Black snail that looks like a nudibranch?

[aesop]

I saw the wierdest snail ever this weekend, and did the unthinkable (impulse buy) I'm thinking worst comes to worst how fast can a snail possible move

When I first saw it it looked like a pure black nudibranch. The store owner said that it was removed from some of the live rock which he has just recieved (forgot to ask where from) It seemed to be eating the slime/algae that was at the waterlevel.

I asked what it was, and was told it was a snail, and that It has a shell. (almost like a stomatella?) but this one was huge (2-3"). When it was not frightened u can't see the shell, but it seems that when scared everything retractes under the shell.

Searching this forum and yahoo for "black snail nudibranch" doens't turn up anything usefull.

I'm attachign a few pics, you can see the white shell at the top; in two of the pics.

Any ideas?

 

[aesop]

shell shot

 

[aesop]

length wise

 

[Snail Guy]

Hi Aesop,

Nice pictures!

It appears to be in the genus Scutus, in the family Fissurellidae (keyhole limpets). Very likely to be Scutus unguis. I found one of these guys about a month ago, while snorkeling (on Guam) in very shallow water, under some coral rubble.

You can find out a little more at these links:

http://www.seaslugforum.net/scutus.htm
http://www.woodbridge.tased.edu.au/mdc/Species Register/elephant_snail.htm

Suggests that they are algae grazers.

Cheers,
Bob

 

[john76]

Limpet, harmless if not beneficial. How much did they charge you for it?

 

[aesop]

Cool, Thanks for the info.

It definately looks like its an elephant slug, basically a limpet. The seaslug forum is a very nice site; I was there earlier today trying to see if I could ID this thing, who knew to search for elephant

Offered the store owner 10$ CDN for it (since he wasn't really selling), which probably is too much; but its a "neat" creature none the less.

 

[john76]

I think it may reproduce asexually so you could actually end up with more, which would be cool. I have at least four in my tank now.

 

[traveller7]

I have a few of the yellow brown variety. Kept finding them on my porites so they are now in q-tine with a generous amount of gulf live rock until I can determine diet. Keep an eye on yours.