#Snail Mucus

[xtruss]

A Garden Snail, seen from underneath, slides over glass. The trail of slime left behind by this species is a popular ingredient in skin care products. Photograph By Georgette Douwma, Nature Picture Library

Snail Mucus is a Skin Care Phenomenon—But Does It Really Work?

Commonly used to repair damaged skin, products containing snail mucus go back much further than the social media era—and may have potential beyond cosmetics.

— By Olivia Ferrari | January 8, 2024

Consumers around the world are shelling out for cosmetic products containing snail mucus, with its global market in 2022 valued at about $555 million.

After a snail mucus skin care boom in South Korea, the product—also referred to as snail mucin or secretion—was widely shared on social media. North America is now the fastest growing market for snail skin products. But using snail mucus for glowing skin and good health dates back further than a social media trend.

Ancient Greeks used snail slime on skin to fight topical inflammation. In the 1980s, Chilean snail farmers noted that handling snails for the French food market left them with softer hands and cuts that healed quicker. This launched snail slimes’ popularity in South America.

But does this popular mucus actually work? Here’s how snail slime can heal more than a dry face.

A technician milks a giant snail for its mucin on a farm in Thailand. Mucus is secreted as a stress response, but synthetic versions of mucin may be an alternative for concerned consumers. Photograph By Lillian Suwanrumpha, AFP/Getty Images

What Does Snail Mucin Do to Skin?

Garden snails, the species of snail most studied for skin care, produce slime advertised as moisturizing, full of antioxidants, and capable of stimulating new collagen, which can reduce signs of aging, according to Joshua Zeichner, a dermatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Consumers buy snail mucus products to repair damaged skin and lock in moisture, according to dermatologist Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, an American Academy of Dermatology fellow. The mucus is full of natural vitamins A and E, antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and signs of aging, and there are peptides that boost collagen production, adds Houshmand. However, Houshmand says more, large clinical trials are needed to prove some of snail slime’s purported effects, and to better understand its active ingredients.

Snail mucus extract has been proven to create a protective barrier between the skin and air pollution. One study used a three-dimensional skin model and exposed it to ozone; the “skin” unprotected by the mucus extract became inflamed and showed signs of aging through oxidative stress, which causes wrinkles and uneven skin tone. The “skin” protected by the mucus extract showed less inflammation.

Scientists are also exploring how snail secretions can be used beyond skin care. There’s evidence snail mucus can help with wound healing and treat burns. Snail mucus also has antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Another study tested its ability to stop bacteria in wounds, and some snail mucus performed better than commercial antibiotics, including amoxicillin and streptomycin. Early research suggests the mucus might have anticancer abilities too: garden snail mucus successfully inhibited skin cancer cell growth in a lab.

Unlocking the Science of Mucus

To better understand snail slime, Antonio Cerullo, a biochemist at the City University of New York, collected snails from an escargot farm and analyzed their three types of slime: protective mucus on the back, adhesive mucus on the foot, and lubricating mucus on the foot.

Each type had distinct properties, like stiffness and stickiness, and different biochemical compositions.

In the wild, these different types of slime serve different functions, Cerullo explains. The mucus primarily used for lubrication has more collagen, making it stiffer; the mucus used for adhesion has more calcium, making it stickier. These properties help the snail to move around and to stick to surfaces.

Isolating the specific molecules that create these properties and synthesizing them for commercial use is a complicated task. While snails’ protective mucus has antimicrobial proteins, for example, multiple molecules in the mucus could interact to create the antimicrobial effect on human skin, says Cerullo.

Microbiologist Roberta Rizzo and chemist Claudio Trapella at the University of Ferrara in Italy have analyzed over 100 different snail mucus products, finding a discrepancy in quality. Everything from different feeding and breeding practices on snail farms to how mucus is collected affects the final product, explain Rizzo and Trapella.

But snail slime has potential beyond skin care, says Adam Braunschweig, organic chemist at the City University of New York.

It can be used as a wound repair glue to treat internal ulcers and infections, and as a natural adhesive in bioengineering. Snail mucus also works well as a drug delivery substance, says Braunschweig. When given with medications, it helps the body’s mucus membranes absorb treatment.

