The Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) is a species of slug found on the Pacific coast of North America. It is the second-largest species of terrestrial slug in the world, growing up to 25 centimeters (9.8 in) long. As of 2021, it is the most commonly observed species in the genus '' Ariolimax'' on the citizen science website

iNaturalist iNaturalist is a social network of naturalists, citizen scientists, and biologists built on the concept of mapping and sharing observations of biodiversity across the globe. iNaturalist may be accessed via its website or from its mobile applic ...

. An important function of this particular species is the role it plays in seed dispersion.

Description

The Pacific Banana Slug can grow up to 25 centimeters long, making it the second largest terrestrial slug in the world. It is often bright yellow, but it can also be greenish, brown, tan, or white. The Pacific Banana Slug commonly also has black spots covering the tail, sometimes so extensively that the tail may appear completely black. Individual slugs can also change color from changes in their environment and eating habits, and can also indicate if a slug is healthy or injured.

Distribution

The Pacific Banana Slug is found from

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

, United States and

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada in the north down through

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

,and

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban a ...

, with the highest concentration in California. They are the only species of the genus ''Ariolimax'' that is found outside of California. They are found in moist and damp areas of the

forest floor The forest floor, also called detritus, duff and the O horizon, is one of the most distinctive features of a forest ecosystem. It mainly consists of shed vegetative parts, such as leaves, branches, bark, and stems, existing in various stages ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3692417 Ariolimacidae Molluscs of North America Endemic fauna of the Pacific Northwest