Research, resources & other material links

[pinkunicorn]

I thought I had seen a specific link topic somewhere on the forums but now I can't find it anywhere. So if I'm just blind this post can be combined into the existing topic. I just wanted to post some nice links I've found. Here's a few to start with... I need to dig up the addresses of a few research papers I read recently.

Study about slugs' ability to determine the nutritional content of their food by tasting it can be found here. Maybe we need not be that worried about cucumber-obsessed snails...

Snail's Tales is an awesome blog by a snail researcher. It has a ton of information of every imaginable aspect of snails and slugs and lovely pictures too.

[pinkunicorn]

Prof. Ron Chase is a neurobiologist specialising in reproductive behaviour of land snails. Links to all his publications too. Lots of info on Helix aspersa in particular.

[ness]

Jan 25, 2012 0:04:41 GMT pinkunicorn said:

I thought I had seen a specific link topic somewhere on the forums but now I can't find it anywhere. So if I'm just blind this post can be combined into the existing topic. I just wanted to post some nice links I've found. Here's a few to start with... I need to dig up the addresses of a few research papers I read recently.

Study about slugs' ability to determine the nutritional content of their food by tasting it can be found here. Maybe we need not be that worried about cucumber-obsessed snails...

Snail's Tales is an awesome blog by a snail researcher. It has a ton of information of every imaginable aspect of snails and slugs and lovely pictures too.

Thanks for the links PinkUnicorn

[pinkunicorn]

Ooh, stickified!

Moar sliminess. Here's two good, bigger resources:

Tentacle is the newsletter of the snail department of the Species Survival Commission of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). They have every issue in PDF available online, although the articles lack searchable indexing and to find something one has to resort to the old-fashioned "check the contents listings individually" method. But it's a pretty good read.

American Malacological Bulletin is a peer-reviewed journal, and has a searchable index, hurray. Lotsa good info on very specified subjects, as one would expect from a proper science journal.

I guess it's handy to post individual links to the issues of Tentacle / research paper, in case someone happens to find something that is relevant to our all interests, despite the links to the main depots being here!

[saki114]

thanks PinkUnicorn! i read all of these and they are truly delighting!

[fasti]

if smb can advise me more resources in English or Spanish I'll be happy

Thanks in advance.

[pinkunicorn]

I found a reference to parthenogenesis (!!) in slugs, Deroceras laeve in this case. Not self-fertilisation which happens in a few species but parthenogenesis aka techinally cloning. That's yet another method gastropods use for reproduction. I wonder is there a way found on Earth but not found in gastropods?

www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2408352?uid=3738736&uid=2460338415&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=83&uid=63&sid=56298234553

Also a bit about shell patterns of C.nemoralis & hortensis in the same article if the Cepaea fans are interested. Unfortunately the preview shows only a little, but the journal reference is there.

[pinkunicorn]

Protein requirements for growing A.fulica snails is about 19% crude protein.

periodicos.uem.br/ojs/index.php/ActaSciAnimSci/article/view/4329

They will grow with less protein, but clearly supplemental fish food is helpful for optimal growth!

[pinkunicorn]

caps.ceris.purdue.edu/webfm_send/867

Here's a nice little leaflet describing Veronicellidae family of slugs. It might be handy for identifying all those pancake slugs, velvet slugs and other Veronicellids sold as pets. I've noticed there is some confusion about which slug is which species. Link opens a PDF.

[pinkunicorn]

edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in891

An article on terrestrial slugs of Florida. Quite nice, despite being written from agriculturally point of view.

[bronwen]

I don't know if there's a better place to post this but it shows some nice terrarium setups.

www.tausendfuesserundschnecken.de.tl/Terrarien_Bilder.htm

[pinkunicorn]

Via CONCH-LIST

www.livescience.com/6137-spineless-feel-pain.html

We've known this for ages but it's good that the claim of lack ofpain gets properly countered (despite the article saying only octopuses have been shown to feel pain; it's been proven slugs are capable of learning and probably learn to avert pain as well). Inverts feel pain.