Rizzo and Trapelli are also working on using natural snail mucus in unconventional ways—their snail mucus extract has been used to produce eye drops that use snails’ natural lubrication to treat dry eye disease.

Are Snails Harmed in the Process?

Scientists have yet to isolate the specific components of snail mucus that imbue their healing properties, but it is possible to make synthetic versions of the mucus, which helps reduce the need for snail farms.

How snail mucus is harvested varies from farm to farm—some have snails crawl on nets so mucus drips into pans underneath, others use a misting chamber that induces snail secretions—but the substance is excreted when a snail is under stress.

Synthesizing bio-inspired mucus also makes scaling up production more possible. A lot of snails are needed to meet current demand, and it’s costly to harvest enough snail mucus. The product can also change day to day depending on what snails are fed, so their mucus isn’t always consistent.

Using synthetic mucus also allows chemists to modify their product more easily. With natural mucus, “you’re stuck with what the animal gives you,” says Braunschweig. “What if you want to change the recipe, or the properties?”

His team hopes to produce synthetics for a fraction of the cost, and for them to be tailorable—for example, to be more adhesive or more lubricating, depending on the application.

“Mucus does so many amazing things,” says Cerullo. “Now with our work, we’re hoping it makes a path so we can learn so much more from mucus in the next decade than we have in the last 2,000 years.”

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Garden Snail

Garden snails release mucus to help them move.

NooMUboN / Getty Images

[gregor-sampson]

Gravel Salesman: Hello we are selling gravel at a reduced price

Pavel Snailsman: *covering salesman in snail mucus* Fuck you and your rocks, old man

[snail--man]

what if i got bit (?) by a radioactive snail and actually became a snail man

[tumbleweeddesktop]

Remembering that sq is in his 30s with no specification, which means he could be 39 and my question is what kinda skin care does he have?

[paranoidgemsbok]

HOW DID THEY GET MONEY TO MAKE A FOURTH ONE

[a-sentient-cup]

@official-megumin

Have a bunny

why tgis bunny so wet

[graciethespeyeral]

It's only the second day of being sick,but I'm already sick of it,no pun intended.

[screamingcrows]

HSR characters as ways animals court and mate

Welcome to the (hopefully) weirdest biology lesson you'll ever have! Essentially a shitpost. I shouldn't be allowed near blorbos. There might be better suited animals, these are all my takes on the characters and animals picked from ones I knew.

Repost from my old blog so I added more characters as compensation.

Characters included: Sampo Koski, Veritas Ratio, Ruan Mei, Jing Yuan, Argenti, Sunday, Kafka, Caelus, Moze

Warnings: nsfw in the way a national geographic documentary is, there are no graphic details but proceed at your own discretion, breeding mention for Jing Yuan, Sampo's ridiculously large appendage, Caelus slander,

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Sampo Koski - Limax maximus (leopard slug)

Truly, few people are as slick as Mr. Koski. You might not even notice at first that you are being observed by a mysterious, handsome stranger. Sure, his methods may be a little on the unusual side, but he values being well-informed before acting. Once he does decide to act, you may find yourself in quite a few unfortunate situations, luckily, your good friend Sampo is there to help you out. He is quite well endowed in certain departments, but where others might feel shame or even outright fear for their partner's comfort, this ingenious entrepreneur prides himself on always having the right tools for the job. Rest assured, your comfort and pleasure is of the highest importance! Or, for the right price, he will gladly put himself on the receiving end to satisfy your desires. Limax maximus is somewhat unusual in its mating habits compared to other slugs. They also have a ridiculously large penises (largest observed being 92cm or 36 inches) - mind you, a snail's penis emerges from their gonopore which is located on the side of their head. The leopard slugs court by circling each other for hours before eventually climbing a tree, coiling around each other and producing a string of mucus to hang upside down from - letting gravity unfold their penises. Since these slugs are hermaphroditic, both receive a sperm package and goes on to lay eggs.

