<< Previous Next >>

"Terrestrial Bottlenose Dolphin?"


Photo Information
Copyright: Jay Meeuwig (Shoot_Score) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 473 W: 318 N: 684] (2364)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-01-07
Categories: Molluscs
Camera: Fuji Finepix S7000
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): !Slugfest [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-01-09 15:24
Viewed: 1152
Points: 15
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A Gastropod that looks like a "bottlenose dophin" on an aqua-green "sea"... Limace avec "nez de boteille"?

Global Warming(?) may have given me a chance to learn some things. There is no snow on the ground - even in the first week of January! Last night the temperature was 11C!!! near Halifax, NS.

While I was out "gardening" yesterday I had an opportunity to do some macro-lens work. As I turned over a large plastic container < a fish-box>, I found some very small creatures clinging to its bottom.
They were too small for my normal specs, so I decided to try a few macro shots.

Here is one of those shots! I was amazed at the "form" this very small slug assumed...
< It was less than 5 millimeters in length! >

Can anyone explain the BOTTLENOSE?

"" Slugs are gastropod molluscs without shells or with very small internal shells, in contrast to snails, which have a prominent coiled shell. The loss or reduction of the shell is a derived character, and the same basic body design has independently evolved several times, making slugs a polyphyletic group. Although they undergo torsion (180 degree twisting of internal organs) during development, their bodies are streamlined and worm-like, and so show little external evidence of it. Slugs include both marine and terrestrial species. The main group of marine or sea slugs are the nudibranchs. ""

My previous slug photo. The "collection" is here.

Info follows about "slugs" and des "limaces" as well as "slakken" and "Schnecken", also "babosa".
The French, German and Spanish "wiki" websites have the best information.

And finally: the Snail by R. Wayne Edwards December 1996

Where he goes he leaves a trail.
When he goes where he shouldn't be,
His trail is there for all to see.

Our life is like the little snail,
Where we go we leave a trail.
The things we do and the things we say,
Are the trail we leave from day to day.

And an epilogue dedicated to Loot < aka "Mr. Roadkill" > >

So, little snail, you give me thought
Looking at your shiny trail.
How to show my gratitude
For the lesson taught so well?

They say that snails are mostly water,
I think they're mostly goo.
Water wouldn't be so hard
To clean off of my shoe.
Adanac, claudine, horia, loot, whjb, marhowie has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Nephrotome2: You are back! 2Shoot_Score 1 01-17 22:16
To whjb: Amen!Shoot_Score 1 01-11 15:57
To horia: Horia HonestyShoot_Score 2 01-10 16:20
To Adanac: Yow Rick!Shoot_Score 1 01-10 16:04
To Adanac: Yow Rick!Shoot_Score 1 01-10 15:52
To Clancys: AND what slugs us...Shoot_Score 1 01-10 15:36
To Clancys: What bugs us...Shoot_Score 1 01-10 15:35
To claudine: Another limace grimaceShoot_Score 1 01-10 14:18
To Adanac: PS Blue?Shoot_Score 1 01-09 22:22
To Adanac: Which end...Shoot_Score 1 01-09 21:26
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15128)
  • [2007-01-09 21:13]
  • [+]

Hi Jay,
These any good at being bait? How did you know which end to capture? Now, good macro shot, with good detail. The scraped up blue plastic helps with the contrast.
Rick

Hello Jay,
I don't know much about those creatures but I know that there are some in my garden too but not at this time of year. Here, it seems that winter started this week. We had snow and the temperature felt under the 0 degree finally...

This is a good capture of this limace, details are quite good but there is a little noise or grain on it like you cropped it maybe a little too much? What is this BG, I was asking myself this question? Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2135 W: 224 N: 3948] (13111)
  • [2007-01-10 7:44]
  • [+]

Hi Jay

This is very interesting...we have the exat same climate here, too...this world is somming to an end and it's going down with an iceage...at least that's what the scientist are saying...???
Anyway, this is quite an interesting post from you.
The shape of the slug is definately interesting...no idea about the "nose" :)
The fact that it's that small kinda affected a bit from the sharpness, if i'm to be totally honest, but i know you can apreciate that :)
The colors however are lovely and the contrast between the slug and the BG is excellent. The mucus on it's body is also very well visible.

Bravo and TFS
horia

"Ah, little slug, how grand you are,
Your slimy trail I see,
Around my garden,
Under my bricks,
Marking your sparkling spree"

THAT aside, the photo is a wonderful
tribute to this gastropod, the brave
lil creature who ventures out
to give you a good shot at his
idiosyncratic lifestyle.
Nice BG and very nice shot
of "His Shyness"

  • Great 
  • whjb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 51 W: 26 N: 172] (683)
  • [2007-01-11 15:23]
  • [+]

Hi Jay,

Interesting... Good photo, DOF, sharpness, etc. You even have Loot speechless and that is difficult ;)

May the trail we leave in nature be invisible, clean and roadkill free.

TFS
Willem

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5747 W: 606 N: 3503] (9405)
  • [2007-01-11 15:42]

Hi Jay

Last night when I tried to critique this photo I lost my Internet connection due to some problem experienced by the Telkom department (actually most of the KwaZulu-Natal province was out). It took them almost 12 hours to restore the service and eventually I was back with episode II on this critter. When I updated (saved) the critique on your posting more that ¾ of the text disappeared and I had to rewrite the whole thing over again. This makes it episode III. So I really hope I get it right this time.

What a fabulous capture of this minute little slimy, slithering, bottle-nosed slug. I am convinced that one cannot use this less than 5mm mollusc for bait, unless you want to catch some Guppies in a fish tank (chuckle).

It is just wonderful to appreciate the diversity of animal life one can find even in your own garden or backyard. I am sure that never in your wildest dreams you would have thought that you were going to find such an interesting specimen to photograph. Nor even that it would be something that you could post to TN and to think that it was under a stinking fish-box that was standing in your backyard. Just one question though; was it a fish knife or did something else caused those grooves or slots under the fish-box? Anyway the interesting lines created a fabulous backdrop for this shot.

I must confess, but I cannot find the noise that was mentioned by Claudine. Actually I think you did very well to capture the contrasts and textures on this minute little “limacine” body. You also handled the exposure very well since these slimy little critters reflect a lot of light. I once had a run-in with one of its bigger cousins and there was just no soap that would clean the slime effectively of my hands.

Finally, thanks so much for the gooey epilogue. I appreciate the dedication very much.

Keep well and take care.
Regards
Loot

Good photo Jay. The green BG does help bring out the details of your subject.
I agree that the weather is bringing out more than a few insects!

Good colors and funny face.
Details are lost in the shade. It is good to put the all subject + support in the shade of a sheet of paper. That way the light will be homogeneous, and the pis will be detailed everywhere.
I found composition too centered. it is better to have more space in the direction he's looking at (left) and less in his back (right).
TFS

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF