Arion (gastropod)

Spanish Slug (Arion vulgaris)

The genus Arion is the namesake genus of the family of slugs ( Arionidae ) from the subordination of terrestrial snails ( gastropod ). It is a species-rich genus of small to large slugs. The species are often very similar and difficult to determine.

Features

The species of the genus Arion are stretched to max. about 20 cm long. The blowhole is situated before the middle of the mantle shield. There is no keel present. About the tail tip is a mucous gland. The housing is usually completely reduced to a few Kalkkörper.

Reproduction

The animals are hermaphrodites and cross-fertilize each other. The partners embrace and lead the Epiphalli ( organ formation of sperm ) mutually in the genital opening and transfer the spermatophores ( sperm packets) inside. Depending on the kind of up to 400 eggs are stored in one or more located in the soil.

Lifestyle and deposits

The species of the genus Arion were originally confined with few exceptions to Europe. Arion sibiricus is as the name implies ago in North Asia. Many species have been abducted today but in temperate latitudes almost worldwide. All species of the genus are herbivores but also eat carrion. Some species can also be perceived as pests of crops at high population densities, especially the Spanish Slug (Arion vulgaris).

System

The genus Arion is divided by some authors into four subgenera. This subdivision is not used by other authors or classified as poor.

  • Subgenus Arion (Arion ) Ferussac, 1819 Black slug (Arion (Arion ) ater ( Linnaeus, 1758) )
  • Arion (Arion ) flagellus Collinge, 1893
  • Arion (Arion ) franciscoloi Boato, Bodon & Giusti, 1983
  • Arion (Arion ) fuligineus Morelet, 1854
  • Arion (Arion ) isseli Lessona & Pollonera, 1882
  • Spanish Slug (Arion (Arion ) vulgaris Moquin - Tandon, 1858)
  • Arion (Arion ) magnus Torres Minguez, 1923
  • Red Slug (Arion (Arion ) rufus ( Linnaeus, 1758) )
  • Grey Slug (Arion ( Arion Carin ) circumscriptus Johnston, 1828)
  • Gelbstreifige slug ( Arion ( Arion Carin ) fasciatus ( Nilsson, 1823) )
  • Woodland slug ( Arion ( Arion Carin ) silvaticus Lohmander, 1937)
  • Alpine slug ( Arion ( Kobeltia ) obesoductus Reischütz, 1973) ( = Arion alpinus auct. )
  • Arion ( Kobeltia ) anthracius Bourguignat, 1886
  • Common slug ( Arion ( Kobeltia ) distinctus Mabille, 1868)
  • Arion ( Kobeltia ) fagophilus De Winter, 1986
  • Garden Slug (Arion ( Kobeltia ) hortensis Ferussac, 1819)
  • Small slug ( Arion ( Kobeltia ) intermedius Normand, 1852) ( = Arion alpinus Pollonera, 1887)
  • Arion ( Kobeltia ) owenii Davies, 1979
  • Arion ( Kobeltia ) vejdowskyi Babor & Kostal, 1893
  • Arion ( Kobeltia ) wiktori Parejo & Martin, 1990
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) atripunctatus Dumont & Mortillet, 1853
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) baeticus Garrido, Castillejo & Iglesias, 1994
  • Marsh slug (Arion ( Mesarion ) brunneus Lehmann, 1862)
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) euthymeanus Florence, 1886
  • Brown slug ( Arion ( Mesarion ) fuscus (OF Müller, 1774) )
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) gilvus Torres Mínguez, 1925
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) hispanicus Simroth, 1886
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) iratii Garrido, Castillejo & Iglesias, 1995
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) lizarrustii Garrido, Castillejo and Iglesias, 1995
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) molinae Garrido, Castillejo & Iglesias, 1995
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) nobrei Pollonera, 1889
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) paularensis Viktor & Parejo, 1989
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) ponsi Quintana Cardona, 2007
  • Simroths slug ( Arion ( Mesarion ) simrothi Kunkel, 1909)
  • Light brown slug ( Arion ( Mesarion ) subfuscus ( Draparnaud, 1805) )
  • Arion ( Mesarion ) urbiae De Winter, 1986
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