Veritas Ratio - Strix varia (barred owl)

While Veritas might not exactly be keen on grand gestures to express himself, your persistance in seeking him out and staying close does eventually lead to the realisation that his days wouldn't be the same without your presence. Though he prefers to save his words, there's never a shortage around you, always talking, asking, listening, engaging in conversation that only you can provide. The shift in behavior is endearing, Veritas becomes keen on inviting you home, cooking for and with you, bathing together (something that had been near unimaginable for him). His hands gravitate towards you as often as possible, either just resting there or rubbing tension from your muscles. He takes care of you and lets you take care of him. It's a beautiful everyday life, after all, why would he confine himself to expressing his love a few times a year, when he could do it every day in countless ways instead? Strix varia - as many owls - remains mostly monogamous, with the exception being in instances of younger, widowed birds. Their courtship usually involves the owl hen following around the male for a time before they both begin engaging in duets and mutual preening. Every year for a period of time before mating, the male will take up all hunting responsibilities and dote on his partner :3 These owls are also, compared to closely related species, known for disliking man-made nesting boxes (microbiome is inferior to a hollowed out tree trunk) and they're considered some of the most curious and polite predators.

Ruan Mei - Timema (genus of stick insects)

While you might be interested in Ruan Mei, chances are she won't be interested in the same sense. There is little time for such 'pleasantries' and even less willingness to make time for it. Whether she cannot, or doesn't want to, understand the concept of love, she recognises the value it holds in terms of reproduction and evolution. And even then, she has gone about creating life by herself just fine. So, perhaps she will let you into her bed for a night, but it's unlikely that she lets it lead to more. Members of the genus Timema primarily reproduce through the process of parthenogenesis (virgin birth), meaning they reproduce asexually and males are very few and far between. Sexual reproduction is incredibly rare and speculated to only be done by a few individuals to keep a diverse enough gene pool.

Jing Yuan - Panthera leo (lion)

It's no secret that Jing Yuan has had ample time and opportunity for sexual experiences. Nor is it any secret that he's attractive (which he's aware of), despite his long life, Jing Yuan appears to be in the prime of his life and health. All that experience doesn't make his time with you any less special, it simply means that your pleasure and desires are exceedingly important. Anything you could want to try he will indulge, of course, you'll have to tell him, use your words, even if the answer is written all over your face. The one thing he does often want to indulge for his own sake is finishing inside. Other than that, Jing Yuan is more than happy to lay back and watch as you pleasure yourself with him. If you ask, he's happy to help, he knows your body quite well by now - ah just don't ask him in the afternoon. He's napping. Male lions are - apart from on the rare occasions that they have to defend their territory - very relaxed individuals. The females hunt for him while he sleeps (and looks good). The mane serves as a 'sexual ornament' and shows off how 'healthy' a male is. A more pigmented mane means higher testosterone levels (Ignore the pigmentation part for Jing Yuan and just consider how healthy and well taken care of he looks). A few days before the female enters estrus, the male picks up on changes to her scent and starts following her around. Female lions are known for having incredible stamina during estrus, often to the point of tiring out the male to a point where he will try to stalk off and sleep. Also worth noting that lions have a barbed penis that scratches the vagina upon pulling out, this can cause the female to ovulate just like I would if Jing Yuan did me

Argenti - Panthera leo male x Panthera tigris female (Liger, hybrid)

A knigh of Beauty passing by, not exactly the smartest choice to throw your heart at, is it? Argenti is kind, chivalrous, perhaps a little odd, and beautiful. He sees in you a work of art, compliments you as though he has no choice but let the words flow. Unfortunately, he doesn't let anyone get close. Perhaps he will indulge you for a night, find pleasure in seeing you come undone while he remains clothed. There is no settling down for him, no family life, he swore an oath that he must keep. Ligers are incredibly rare and only found in captivity. As with other hybrids, ligers follow Haldane's rule meaning the heterogametic sex (in this case the male) is sterile. These hybrids are stunning creatures, highly social, and the biggest living cat. But there is no 'successful' mating for them. Reproductive behavior in females follow that of their parent species.

