banana slugs

genus Ariolimax

Member of slugs
heterobranchs (subclass Heterobranchia)
gastropods (class Gastropoda)
mollusks (phylum Mollusca)
animals (kingdom Animalia)

There are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

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Thomas Everest has summarized the current research regarding identification. In the bay area, only button’s banana slug (Ariolimax buttoni) can have spots, although it can also appear without spots. For observations without spots, Thomas prefers to infer a species from its location where the literature doesn’t show an overlap. Personally, I find the range data to be too sparse to be definitive, so I just mark unspotted individuals as banana slugs (genus Ariolimax).

button’s banana slug
Ariolimax buttoni

• only local species that may have spots
• SF, Marin, east bay, and (sparsely in) Santa Clara

Do not lick.

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2 observed taxons / 1 unobserved taxon / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 51 (15 are research grade)

Locations:

• El Corte de Madera OSP: 8
• Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP: 8
• Mt. Madonna SP: 6
• Huddart CP: 4
• Big Basin SP: 3
• Butano SP: 2
• Castle Rock SP: 2
• DeLaveaga Park, Santa Cruz: 2
• Pescadero Creek CP: 2
• San Pedro Valley CP: 2
• Bear Creek Redwoods OSP
• Monte Bello OSP
• Nisene Marks SP
• Picchetti Ranch OSP
• Portola Redwoods SP
• Russian Ridge OSP
• Sam McDonald CP
• Sanborn CP
• Skyline Ridge OSP
• Wilder Ranch SP
• Windy Hill OSP
• Wunderlich CP

Months:

• Jan.: 8
• Feb.: 2
• Mar.: 4
• Apr.: 3
• May: 8
• Jun.: 6
• Jul.: 5
• Aug.: 6
• Sep.: 3
• Oct.: 3
• Nov.: 1
• Dec.: 2

For more details, use advanced search.

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Taxon info: iNaturalist

Bay Area species: iNaturalist