A shell-less terrestrial mollusk that moves by gliding on secreted mucus, or a heavy blow with the fist.
From Middle English 'slugge' meaning a slow, lazy person, possibly from Old Norse 'slokr' meaning a lazy fellow. The mollusk sense developed from the creature's slow movement, while the 'heavy blow' meaning emerged from the idea of delivering a 'sluggish' but powerful hit.
Garden slugs are hermaphrodites that can mate with any other slug they encounter, and they navigate using a primitive form of GPS based on electromagnetic fields in the soil. Their slime trail contains pheromones that help other slugs find food sources and mates, creating a chemical communication network in your garden.
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