Slug?? ID

[windstalker]

Greetings everyone,

Has anyone ever seen one of these slugs(?) or know what it might be? It's about 1-1/2" in length and is jet black in color. It has a Half-shell on its back about 1/2" in length. It has 2 black antenae and a huge mouth, looks like a vacuum cleaner on the rock. I've only seen it on the rock, never the sand bed or the glass. I've searched several sites but haven't found anything close to this thing. Thanks and have a great day.

Steve

[saltwaterfishlover]

Steve I have one or 2 of those I too would like to know what they are...
andy

[Gary Majchrzak]

It appears to be a Stomatella to me. We have traded these herbivores at previous reef meetings, and they can occur in many different colors. It does sound as though yours is a rather large one, windstalker. Most are 1" or less in length.

[ReeferMac]

I dunno if it's a stomatella Gary...

Had seen those a few time's at LFS's, some w/ a blue spot on their back... I'd heard the ID on it once, but forget. It is a type of snail... gosh, how fast things go...

Keith had one in his refugium for quite a while, and he got it from the LFS. You truly want an ID, I'd ask in Ron Shimeck's forum, or check the HitchHiker's FAQ over on reefs.org - I think they might have a pic of it there, too:

www.reefs.org/hhfaq

- Mac