Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC)

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Common Slugs and Snails

Semi-Slug (Parmarion martensi)

  • Full grown adults can get up to 2 inches
  • Various shades of mottled grey
  • Hump on the back
  • Piece of shell on the hump
semi slug on ti plant
Adult Semi-slug
adult and immature semi slugs. showing different sizes of semi slugs
Adult and immature semi-slugs
Photo by: Kay Howe

Giant African Snail (Achatina fulica)

  • Full grown adults can get up to 8 inches long and 5 inches in diameter
  • Shells are brownish with darker brown lengthwise stripes
  • Seven to nine whorls, including a swollen long body whorl, and cover at least half the length of the snail.
adult african snail in grass
Adult Giant African Snail
immature african snail
Immature Giant African Snail

Cuban Slug (Veronicella cubensis)

  • Various shades of brown
  • Two black/dark brown stripes along body, or no stripes. Stripes can be broken making them look spotty
  • Thin light colored line down the middle of the body
  • Adults can be around 2-3 inches long
cuban slug that has a mottled coloring rather than stripes
Cuban slug with no stripe
cuban slig with distinctive pair of black stripes
Cuban Snail with stripes
Photo by: Scott Nelson

Black Slug (Veronicella leydigi)

  • Black with a thin yellow stripe
  • Body appears leathery
black slug on root ball
Black Slug
Photo by: Scot Nelson
black slug feeding on produce
Black Slug
Photo by: Scott Nelson

Grey Field Slug (Deroceras reticulatum)

  • 35-55mm long
  • Creme or grey colored
  • Back half of the slug has grooves
  • Can have dark grey/brown speckles
Grey Field Slug, creme colored, no speckles
Grey Field Slug, creme colored, no speckles
Wikimedia Commons
grey field slug, grey with speckles
Grey Field Slug, grey with speckles
Wikimedia Commons

Meghimatium bilineatum

  • Off white/light brown
  • 2-3 inches long
  • Faint lines along the back
Meghimatium bilineatum next to ruler
Meghimatium bilineatum
Meghimatium bilineatum with finger for size reference
Meghimatium bilineatum

Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC)

23 East Kawili Street, Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 933-3340

  

biisc@hawaii.edu

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