From my own observations especially with Deros I know some slugs, approaching another, will turn and quickly escape for no apparent reason. I recognise some of them and I have seen slug A bite slug B, resulting in slug B trashing in pain and escaping, and later avoiding getting too close to slug A. I wonder if you've seen similar in your Deros, malacophile? You have even more Dero species to oogle!

[malacophile]

I have noticed this. All of my slugs, and my snails as well, thrash when bitten. Then they run (slime?) away as fast as possible, looking rather distressed and panicked. That sort of behavior leaves me with no doubt that they can feel pain. They also tend to avoid the one that attacked them.

Realistically, it makes sense that all animals would be able to feel pain. I'm often unsure why scientists even bother to question it.

On another note, I've noticed that when my snails get bitten (always by a slug), they use their shells as a weapon! I've seen my snails flinging (!) their shells back and forth to ward off the attacker. The next time I see it, I'll try to get some video.

[pinkunicorn]

I've always wondered why some would deny such a basic survival feeling as pain and the discussion on CONCH-L actually enlightened me some. They question whether it's a reflex or if the animal truly suffers. And the current measurement apparently is not just reacting to pain (like oysters do not) but having a memory of the pain (like hermit crabs have been shown to have, and like we have witnessed in our snails and slugs). It makes a bit more sense to me now, but it's also quite obvious even low level learning from painful experiences would be crucial for survival of a species, unless the species is immobile like oysters for example (they can't do anything about the pain whether or not they feel it). Snails and slugs can and do actively avoid pain, and are capable of aversion learning (been shown in L.maximus, so most likely others too; there's no logical reason why they would not be alike). People just need to get this into their heads and stop squishing inverts for fun. *shakes fist*

[pinkunicorn]

Oh yes, this is also relevant to this topic. For those who don't yet know, CONCH-L is a mailing list for shell collectors. It's mostly about shells naturally, but there's often interesting tidbits about living snails posted, too. I follow it myself, not really taking part in the discussions but just reading whenever there's something about living snails, which seems to be every other day on average. Recommended if you don't mind 10-15 emails per day.

www.conchologistsofamerica.org/conch_L/

[vallery]

Hi ,

Thanks for giving the CONCH - L site.

I have a large collection of shells I have collected and been given.

I have a Thread on the forum trying to Identify them.

I would never kill a snail for it's shell.

[frankthetank]

So, I live in Southern California and it is summer here. I have snails crawl under my door frequently and sometimes post themselves on my door for a few hours.

However, about a month 1/2 ago, during rainy season here, a snail--who I've now named Frank--attached himself to my door. I thought he'd leave eventually so I let him be as I usually do, but he's been there in the same spot for over a month now. I'm not sure why he chose my room as his choice hibernation spot. How long do snails usually hibernate for and why is Frank/Madeline (I understand that snails are hermaphroditic) living in my bedroom?

Is there anything I can do to help him on his/her way? Or will Frank leave when it's good and ready? I don't know if I should be worried or not.

[pinkunicorn]

gastropods.wordpress.com/2011/08/13/buccal-mass-of-arion-vulgaris/

I found this little bit that appears to discuss the very problem I had with a number of slugs last year. Expulsion of the gut through mouth ended up killing many of my slugs. Doesn't really offer answers on how to prevent it but it's a bit of added knowledge.

[rhianna22]

I know this is quite an old thread, but I thought I'd add this article about research that was done by a team at my university. I don't have a link to the research paper itself, but the article includes a pretty cool video!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23803958

[giantsouthamerican2n]

Here is a snail species list for Florida. jaxshells.org/728aaa.htm

[starsareintherose]

The Chinese landsnails'website
site.douban.com/245727/

[indrajitmasuda]

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indrajitmasuda Avatar
snail sexuality is unique and fascinating

Posts: 18
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12 minutes agoQuoteMessage Options
What has always fascinated me is snail sexuality. Most species are hermaphrodite meaning that they possess both sexes in one unit. so when two decide to mate they quickly decide which one is going to be female and which one male - what a unique experiment by Nature!! The one that has been male in one act can turn female in the next - so astonishing. almost like science fiction! Alternatively both can be male and female simultaneously - meaning, each transfers sperm to the other and each gets its eggs fertilised also. Wow. Any comments by snail lovers on this amazing natural phenomenon on reproduction and sexuality among snails??