Sunday - Anthochaera phrygia (regent honeyeater)

Once Sunday becomes free to act for himself, it's not particularly hard to recognise his little displays of interest. They're sweet and awkward at best and downright embarrassing at worst. He tries his best - he truly does - by learning from those around him. Unfortunately, those people are now the Astral Express crew, and aeons above, some of them aren't great at flirting to begin with, but having Sunday attempt mimicry? Horrendous. Once he gets a little more confident (perhaps you should reassure him that you enjoy who he is) you can expect him to open up more. Expect his care and love to be presented with something akin to devotion. With time, perhaps he'll even sing for you? Unfortunately, regent honeyeaters are critically endangered. This is in part due to the loss of their unique song. During early life, birds spend months learning various calls that will be important for signalling. These are typically learned from the parents, but regent honeyeaters leave the nest before this happens and a loss of habitat meant fewer individuals to learn from. Males have begun copying other bird species, leading to significantly lower interest from females, accelerating their decline.

Kafka - Crocuta crocuta (spotted hyena)

So you're enamoured with Kafka? Difficult not to be, she truly just... has a certain appeal wouldn't you say? Approaching with care and submission rather than aggression will see your chances of success increase. Kafka is confident in herself and her abilities, knowing what path she walks and the destination. But that doesn't mean she won't indulge in a little fun from time to time, after all, the script she has doesn't dictate every single action. She's in control throughout it all, even in the occassion of you being allowed on top, there's still no doubt about the hierarchy. She would have every stellaron hunter ready to protect you if your safety is deemed worthwhile. The spotted hyena lives in highly complex social groups with females most often ranking higher than males. Anatomically, the spotted hyena females have developed a 'pseudo-penis' (very enlarged clitoris) complete with faux scrotum and testes that cover the vagina - making forced copulation by a male impossible. The female needs to retract the pseudo-penis which is also what the male will insert his into. Males that remain passive and subservient have higher chances of successful mating compared to aggressive ones.

Caelus - Ailuropoda melanoleuca (giant panda)

Teeny tiny penis. Caelus is very easily goaded into doing things, sometimes you don't even have to suggest a stupid idea before he's halfway done trying. Poor man has no idea what to do with himself the moment things turn spicy. Very cute, very sweet, probably good cuddles. But you're gonna need a toy. At around a whopping 3cm (~1 inch), the giant pandas aren't giant everywhere. Courtship can involve males doing a handstand against a tree and peeing as far up as possible to signal that he's near. Famously, giant pandas seemingly lose interest in mating when kept in captivity and there's been a lot of initiatives to figure out how to get the spark back (this includes showing them panda-porn and giving them an equivalent to viagra)

Moze - Canis lupus (grey wolf)

Though he may appear reserved (and a little scary even) once you get to know Moze, it quickly becomes clear that he just.. he has a certain way of showing his affection. It's almost like having gained a shadow with how he follows you around. At first, he may be more inclined to keep you away from any and all danger, but gradually warms up to the thought of being partners in every sense. His trust in you is absolute and nothing could sway his loyalty. Still, Moze does enjoy seeing you well taken care of (going so far as having Jiaoqiu give him lessons on your favourite foods). Once he loses himself in the pleasures of your body, it becomes near impossible for him to stop. All that careful control slips from his grasp until the moment you're both panting for breath and utterly exhausted. During those times, he wraps his arms securely around you, keeping you there for as long as he can justify. I think we all know how dogs mate, no? Mounting, knotting, all that. Wolves are monogamous and form tightly knit packs. Mated pairs are excellent at cooperating, both for hunting and raising pups. The male wolf hunts for the first couple of weeks after the female gives birth, making sure she can rest in the den and look after the young. Interestingly, the more newly bonded a pair is, the more frequently will the male scent mark their territory to dissuade any potential intruders.

[facts-i-just-made-up]

REJECTED HELLRAISER CENOBITES

Clive Barker's Hellraiser series has enthralled horror fans across the globe for over 30 years, but for every one of its iconic sadistic cenobites that makes the big screen, there are several rejected designs. Here are a few rejected cenobites that almost made the cut-

Hogsnout, the mucus cenobite. Hogsnout has one giant nostril from which mucus eternally exudes. He can be defeated only by manipulating the puzzle box into its "Benadryl Configuration."

Headache. This cenobite is continually fed ice cream too fast, resulting in horrible brainfreezes. Dubbed too disturbing and painful for Hellraiser, this cenobite was not used.

MP3face was intended to continue the legacy of the CD Cenobite from Hellraiser 3, but no way was found to realize it on screen.

