Līmāx funginus
Fungal slug
(snailshroom, mushlug, eldritch shroom)
X
5-8cm
Feed of dead organic matter.
Forests and woods, prefer humid environments.
Can be mistaken for a mushroom at first glance, especially if at rest with its tentacles and eyestalks retracted.
The stalk, or foot, is useful for identification because its texture clearly differentiates from a mushroom’s.
If collection is required: preferably avoid rainy days for fear of spore release. Cover your mouth and nose.
Avoid the decay tentacles. If there is possibility that decay-mucus was introduced into the bloodstream, contact the Magiontoogy Society immediately.
Līmāx funginus are small mixturidae magion that displays characteristics of gastropods and fungi. Their overall appearance is similar to that of a mushroom, but the stalk is reminiscent of a slug and allows movement. The cap is hardened and serves as a kind of outer skeleton, protecting the inner organs that are condensed at the top of the stalk.
Two eyestalks grow from the top of the cap, and seven additional tentacles grow from under it. Four of the tentacles are somatosensory and olfactory organs. One particularly wide tentacle ends with a sharp toothed mouth, and can be retracted fully and hidden under the cap. The final two tentacles are known as the ‘decay tentacles’ and end with needle-thin spikes, which secrete a sticky mucus that causes accelerated decay if introduced into the circulatory system of an organism.
Līmāx funginus reproduce by releasing spore clouds from a specialized opening in the cap. It is generally recommended to avoid Līmāx funginus because breathing their spores can prove fatal, not to mention their decay touch.
