specificity they had. The results should be collected in the Annotated Bibliography section. | ||
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| * //dolichiphallus// alone gets 73, some of which are wrong genus. | * //dolichiphallus// alone gets 73, some of which are wrong genus. | ||
| - | ==== Annotated Bibliography ==== | + | ==== Annotated bibliography ==== |
| Uploaded is a long bibliography by Janet Leonard {{:ariolimax_bibliography_janet_leonard.doc}} | Uploaded is a long bibliography by Janet Leonard {{:ariolimax_bibliography_janet_leonard.doc}} | ||
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| David R. Crankshaw, Jean H. Langenheim, Variation in terpenes and phenolics through leaf development in Hymenaea and its possible significance to herbivory, Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, Volume 9, Issues 2-3, 10 November 1981, Pages 115-124, ISSN 0305-1978.\\ | David R. Crankshaw, Jean H. Langenheim, Variation in terpenes and phenolics through leaf development in Hymenaea and its possible significance to herbivory, Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, Volume 9, Issues 2-3, 10 November 1981, Pages 115-124, ISSN 0305-1978.\\ | ||
| doi:[[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(81)90029-6|10.1016/0305-1978(81)90029-6]].)] | doi:[[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0305-1978(81)90029-6|10.1016/0305-1978(81)90029-6]].)] | ||
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| + | ==== References ==== | ||
| + | <refnotes>notes-separator: none</refnotes> | ||
| + | ~~REFNOTES cite~~ | ||
| + | |||
| ===== Heterozygosity and slug selfing ===== | ===== Heterozygosity and slug selfing ===== | ||
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| Our findings suggest that the slugs do indeed self in nature, and it may be their preferred way of reproducing. Our project sequenced a wild caught slug, and the fact that this wild caught slug was homozygous heavily implies that it is the result of several generations of selfing. | Our findings suggest that the slugs do indeed self in nature, and it may be their preferred way of reproducing. Our project sequenced a wild caught slug, and the fact that this wild caught slug was homozygous heavily implies that it is the result of several generations of selfing. | ||
| - | ==== References ==== | ||
| - | <refnotes>notes-separator: none</refnotes> | ||
| - | ~~REFNOTES cite~~ | ||
about_the_slug/about_the_slug.txt · Last modified: 2015/08/20 00:32 by jaredc
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