Recursivus, the recursive cenobite with a cenobite for a head. This cenobite too has a cenobite for a head, as does its head, ad infinitum. The actor who played the role would unfortunately receive infinite royalties, so the idea was shut down by the studio.

The Reader was designed as a cenobite with a book stuck to its head, doomed to eternally read the worst novels ever written. It went unused because they didn't want to pay for the rights to all the book covers they'd have to use.

The Chatterer Snail. Like the Chatterer and Chatterer Beast, this cenobite pet would constantly chatter its teeth, unfortunately snails do not normally have teeth, so the idea had to be abandoned.

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Green Shell Semi-Slug: the researchers who discovered this species originally wanted to name it "Ibycus felis," because it often rests with its tail curled around its body, which reminded them of a sleeping cat

The Latin name of this species is Ibycus rachelae, but it's also known as a green-shelled or long-tailed semi-slug. The species was first described in 2008, and it is found only in the montane forests of Sabah (Borneo) and Peninsular Malaysia.

The term "semi-slug" refers to an intermediate stage of evolution as a snail evolves into a slug. These snails still have shells that are at least partially visible, but they have been reduced to the point where the shell can no longer accommodate the snail's whole body. There are many different species of semi-slug, but most of them have a noticeably reduced, receding, and/or transparent shell that is partially concealed beneath the mantle.

This article describes another peculiar characteristic of semi-slugs (including Ibycus rachelae):

... semi-slugs don’t just look weird, they act weird, too. They employ sharp projectiles called love darts in their courtship rituals, by shooting several of them at a prospective mate. The mate, in turn, shoots several love darts right back.

Researchers have found that if semi-slugs are able to lodge love darts into one another, the subsequent copulation tends to be much more successful. It’s thought that the mucus distributed by the love dart ensures greater survivability of the sperm

This is what the "love darts" look like (when magnified under SEM):

The tiny, harpoon-like structures are made of calcium carbonate, and they transmit certain hormones (via mucus) that help to increase the likelihood of reproductive success. Semi-slugs are not the only gastropods that use "love darts," however; they are also used by some other land snails and slugs.

Sources & More Info:

World Wildlife Fund: Borneo's New World (PDF)

Basteria (Journal): The Slugs and Semislugs of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo (PDF)

Forest Research Institute Malaysia: Introduction to the Land Snails and Slugs of Malaysia (PDF)

Malay Peninsular Terrestrial Molluscs: Ibycus rachelae

Live Science: World's Longest Bug and 'Ninja' Slug Discovered in Borneo

Australian Geographic: Meet the Semi-Slug, a Snail without a Home

[omgthatdress]

Court Suit

1810

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

"This three piece suit is exemplary of skilled French embroidery and the silhouette of men's court wear during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Bonaparte revived the importance of court traditions when he crowned himself Emperor in 1804. This revival necessitated the recreation of acceptable court dress, which had been defunct since the elaborate and costly court of Louis XVI (1754-1793) prior to the French Revolution. The intricate embroidery pattern is intriguingly mimicked between the waistcoat and coat, reinforcing its status as a full suit."

This over-the-top court suit is a wonderful throwback to the opulence of the late 18th century at a time when the industrial revolution made men's clothing increasingly colorless, simple, and dull. It's a beautiful example of the super rare and expensive shade of tyrian purple, made from the mucus of murex snails found in the western Mediterranean. The snails were rare and gave little mucus. Extracting the dye was labor-intensive and took many hours. This result was this tangy, distinctive shade, one of the only color-fast natural purple dyes in the world, that was worn as a sign or wealth.

[dddesc]

Do we ever see Escargon move like a snail? I can’t remember seeing him move, or if we did, I don’t remember seeing his lower body - just his upper half.

inspired by the foot like part of his body on your comm

(in reference to this phenomenon. footy)

those "feet" are canon! they're funny. here they are in the show:

i like to imagine them as similar to the edge of an irl snail's foot, which you can see in this picture of one of my pet snails:

...but that's not a hard and fast rule for me. the way i draw the anatomy of his foot depends on the piece.

interestingly enough, these feet (which i'll call toes from here on out to differentiate them from the foot muscle that is technically the majority of his body) aren't prevalent on his model sheets; they seem to be a trait gained and dramatized as artists continued drawing him throughout the show's run.

now, in terms of how he moves... well, i could just show you. or i could infodump about him and snails all in one.

