Taxonomy
Arion (Arion) vulgaris
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
Not Assessed
First reported in the wild
1984
Invasiveness
Invasive species - risk of Medium Impact
Introduction pathways - 1
Uncertain
Invasive score
15
NAPRA Ireland risk assessed
No
Species Biology
Identification
Large brown or black roundback slug, does not respond to mechanical stimuli by rocking and has a dull foot fringe (Anderson, 2010).
Ecology
"It is the most important slug pest in Europe causing severe damage to horticultural plants in private and public gardens and cultivated crops in agriculture" (Rabitsch, 2009). Outcompetes native slugs, is the intermediate host for a number of parasites of pets and causes damage to plants (Rabitsch, 2009).
Habitat
Woodland, forest and other wooded land; Constructed, industrial or other artificial habitats; Regularly or recently cultivated agricultural, horticultural or domestic habitat
Reproduction
Hermaphrodite, usually mates during spring with 400 eggs produced per individual (Rabitsch, 2009),though mating occurs from the end of August until the end of September in Norway, with mean of 101 eggs produced per individual (Roth et al., 2012).
Pathway and vector description
Introduced to other parts of Europe as contaminants in nursery material it is unknown at present how it came to be introduced to Ireland.
Mechanism of impact
Grazing/Herbivory/Browsing
Broad environment
Terrestrial
Habitat description
Found in woodlands and gardens in Europe
Species group
Invertebrate
Native region
Europe
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Irish distribution
Unknown
Native distribution
There is widespread confusion over taxonomic status of this and a number of other slug species/subspecies and differing accounts of invasion, natural spread and native status (Pfenninger et al., 2014; Roth et al., 2012), Native range is currently thought to be west coast of France and southern Britain (Rabitsch, 2009).
Temporal change
Date of first record category
Unknown
Fifty year date category
Unknown
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
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How can you help
Report any sightings to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
Further information
Delivering Alien Invasive Species In Europe (DAISIE) project list this as one of the 100 Worst Invaders in Europe.
References
Publications
Pfenninger, M., Weigand, A., Bálint, M., & Klussmann-Kolb, A. (2014). Misperceived invasion: the Lusitanian slug (Arion lusitanicus auct. non-Mabille or Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon 1855) is native to Central Europe. Evolutionary applications, 7(6), 702-713. Roth, S., Hatteland, B. A., & Solhøy, T. (2012). Some notes on reproductive biology and mating behaviour of Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon 1855 in Norway including a mating experiment with a hybrid of Arion rufus (Linnaeus 1758) x ater (Linnaeus 1758). Journal of Conchology, 41(2), 249. Rabitsch, W. (2009) Arion vulgaris In: Handbook of Alien Species in Europe DAISE, Springer.