Introduction
According to Matt Davies Harmony Communities, snails and slugs look quite similar and share quite a few characteristics. Some people even view slugs as snails without shells. However, have you ever wondered about the differences between slugs and snails? Let’s check them out.
The Differences
1. Snails vs Slugs – Both snails and slugs are gastropod mollusks. Usually, gastropod mollusks that lack a shell or have a very small shell or possess an internal shell are known as slugs. All slugs are terrestrial and not found in freshwater environments or in the oceans. Slugs don’t grow extremely large and the largest one, the ash-blackLimaxcinereoniger can grow up to 12 inches.
On the other hand, snails are gastropod mollusks that may or may not start with a shell when young but develop coiled shells as they become adults. However, snails aren’t just limited to land. There are also freshwater snails and sea snails. While the largest land snail may be smaller than the largest slug, the largest snail, the Australian Trumpet can grow up to 3 feet long.
2. Anatomy – Both snails and slugs share a lot of similarities, from being slimy with mucus to having antennas and compound eyes. Their main distinguishing feature is the snail’s inconspicuous shell. Snails have large enough shells to completely coil back in them for protection against predators. Some species of snails can also close their shells after contracting into them.
On the other hand, slugs don’t have the convenience of a mobile home in the form of a large shell. Some have very small external shells; some have none and others have a small internal vestigial shell to store calcium. Since slugs don’t have a hard and large external shell, they are more prone to predators and take more damage to their soft tissue.
3. Speed – The movement of both snails and slugs is very interesting. They create a sweeping action along their length by creating waves of muscular contractions. This action almost mimics the stepping motion. While there are thousands of snail and slug species with varying crawling speeds, snails are usually faster than slugs.
Even with their heavy shell, snails can hit the incredible speed of one millimeter per second and still be faster than slugs. On the other hand, some sea snails don’t even move from their position and depend on drifting plankton for sustenance.
4. Habitat – Without any shell, slugs can compress and maneuver into hiding places with a tiny amount of space. That’s why their habitat usually includes space under stone slabs, loose bark on trees, and gaps in wooden boards. This provides them with immense environmental flexibility. Snails trade-off that flexibility in favor of carrying a mobile home that they can contract into for protection. That’s why snails can be found everywhere from land to lakes and even seas. Land snails and slugs usually prefer humid and hot climates with ample hiding and shading.
Conclusion
Matt Davies Harmony Communities suggests that you learn more about these gastropod mollusks if you’re interested in them. While they are viewed as pests by gardeners, they are a gourmet delicacy in most of Europe and have been rising in popularity as pets here in the US.