(sorry i can't readmore this one, fellas; it breaks the post. you're trapped in here with me.)

escargon moves around a whole lot, really! he's quite fast, so it's easy to miss.

episode 9 gives us this shot of him chasing lololo and boy-kirby:

but, hmmm. i don't think it's the only instance of him moving in this classically gastropod-esque manner, with his foot rippling across the ground, but it is probably one of the few. he doesn't move like this very often.

instead, as the show progresses, it becomes much more common that he steps around on his toes. here they are at their vaguest in episode 19:

and 25, hitting us with some very leg-like anatomy:

there are more and technically earlier examples than this; 8, 11, 12, 17... etc.

the above examples are him moving fast, but even when moving slowly -- like in 25 once more, as well as 73 -- it appears that snails primarily drag themselves along using their toes.

it's very very cute. like a dress. <3

but what does all this have to do with irl snails?

it's important to know that irl snails have two gaits: adhesive crawling and loping.

adhesive crawling is when a snail leaves its foot planted entirely on the ground, moving forward via muscle contractions and slippery mucus. with this gait, they leave a continuous trail of said mucus.

loping involves a snail only partially planting themselves on the ground, arching their foot as they move and leaving a discontinuous trail of mucus. they're still propelled forward by contractions, but look almost as if they're dragging themselves forward on "toes"...

certainly less dramatic than the show, but hey. notable enough for me!

the reason snails use each gait is believed to be dependent on the surface they're on -- adhesive for smooth, and loping for rough or absorbant. they used to think snails loped to escape predators, but truthfully, neither gait is much faster than the other. instead, it seems that loping is useful for conserving mucus.

you didn't ask about mucus, but it's pretty important when it comes to snail locomotion. with how escargon moves, i'd say he spends most of his time loping... which makes me think anthro snails in kirby produce a lot less mucus than the average snail.

i can't recall any point wherein escargon is described as physically slimy, or leaving trails. you'd think something like that would be a point of contention when it comes to the cleanliness of the castle (and dedede's fists). he also can't stick to walls on his own or anything, hence...

...him needing to use plungers in his only show-canon attempt at doing so.

"but he's wearing clothes that would impede his ability to stick!" -my wife, who proofread this post and is being contrarian on purpose.

okaaay, but, the times escargon does crawl up walls -- alongside dedede, which means that this ability is not unique to escargon or a result of his species -- he is most definitely using his arms and toes to do so, implying that adhering to the surface is not something he can do.

...besides. if escargon could stick to surfaces naturally, don't you think he would have attempted to do so at least once to get away from his majesty?

it all makes you think (or, it all makes me think, at least)...

in conclusion: i don't think he'd be able to drag his body around without at least a little lubrication, but due to him potentially not producing a lot of mucus (maybe a trait of evolutionary anthropomorphism?), it would make sense that loping is his main gait on account of its mucus conservation.

...then, to finally answer your question: yes! we technically see him move like a snail. but he is a unique fictional interpretation of a snail, so he has some amusing little quirks that i've spent way too much time applying real-world anatomical logic to.

[evenmorefatallyobsessed]

Always open for suggestions on the traits, cultures of my fantasy Races.

For example

All Elves are perverts... It's not a matter of if they are, but if they are yet? You can't live 200 years without developing a fetish or two. The sad part to this is that Elves also always tend to go insane once or twice so much so that half the time their personalities change so drastically that it's like their a different person. Finally Elves that fall in love with shorter lived races tend to be called Dreamers because that's what the romance between them and the more mortal races is, a dream, ever quick to end, and fated to fade from memory.

Dwarves can't run... Their stubby legs, and immense muscles mass and bone density simply make the task impossible. This is why they have become a rather brave race. Because Dwarves can't run. Dragon: Descends into Town. Dwarven Men: FUCK!!! Also their biggest predator are giant slug/ snails... Whose mucus tends to ward off most projectiles and can expel a noxious corrosive acid. Dwarves are only slightly slower then them, and the reason behind their thick hide like skin is to resist the acidic mucus on these monsters when they catch them.

