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I just found this outside my house while walking the dog. I was thinking it's some kind of slug? It's been raining a lot lately and today, so maybe that has something to do with it being on the pavement. I live in South Central Indiana, US. When it wasn't stretched out, I'd say it was 2-3 inches long.

enter image description here

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    $\begingroup$ It's definitely some sort of slug. I would suggest you link the images directly in the post using the image tags. I would edit it for you if I knew the direct URL for the images, not just the imgur links. I would also suggest you posted your approximate location so we can narrow down options for specific species of slugs. Since I'm not a slugologist, I can't help much more than that. $\endgroup$
    – user137
    May 9, 2016 at 4:10
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    $\begingroup$ @user137 The precise term is a malacologist $\endgroup$
    – March Ho
    May 9, 2016 at 5:31
  • $\begingroup$ You'll actually find them, or their tracks, quite commonly on the sidewalk or pavement in the early morning just before sunrise. I imagine if it was raining it might have gotten washed onto the pavement or it may have gotten there searching for higher ground. In the US they are generally considered a pest and can consume crop plants very quickly. I don't actively treat my lawn for them but if I find them I take the opportunity to not let it back into my yard. $\endgroup$
    – Robert Kaucher
    May 9, 2016 at 14:44
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    $\begingroup$ It could help if you were to say what country / region you're in ... $\endgroup$
    – A E
    May 9, 2016 at 15:10
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    $\begingroup$ Based on another post, the OP is in Indiana. Or at least was 2 years ago... $\endgroup$
    – Darrel Hoffman
    May 9, 2016 at 16:27

1 Answer 1

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It looks as though it has a keel along it's back (the area behind the mantle shield.)

If so (and I think it is), it would be a keelback slug, the coloration strongly suggesting a leopard slug (Limax maximus):

enter image description here

Coloration varies but the general pattern is a spotted spotted mantle sheild about a third of its length in size, with a striped tail.

The major doubt I have is the size. It looks smallish in the photo. Leopard slugs are very large. Perhaps it's a juvenile.

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  • $\begingroup$ I suspect the keel is just an artifact of the way ansarob took the photo. If ansarob is in the Midwest USA, that's almost certainly a leopard slug. It's hard to tell scale from the image but it looks as if it's retracted into a defensive posture which might explain its lack of length. $\endgroup$
    – Robert Kaucher
    May 9, 2016 at 14:51
  • $\begingroup$ +1; definitely looks like a leopard slug to me and as @RobertKaucher says above I think the apparently small size is an artefact of the camera angle. $\endgroup$
    – arboviral
    May 10, 2016 at 7:59
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, this is the leopard slug. It's native and relatively common in my country, but it has been introduced to North America. $\endgroup$
    – RHA
    May 10, 2016 at 13:12

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