Question

Today I found a small slug, 35-40 mm dangling on a shiny thread from a branch 175 cm above me. I thought that the slug had slid on a spider's web, so I touched it and it instantly snapped and the slug fell on the floor. I think it was wet and was mucus. How can a slug mucus, in 5-12'C, become 2 meters long, 50 microns wide and hold a slug from a branch?

Answer 1

Slug mucus, which is adhesive and can stretch considerably, allowed the slug to dangle from a branch, showcasing the slug's ability to produce a resilient and strong secretion even in cooler temperatures.

The ability of a slug to produce a mucus thread that can extend a couple of meters and be only about 50 microns wide while supporting the slug's weight is an intriguing phenomenon. Slug mucus is known for its unique properties; it can be both sticky and lubricative, which facilitates movement and climbing.

The fact that the slug was 175 cm in the air on a mucus strand indicates its remarkable capacity to produce an incredibly elongated and strong secretion even at cooler temperatures between 5-12°C.

This mucus has adhesive properties that enable it to stick to various surfaces and cohesive properties that allow it to stretch without breaking easily, much like the dew drops clinging to a spider's web. Slime molds and slugs are examples of organisms that effectively use mucus or similar secretions for survival, despite the differences in their structures and functions.