Arion hortensis

Arion hortensis, also known by its common name the "garden slug", "small striped slug" or "black field slug" is a species of small air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Arionidae, the roundback slugs.

Arion hortensis
Arion hortensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
(unranked):
Superfamily:
Family:
Genus:
Arion
Species:
A. hortensis
Binomial name
Arion hortensis
(Férussac, 1819)

In Britain, the name Arion hortensis was previously applied to a species complex, consisting of this species plus Arion distinctus Mabille, 1868 and Arion owneii Davies, 1979. Here the name is used sensu stricto.[1]

Description

It is worth noting that with slugs it is often difficult to establish good criteria for identifying species using external features or internal features, as colouration can be quite variable, and the rather plastic anatomy makes diagnostic anatomical features difficult to establish.

A 30–40 mm. long (exceptionally up to 50 mm) roundback slug. In colour it is grey to bluish black, with dark lateral bands (the right band usually running entirely above pneumostome). The tentacles are bluish or reddish, and the slug bluish or orange tip at the tail. The first row of tubercles above the foot-fringe is white. The contracted body is semicircular (not bell-shaped) in transverse section. The sole is orange or yellow. The body mucus is yellow-orange. Juveniles are bluish grey with a darker dorsum and a yellow sole.[2]

Distribution

This species is native to European countries and islands including:

It has been introduced various other countries including Tasmania.[3]

Habitat

This slug lives in gardens, fields, pastures and similar habitat.

gollark: I'll check on epicbot.
gollark: Please flag these as serious discussion channels.
gollark: I think this is a reasonable amount of bots, for now.
gollark: Well, they "stepped back" then posted things in <#800375008299057203> talking about it and then started talking about it again.
gollark: This server was split off from it in the wake of this due to people retroactively interpreting palaiologistic behavior as showing that they are not interested in listening to their community.

References

  1. Michael Kerney. 1999. Atlas of the land and freshwater Molluscs of Britain and Ireland. Harley Books, Colchester Essex. ISBN 0-946589-48-8.
  2. Animalbase (Welter-Schultes)
  3. Arion hortensis Férussac, cited 20 December 2008.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.