What are the primary components of a banana slug's diet?

• A. Live prey such as insects.
• B. Seeds and grains.
• C. Algae and aquatic plants.
• D. Decaying plant matter, fungi, and sometimes living plant material.

Answer: (D)

Banana slugs are omnivorous detritivores whose diet is dominated by decaying plant matter and fungi, with occasional consumption of living plant material. In their moist forest habitats they actively feed on leaf litter, rotting wood, and a variety of fungi, especially mushrooms and molds, which provides essential nutrients and helps with decomposition. While they can nibble on some living plant tissue, this is not their primary food source, and they do not rely on seeds, grains, or algae as main staples. This combination of eating decayed organic matter and fungi best matches the slug’s feeding habits, making the described diet the most accurate.