PRODUCTION OF MUCOUS GRANULES BY THE TERRESTRIAL SLUG ARION ATER L.

Abstract

Mucous granules were obtained from mature Anon ater. Granules from the dorsal body, in modified slug Ringer solution, did not differ significantly in length from those taken from the animals ventral surface (mean length 6.75um ± 0.047, mean ± SEM, n = 180) but their widths were significantly smaller (1.18um ± 0.007 < 2.70jim ± 0.036, n = 90). Granules removed from the anterior, middle and posterior parts of each surface did not differ significantly in length or width. Individual granules burst in distilled water to absorb approximately 300 times their own volume of water. Regression analysis on swelling experiments using variable numbers of granules demonstrated that the number of granules was a significant predictor of the weight of swollen mucus. Mucus swollen from granules could be dned then reswollen in distilled water to achieve approximately 60% of its original swollen weight. These relationships were used to quantify granule incorporation into slug mucus trails. Active adult Anon ater in high humidity use approximately 0 6 x 10* granules to produce lcm2 of slug mucous trail with a fully swollen weight of approximately 3mg Slug weight was a significant predictor of the number of granules incorporated into the slug trail.