Red Triangle Slugs are Australia's largest native land slugs. They are found along the east coast of Australia from Sydney in New South Wales to Thornton Peak in northern Queensland. They are characterised by a distinctive red triangle on the upper region of their bodies. This red triangle contains the breathing pore or pneumostome.
Red Triangle Slugs are currently classified as Triboniophorus graeffei. However, this species displays significant variation in colour pattern and texture. This could be related to their locality or, as has been recently suggested, the current designation contains multiple species. Research into this continues and will hopefully determine exactly how many species or sub-species actually exist. If they do all belong to a single species, then it is one that is geographically widespread and physically variable.
The most common Red Triangle Slug in Sydney tends to be rough-skinned and dark grey in colour, providing good camouflage against the sandstone. Another colour variation found in Sydney is cream or pinkish grey. This colour makes it difficult to see the slugs against the blue gum trunks that they commonly inhabit. Slugs in regions north of Sydney tend to be more highly coloured, including red, yellow and olive green variations.
Red Triangle Slugs feed at night on microscopic algae and fungi that grow on tree trunks and rocks. On rainy mornings they can sometimes be seen climbing back down tree trunks. They are also known to enter houses.
June 2004
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