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Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda
Hairy slug or snail?
How to tell them apart?
updated Apr 2020

Hairy and sluggish Some 'furry' slugs and 'hairy' snails are often mistaken for one another.
Hairy sea hare
Bursatella leachii
Furry sea hare
Stylocheilus sp.
Miliaris cowrie
Cypraea miliaris
It is a sea hare It is a sea hare It is a snail with a shell.
Does not have an external shell as an adult. Does not retract its body into a shell. Does not have an external shell as an adult. Does not retract its body into a shell. Has a smooth shiny external shell. Can retract the body mantle completely into the shell.
Has two pairs of 'tentacles', one pair of oral tentacles at the front of the head, and one pair of rhinophores on top of the head. Has two pairs of 'tentacles', one pair of oral tentacles at the front of the head, and one pair of rhinophores on top of the head. Has only one pair of slim tentacles.
Has large 'hairy' projections on the oral tentacles. Does not have large 'hairy' projections on the oral tentacles. Smooth tentacles.
No siphon No siphon Has a siphon
'Hair' flat, thicker. No fine lines on the body. 'Hair' fine and spiky. Has fine lines on the body. 'Hair' cylindrical with 'fingers'. No fine lines on the body.

More comparisons


Blue dragon nudibranch
is a nudibranch (which is in a different group from sea hares)

Bristleworms are flat, and have
lots of sharp bristles!

The Bushy slug has flat,
leaf-like projections.

how to tell apart slugs and animals that look like slugs
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