Description: This is a medium-sized slug-like animal of a bluish-grey colour and bearing a jaunty small shell at the rear of its back. The shell is flattened, somewhat dilated, very shining, and a brownish or slight reddish colour. 16-20 mm.

World Distribution: This species is widely distributed in south-central and eastern Europe but extends sparsely to northern and western coasts and has recently entered the British Isles. The latter expansion of range is thought to be related to climate warming.

Irish Distribution: There are two recent records for Ireland: Ballycommane House, West Cork, 13 July 2021, found crawling on stonework of an old stone building (fide Julia Cooper); Mount Stewart (NT), Co Down, 20 April 2022, 1 juvenile under plastic plant pot among garden waste (RA).
It is likely to appear in more synanthropic locations within Ireland.

Ecology:

• From the above observations it is difficult to work out the habits of this species in Ireland though it may prefer disturbed places in large gardens
• In Wales where it has been found at several sites since 2016, it appears to be carnivorous on saproxylic (wood decaying) invertebrates and has so far been found mainly in conifer plantations.

Key Identification Features:

• The conspicuous but small shell perched near the tail reminds one of the worm-predatory Testacella species, but it differs from these in its small size, bluish-grey colour and lack of conspicuous dorso-lateral grooves on the body
• Shell small, around 5 mm long and flattened, reddish

Red list status:

• Invasive

Distribution Map from NBN: Daudebardia rufa at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Daudebardia rufa at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Daudebardia rufa | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Oxychilidae, Daudebardia

Thumbnails for genus Daudebardia