Describe the basic body plan of a banana slug and identify two pairs of tentacles.

Describe the basic body plan of a banana slug and identify two pairs of tentacles.

• A. An elongated, soft body with a mantle covering part of the body.
• B. An elongated, soft body with a mantle covering part of the body; two pairs of tentacles: the upper pair bears eyes for light detection, and the lower pair serves for touch and smell.
• C. A hard shell and a segmented body with antennae.
• D. A cylindrical body with a single pair of tentacles.

Answer: (B)

Banana slugs are elongated, soft-bodied gastropods with a mantle that covers part of the body and usually no external shell. They have two pairs of tentacles on the head: the upper pair bears the eyes and helps detect light, while the lower pair is used for touch and smell. This arrangement—soft, mantle-covered body and two tentacle pairs with the eye-bearing upper pair—best matches the description. The other options either miss the two pairs of tentacles and eye placement, mention features (like a hard shell or segmentation) that slug anatomy doesn’t have, or describe only one pair of tentacles.

Banana slugs are elongated, soft-bodied gastropods with a mantle that covers part of the body and usually no external shell. They have two pairs of tentacles on the head: the upper pair bears the eyes and helps detect light, while the lower pair is used for touch and smell. This arrangement—soft, mantle-covered body and two tentacle pairs with the eye-bearing upper pair—best matches the description. The other options either miss the two pairs of tentacles and eye placement, mention features (like a hard shell or segmentation) that slug anatomy doesn’t have, or describe only one pair of tentacles.