Arion ater (Linnaeus, 1758)

 

Also called brown garden slug

 

 

Picture: Arion ater has pulled into a ball and is scared!

 

 

 

 

á      SIZE: The body can reach lengths up to about 6 inches!

 

á      RANGE: They range in color from black to orange, and are found in Europe and the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

á      HABITAT: Arion ater likes life on cool, moist land, especially well watered gardens.

 

á      DIET: TheyŐll eat your lettuce and strawberries, but they also eat fungi, decaying leaf, feces, and some insects.

 

á      LOOK-A-LIKES: The Arion ater ranges in colors, the brownish-orange morphs are common in the PNW, whereas the black morphs tend to stay in Europe. In the PNW there arenŐt any closely colored slugs that can be mistaken for Arion aterŐs brown body and bright orange marking.

 

á      HISTORY: The Arion ater, like all slugs likely evolved from primitive land snails. Their shells can still be accounted for, but they lie under the back (mantle), near the head of the slug.

 

á      PREDATORS: Arion ater could become dinner to frogs, mice, moles, shrews, toads, and some birds.

 

á      LINKS:

http://animaldiversity.ummz.edu/site/accounts/information/Arion_ater.html

 

AND

 

http://www-biol.paisley.ac.uk/bioref/Animalia_inverts/Arion_ader.htm