Marsh Slug: Color Variant

Yesterday I came across a set of photos of a Marsh Slug (Deroceras laeve) that I've never posted. They were mixed in with miscellaneous slug photos, all of Lehmannia valentiana. What's interesting is that I took them BEFORE the photos I thought were the first I had ever taken of Deroceras laeve. As it turns out, the latter aren't the first!

Now, most of the Marsh Slugs I've shown you have been dark-colored, with maybe a patch of yellow/tan on their mantle. This specimen, on the other hand, is much lighter-colored, with yellowish blotches all over its body. Like D. panormitanum, D. laeve can have several color variations, so color alone should not be the deciding factor for an ID. Look also for the dark cephalic tentacles, the long mantle, mottling (vs. stripes in L. valentiana), and the tubercles running down the body.

I love making discoveries like this in my photo collection, especially when it's such a beautiful specimen!