The Flesh Eating Ghost Slug and other animal discoveries

[n2doc]

Flesh-eating ghost slug

Discovered: Wales
Documented: 2008

Proving that the gardens of suburban Wales are just as mysterious as the rainforests of Borneo, the "alien, flesh-eating ghost slug" first appeared in a domestic garden in 2006, but was only officially named Selenochlamys ysbryda last year.

According to Bill Symondson, an invertebrate ecologist at Cardiff University in the UK, who described the slug along with Ben Rowson of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff, the ghost slug is "such a brilliant white it almost glows".

It lives underground and hunts earthworms or other slugs by stretching itself into a long, worm-like shape and sneaking down earthworm burrows. Then it uses sensitive receptors on its antennae to sniff out its prey.

When it finds a worm or slug it stabs its victim with its many sharp, spiny mouthparts (in close-up, left, with a single tooth inset) before sucking the rest of it - alive - into its mouth.


more:

http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/new-species/6

[phantom power]

1. I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure.

[Swede]

2. Ho-ho-hold on, hold on one second. Wales has a substantial dollar value attached to it.

:shrug:

[phantom power]

3. They can bill me!

:evilgrin:

[phantom power]

4. picture of actual animal:

[moggie]

7. Yup, it looks Welsh

No tan.

[Christa]

5. "such a brilliant white it almost glows"

It must be the holy ghost :evilgrin:

[Fovea]

6. It's a slug eat slug world out there.

At least in suburban Wales.