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Apophallation is the biting off of the penis, known to occur in terrestrial slugs, which are hermaphroditic gastropod mollusks. It has been reported in some species of banana slugs, Ariolimax, and in the distantly related Deroceras laeve. [1] [2] In the mating of banana slugs, the penis is inserted into the body of the partner.
Banana slugs are hermaphroditic, meaning they are both male and female at the same time. [3] During reproduction, Ariolimax buttoni engages in apophallation - the behavior in which a slug chews off its mating partner's penis. [5] Their mating season is very long, lasting from February to early September. In addition, the copulation itself is long.
In the case where one penis is chewed off, this is usually done by the other slug. A replacement penis does not grow back. Apophallation is most widely found in Ariolimax species, [1] which have internal sperm exchange. In these slugs, apophallation is only an occasional occurrence which follows a period of struggle and pulling by the owner.
The Pacific banana slug is the second-largest species of terrestrial slug in the world, achieving a length of up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) [6] and a weight of up to 115 grams (4.1 ounces). [7] The largest slug species is Limax cinereoniger, which can reach 30 centimetres (12 in) in length. Banana slugs have an average lifespan of 1–7 years. [5]
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Entwined everted penises of a pair of mating hermaphrodite slugs in the species Limax maximus.. The reproductive system of gastropods (slugs and snails) varies greatly from one group to another within this very large and diverse taxonomic class of animals.
The male sexual organ of an adult banana slug is quite large in proportion to its size, as well as compared to the female organ. It is possible for banana slugs, while mating, to become stuck together. If a substantial amount of wiggling fails to separate them, the male organ will be bitten off (using the slug's radula), see apophallation. If a ...
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and from the land. There are many thousands of species of sea snails and slugs, as well as freshwater snails, freshwater limpets, land snails and slugs. The class Gastropoda is a diverse and highly successful class of mollusks within the phylum Mollusca.