Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Giant Pink Slugs

This one doesn't exactly classify as a vocabulary word, but I thought it was interesting.

Recently, on Mount Kaputar in New South Wales, Australia, scientists have confirmed that this species of hot pink land slugs are exclusive to the mountaintop. It is not the first time the slug, officially named Tribionphorus aff. graefei, has been spotted--natives have been seeing the slugs come out after rainfall for a while. The slug--which can grow to 8 inches long--is confined to a 10 by 10 kilometer area. The reason for this is because their habitat is the rain forest. The eruption of Mount Kaputar 17 million years ago created this small patch of rainforest that the slugs require. The slug's unique coloration is thought by scientists to be a form of camouflage, because the fallen leaves of the eucalyptus tree are red.



Bibliography

1. Cubby, Ben. "One will really amaze you, the other just eats his mates." The Sydney Morning Herald. May 29, 2013. The Sydney Morning Herald. June 5, 2013. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/one-will-really-amaze-you-the-other-just-eats-his-mates-20130528-2n9ik.html

2. Davis, Shoshana. "Giant pink slugs only found in remote area of Australia." CBSNews. June 3, 2013. CBS. June 5, 2013. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57587347/giant-pink-slugs-only-found-in-remote-area-of-australia/

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