Wood Elves Woods elves are stoners... They live in the forest and have learned to enjoy it's bounty including the hallucinogenic plants... In truth the ones they partake in are incredibly potent, and would have a man inebriated for days... But for them it's last perhaps a hour or two. Outta all the elven races Wood Elves argue the most with Dwarves because they firmly declare their Psychoactive Plants and Mushrooms superior to alcohol. (Addicts Vs. Alcoholics)

Snow Elves Suggested by @zombiewelder13 Snow elves are EXTREMELY touch starved, and once they get a feel for another person, they practically glue themselves to them. Night & day they're always either touching, holding, or explicit when they have the opportunity. They have the highest rate of intermixing of races of all Elf types.

[emphasisonthehomo]

47 bucktommy for the prompts 🙏

47. A kiss... out of spite.

Content Warning for Homophobic Language

•

Tommy’s been around the block. He’s heard pretty much every homophobic slur in modern day use, and had most of them thrown his way at some point. Not to say that he’s used to it, not by any means. It still irritates him, still pisses him off, but he’s got a thicker skin now than he did when he was younger. He’s grown into himself, is more confident and comfortable than he’s ever been.

Evan is… To say he’s unconfident isn’t correct. And to say he’s uncomfortable with their relationship isn’t right either. But it’s new to him. This is new to him. Being with another man, maneuvering around the mire of bigotry that still courses through people. Los Angeles is a liberal place, but it’s far from perfect.  

They’re at the beach. Tommy doesn’t go often enough, considering how close it is. The water’s too cold for Tommy’s taste right now, winter weather still clinging stubbornly to the beginnings of spring. But it’s bright and clear, just like the sky, just like Evan’s eyes. They’re walking along the surf; Evan’s hand is firmly in his. Evan keeps stopping them to duck down and grab shells out of the sand, holding it up and talking excitedly about bivalves and snails.

“Is it true that oysters are an aphrodisiac?” Tommy asks, pitching his voice just low enough that Evan’s grin turns sly and excited, “Because I’m thinking seafood for dinner.”

“Not necessarily,” Evan says, nudging their shoulders together and squeezing Tommy’s fingers, “But they’ve got high levels of zinc, which can slightly increase testosterone.”

Evan wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, and pokes his tongue out from between his teeth, pink and wet. Tommy opens his mouth to say something dumb about how he’s very familiar with his own testosterone levels, when someone next to them says loudly and clearly–

“Faggots.”

Evan jerks like he’s been slapped, face immediately going bright red. There’s a collection of snickers, and they turn to see a group of six young men. They look college age, in varying stages of sunburnt and tan, loitering together around a collection of folding beach chairs. There’s a veritable mound of empty hard seltzer cans around them.

“Excuse me?” Evan snaps, already turning on his heel to take a step in their direction.

Tommy tightens his grip on Evan’s hand.

“Nothing,” One of the men smirks. He’s wearing a pair of sunglasses, mirrored and tinted to an obnoxious shade of orange, “Didn’t say anything.”

“Really?” Evan snaps, “Sounded like something to me.”

“Sounds like you’re hearing shit,” Another guy says, goading and slurred. He’s got a snapback tipped sideways on his head.

All six of them start laughing to themselves again. Tommy watches as Evan’s free hand clenches into a fist.

“Baby,” Tommy says firmly, reaching out to snag Evan’s other arm, “They’re just a group of drunk dumbasses, let’s go.”

“Yeah, baby,” Orange sunglasses call out meanly, “Listen to your boyfriend.”

Tommy snorts derisively, and twists to press a dirty little kiss to Evan’s scowling mouth. The kiss is just long enough for Tommy to nip at Evan’s lower lip, to taste the surprised noise he makes in response. The laughter wobbles, turns confused. Tommy pulls back.

“Cackle all you want,” Tommy says, flipping them off, “Baby here’s guaranteed to get his dick wet tonight, and it looks like you six are just guaranteed to feel like shit tomorrow.”

They all blink stupidly at him, temporarily unsure of how to respond. Tommy takes advantage of it to tug Evan close, and uses the momentum of that to turn the two of them around towards the parking lot.

