Description: A 'keeled' roundback slug, grey on the back without any darker spots, with broad, dark, lateral bands, white sides below the bands and white sole. The 'keel' consists of a line of tubercles on the back i.e. not a real keel. Widespread in acid grassland and heaths. 30-38 mm.

World Distribution: Mainly middle and northern latitudes in Europe. Distribution type: European Temperate (73).

Irish Distribution: Widespread and usually common.

Ecology:

• A characteristic species of exposed upland grass and heath
• It can occur in some woodland types with A. circumscriptus, particularly grazed valley hazel woods in the west
• Also in agricultural grasslands and occasionally in gardens

Key Identification Features:

• A roundback slug with grey back, broad, dark lateral bands, and white sides below the bands, and with white sole
• The 'keel' consists of pale, raised tubercles along the back; these are evident in both adults and young, but more conspicuous in the young
• Mucus sticky, clinging, colourless
• Contracts into a bell shape
• Sole an opaque pure white

Red list status:

• Least concern (lc).

Distribution Map from NBN: Arion circumscriptus silvaticus at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Arion circumscriptus silvaticus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Arion fasciatus | Classification: Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Arionidae, Arion

Thumbnails for genus Arion