Class Gastropoda (Slugs & snails)
Order Pulmonata (Lung-bearing slugs & snails)
Family Arionidae (Roundback slugs)
Species Arion (Arion) rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Length 60-140mm.
This medium-sized to very large slug is also called the ‘Great Red Slug’, ‘European Red Slug’, amongst other names. It has a differing range of colour forms, from yellow, orange, brown and rarely black. It has a striped fringe along the foot which is characteristically brighter than the body colour, usually bright orange or orange-red. The sole is often paler than the body sides. The tubercles are very course. The mucus is thick and sticky, and usually clear, although it may have an orange tinge. Similar to the Large Black Slug (Arion (Arion) ater), which is the duller of the two species, with a darker foot fringe.
They feed on carrion, dead and alive plant material, and fungi. They hide under rocks or logs during the day, and come out during spells of rain or at night to feed. It is found in many differing sites where there is plentiful vegetation like woodlands, fields and gardens. Common and widespread in southern Britain.
Rear garden, South Staffordshire. © Peter Hillman.
Species confirmed and recorded via iRecord.
Nature Journeys 