“Assholes,” Evan grumbles, glaring at them over his shoulder, before turning his attention back to Tommy, “What the fuck?”  

“Yeah,” Tommy hums in agreement, turning his own head to press a softer, sweeter kiss to Evan’s birthmark, “C’mon, let's go get a shitton of oysters. You can tell me all about their mucus while we suck on those, and then when we get home I’ll suck on you.”

Evan huffs out a reluctant laugh.  

“Sweet talker,” Evan says, “It’s called liquor, and it’s basically seawater and oyster juice.”

“Exactly,” Tommy nods seriously, “Mucus.”

Evan twines their fingers together. Tommy rubs his thumb across Evan’s knuckles. Behind them, the drunks have apparently gotten their words back, and shout something incoherent that would probably get censored on prime time tv.

They ignore it.

[bestanimal]

Round 1 - Phylum Mollusca

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

The second largest phylum, Mollusca contains over 76,000 living species and somewhere between 60,000 and 100,000 extinct species, including the ammonites and helcionelloids. Living groups include the chitons, solenogasters, caudofoveates, cephalopods (octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, nautiloids, etc.), scaphopods, gastropods (slugs and snails), and bivalves.

Molluscs are highly diverse, living on land, in freshwater, and in saltwater, where they comprise over 23% of all named marine organisms. The most diverse molluscs are the gastropods which comprise over 80% of known molluscs. Due to their high diversity, the only things most molluscs have in common are a soft body composed almost entirely of muscle, a mantle with a significant cavity used for breathing and excretion, the presence of a radula (bivalves excluded), and the structure of their nervous system.

Many molluscs are endangered due to collecting and killing individuals for their meat and/or decorative shells.

Propaganda under the cut:

Cephalopods are one of the (if not the) most neurologically advanced of all invertebrates and are capable of using tools, solving puzzles, and play.

Masters of camouflage, many cephalopods can change color, shape, and texture to hide from predators, sneak up on prey, and communicate with each other

The largest molluscs are the Giant Squid (Architeuthis dux), with 12–13 m (39–43 ft) long females and 10 m (33 ft) long males, and the Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) which is estimated between 10 m (33 ft) and 14 m (46 ft) long. The Giant Squid has much longer tentacles, but the Colossal Squid is heavier, reaching a mass of at least 495 kilograms (1,091 lb). The largest specimens of Colossal Squid, known only from beaks found in sperm whale stomachs, may perhaps weigh as much as 600–700 kg (1,300–1,500 lb).

Mollusc shells make up most of the “seashells” washed ashore, and are created by the animal via secretions of chitin and conchiolin from its mantle edge. Not all molluscs have shells (ex: nudibranchs) and for some, the shell is internal (ex: cuttlefish). Mollusc shells come in many beautiful colors, shapes, and sizes.

Most molluscs have eyes, and all have sensors to detect chemicals, vibrations, and touch. Of the phyla we have covered so far, their senses are the most developed.

Conchs can look at you like this:

(Source)

All cone snails are venomous, and some of the larger species are some of the most venomous animals in the world. Even though some species’ stings are fatal to humans, their sophisticated venom has saved lives through its use in neurological research.

Humans don’t just use mollusk meat and shells, but also luxuries like pearls, mother of pearl, Tyrian purple dye, and sea silk. As stated above, many species are now endangered due to human use, but some are farmed for their meat, pearls, and shells. The farming of bivalves is more ecologically-friendly than the farming of chordates as, rather than create waste, bivalves like mussels and oysters actually clean the water.

As filter-feeders, bivalves are natural water filters. A single 5.08 cm (2 inch) clam can filter up to 10-12 gallons of seawater a day. They can even filter microplastics out of polluted water.

The largest bivalve is the Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) which can weigh over 200 kilograms (440 lb), measure as much as 120 cm (3.11 ft) across, and have an average lifespan in the wild of more than 100 years.

Cover your ears, kids. Terrestrial slugs, which are hermaphroditic, have some of the most intimate sex on the planet. A pair of slugs will suspend from a chord of mucus, heads down, and intertwine their bodies in a tight spiral. They will then evert their penuses and entwine them as well, exchanging sperm while hanging in midair. Slug porn, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, for your viewing pleasure.