Complete Name : Arion vulgaris (Moquin-Tandon, 1855)
Taxonomy : Mollusca » Mollusca » » Stylommatophora » Arionidae » Arion vulgaris
Authors : Wolfgang Rabitsch
Last Updated : October 30th, 2006

Lusitanian slug, Spanish slug.

Arion lusitanicus - J. Mabille, 1868

Large, 7-15 cm long, polyphagous slug feeding on a wide range of green plants, on decayed organic matter and animal carcasses; color variable, usually grayish-green

• Dispersal Mechanisms
  • Although this species is highly mobile for a slug (5-9 m/h) natural dispersal is low. Their home range is negatively correlated with population density. Large anthropogenic distance dispersal of eggs, immature and adult slugs is predominantly via plant material.
• Reproduction
  • It is a hermaphroditic species. Mating usually takes place in spring. A slug can produce up to 400 eggs in autumn at one time (semelparous). Maturity of young slugs is reached within one year. It has one (sometimes two) generations per year.
• Known Predators/Herbivores
  • Hedgehogs, some birds, amphibians and reptiles, larger ground beetles feed on eggs and young slugs.
• Resistant Stages (seeds, spores etc.)
  • Eggs may tolerate adverse conditions.

• Native (EUNIS Code)
  • G1: Broadleaved deciduous woodland (in the lowlands)
• Habitat Occupied in Invaded Range (EUNIS Code)
  • I2: Cultivated areas of gardens and parks, I: Regularly or recently cultivated agricultural, horticultural and domestic habitats, G1: Broadleaved deciduous woodland (in the lowlands)
• Habitat Requirements
  • Moist habitats

The slug was unintentionally introduced with plant material, package and waste materials. Because of scattered first records across Europe, several independent introduction events are presumed.

• Native Range
  • Southwest Europe (parts of Spain, France, UK)
• Known Introduced Range
  • Large parts of central and the southern part of northern Europe, USA (since 1998)
• Trend
  • In Europe, increasing in abundance, distributional and altitudinal range

known distribution area (in CGRS grid squares; in countries; along coast)

	eradicated
	extinct
	not present; eradicated
	native distribution range in CGRS grid squares
	native range
	assumed native range
	infrequent distribution
	key distribution area
	not established

• Ecosystem Impact
  • It is an important plant defoliator. Outcompetes native slug species due to its large size and its high population densities and hybridises with the native A. ater. If combatted with toxic baits, the toxicants can accumulate in predators.
• Health and Social Impact
  • It is an intermediate host of nematode parasites affecting pets. The use of toxic baits could have adverse effects on children and pets in private gardens.
• Economic Impact
  • It is the most important slug pest in Europe causing severe damage to horticultural plants in private and public gardens and cultivated crops in agriculture. It is also known for transmission of plant pathogens.

• Prevention
  • Screening of introduced plant material and packaging. No intentional releases from private gardens to natural sites.
• Mechanical
  • Traps; slug fences; collecting by hand and killing slugs with boiling water.
• Chemical
  • Several toxicants (e.g., Metaldehyds, Carbamates) are available.
• Biological
  • Providing near-natural habitats so that natural predators are supported; use of nematodes (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) as biocontrol agents.

The following contributors have provided records in the DAISIE database for this species.

The following experts registered themselves as having knowledge about this species or its family.

Click here to search google images
Click here to search google scholar

Buschmann H, Keller M, Porret N et al (2005) The effect of slug grazing on vegetation development and plant species diversity in an experimental grassland. Funct Ecol 19:291-298

Grimm B (2002) Effect of the nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita on young stages of the pest slug Arion lusitanicus. J Moll Stud 68:25-28

Kozlowski J (2005) Host plants and harmfulness of the Arion lusitanicus Mabille, 1868 slug. J Plant Prot Res 45:221-233 2005

Briner T, Frank T (1998) Egg laying activity of the slug Arion lusitanicus Mabille in Switzerland. J Conch 36:9-15

Briner T, Frank T (1998) The palatability of 78 wildflower strip plants to the slug Arion lusitanicus. Ann Appl Biol 133:123-133

Fischer W, Reischütz PL (1999) General aspects about the slugpests. Die Bodenkultur 49:281-292

Frank T (1998) Slug damage and numbers of the slug pests, Arion lusitanicus and Deroceras reticulatum, in oilseed rape grown beside sown wildflower strips. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 67:67-78

Frank T (1998) Slug damage and number of slugs (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) in winter wheat fields with sown wildflower strips. J Moll Stud 64:319-328

Frank T (1998) Slug damage and numbers of slugs in oilseed rape bordering on grass strips. J Moll Stud 64:461-466

Grimm B (2001) Life cycle and population density of the pest slug Arion lusitanicus Mabille (Mollusca: Pulmonata) on grassland. Malacologica 43:25-32

Grimm B, Paill W (2001) Spatial distribution and home-range of the pest slug Arion lusitanicus (Mollusca: Pulmonata). Acta Oecologica 22:1-9

Grimm B, Schaumberger K (2002) Daily activity of the pest slug Arion lusitanicus under laboratory conditions. Ann Appl Biol 141:35-44

Grimm B, Paill W, Kaiser H (2000) Daily activity of the pest slug Arion lusitanicus Mabille. J Moll Stud 66:125-130

Keller M, Kollmann J, Edwards PJ (1999) Palatability of weeds from different European origins to the slugs Deroceras reticulatum Müller and Arion lusitanicus Mabille. Acta Oecologia 20:109-118

Kozlowska M, Kozlowski J (2004) Remarks on slug occurrence, harmfulness and activity connected with penetration of ground. J Plant Protection Res 44:331-339

Kozlowski J (2000) Density of the slug Arion lusitanicus Mabille (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) in different microhabitats. J Plant Protection Res 40:158-161

Kozlowski J, Kaluski T (2004) Preferences of Deroceras reticulatum (O.F.Müller), Arion lusitanicus Mabille and Arion rufus (Linnaeus) for various weed and herb species and winter oilseed rape. Folia Malacologica 12:173-180

Paill W, Backeljau T, Grimm B, Kastberger G, Kaiser H (2002) Isoelectric focusing as a tool to evaluate carabid beetles as predatory agents of the pest slug Arion lusitanicus. Soil Biol Biochem 34:1333-1342

Proschwitz T von (1997) Arion lusitanicus Mabille and A. rufus (L.) in Sweden: A comparison of occurrence, spread and naturalization of two alien slug species. Heldia 4:137-138

Speiser B, Zaller JG, Neudecker A (2001) Size-specific susceptibility of the pest slugs Deroceras reticulatum and Arion lusitanicus to the nematode biocontrol agent Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita. BioControl 46:311-320

Weidema I (2006) NOBANIS - Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Arion lusitanicus. Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. www.nobanis.org