is that snails have a shell, while slugs do not:
Shell: Snails have a coiled shell on their backs that protects them from predators and heat. Some snails can even retract their shells completely.
Body shape: Snails have coiled bodies, while slugs have straight bodies.
Slime: Both slugs and snails leave a slimy trail of mucus wherever they move.
Evolution: All terrestrial slugs evolved from terrestrial snails, losing their large external shells in the process. Modern slugs still have a vestigial shell, a remnant of their evolutionary past.
Reproduction: Slugs are hermaphrodites, meaning they are born with both male and female reproductive parts. Snails can reproduce sexually, or some hermaphroditic snails can reproduce asexually.
Diet: Slugs and snails are gluttonous creatures that consume several times their own weight in plant material every day.
Calcium: Snails require more calcium because of their shells, while slugs need less calcium because they don't have shells.
Habitat: Slugs can fit into tiny hiding holes, while snails cannot because of their shells. Slugs can fit into more habitats than snails. Slugs can be found under loose bark, stones, and logs, while snails can't go into these places with their shells.
Defense: Snails can retreat into their shells for protection, especially when predators are nearby. Some snails can seal their shells for added protection. Slugs can protect themselves with mucus, but they are more susceptible to drying out because they don't have a shell to hide in.
Maturity: Most slug species mature faster than snails. Both are mollusks, related to clams and oysters.
Poop Shooters: Land snails have a rectum. Waste from the gastric pouch enters the intestine and then the rectum, excreted from the anal pore. The anal pore is located in the mantle, at the edge of the shell in shelled snails. Snail excrement can look like a small folded rope
*All AI sourced via Google
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