This morning I stepped out onto our back deck to breathe in a little of Washington's moist musk and looked down only find a Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) on one of our potted plants. They are amazing little creatures.
The upper tentacles on their heads are actually their eyes. The lower pair are used to feel along and detect variance in chemicals of the ground they are moving over. Both the upper and lower tentacula can be retracted or extended, very similar to a turtle's appendages.
They have a single lung called a pnuemostome. The opening of pneumostome is a hole in the side of the slug that allows for gas exchange to occur.
I think they are incredibly fascinating and I likely would not have dedicated an entire blog entry if it weren't for one detail, we live on the second floor. This slug climbed an entire story to get to our deck.
Riley
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