Arion lusitanicus
Arion lusitanicus (not Arion lusitanicus auctt. = Arion vulgaris ) is a Nacktschneckenart from the family of slugs ( Arionidae ) in the order of snails ( Pulmonata ). For a long time in Central Europe propagating malicious worm with Arion lusitanicus was identified; therefore stirs the name Spanish Slug. After the examination of specimens from the type locality in Portugal turned out that the Central European malicious worm is not identical with Arion lusitanicus. Although they kept the German common name Spanish Slug, the scientific name is the current state Arion vulgaris.
- 4.1 Literature
- 4.2 Notes and references
Features
The animals are stretched up to 8 cm. The body is dark brown with yellowish tones. On the back and mantle run two light brown napkins. The right belt passes over the Pneumostom. The tubercles are comparatively small. The tentacles are black. The edge of the foot is red with black horizontal lines that run into the lateral parts of the sole. The sole is olive gray with darker edge zones. In the living animal the mucus is colorless and very sticky. In preserved animals he turns yellow at the bottom even intense yellow. Juveniles are greenish gray with two whitish bars on the jacket and the rear part of the back. The sole is whitish or with a shade of orange.
In the reproductive system, the atrium is round and not divided. The seminal vesicle is round and the head of the seminal vesicle ( " stem " ) is as long as the seminal vesicle itself. The handle is a little further shortly before it flows into the atrium. Epiphallus and vas deferens have approximately the same length. The transition from the vas deferens to epiphallus is marked by a constriction. The vagina is longer and wider than the head of the seminal vesicle. The fallopian tube is greatly expanded distal part. Prior to this enhancement of the fallopian tubes and bends before this kink is a Retraktormuskel. In the extended part of the oviduct, two V-shaped longitudinal strips are arranged ( " ligula ").
Similar Species
The edge of the sole is gray at Arion lusitanicus and brighter than the upper parts of the body. In Arion rufus, it is vice versa. The tubercles are smaller than in Arion rufus lusitanicus at Arion.
Geographical distribution, habitat and behavior
The species is endemic in central Portugal. Evidence in Spain they must be checked whether they Arion lusitanicus actually are, or the harmful snail Arion vulgaris.
The species occurs in the mountainous region of Serra da Arrábida before ( near Lisbon / Portugal). She lives there in the natural vegetation of these mountains on calcareous soils. She hides progressing very narrow gaps in the ground with his head and eats mushrooms in spring and autumn. In the other seasons, it feeds on herbaceous plants, mosses and lichens. Copulation was observed in January and February.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
The taxon was described in 1868 by Jules François Mabille first time. Arion lusitanicus is an endemic in Central Portugal Art The name was transferred to a falsely in Central Europe invasive expanding slug. It was assumed that this worm was abducted with vegetables from Spain to Central Europe and therefore gave her the trivial names Spanish Slug. Although concerned about the provision of malicious worm were expressed as early as the 1970s and 1980s, but only with the description of Topotyp material of Arion lusitanicus the false identification of the Central European malicious worm could be hedged. Whether Arion lusitanicus ever found in Spain is questionable. So far there are only secure evidence from central Portugal.
Today, the Spanish slug Arion vulgaris is usually identified with a scientific taxon, which had been erected by Alfred Moquin - Tandon 1855 under the name Arion rufus var vulgaris. However, not all authors follow this view, because the identification is not based on comparisons with type material that is lost, but only on descriptions and illustrations Moquin - Tandons. It therefore would have a Neotyp be set to stabilize the nomenclature. Therefore, many authors still prefer the name Arion lusitanicus with the addition of " auct., Non Mabille " to express that it is not the Mabille ` ness, type, but the invasive species that has been treated for decades under this name.