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Slugs of Britain & Ireland TEST VERSION 2013 SLUGS OF BRITAIN & IRELAND (Short test version, pages 18-37 only) By Ben Rowson, James Turner, Roy Anderson & Bill Symondson PRODUCED BY FSC 2013. TEXT AND PHOTOS © NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES 2013 External features of slugs Tail Mantle Head Keel Tubercles Lateral bands Genital pore Identification of Slugs Identification Tentacles. Breathing pore (pneumostome) Keel Eyes Variations in lateral banding Mantle markings and ridges Broken lateral bands Mouth Solid lateral bands Sole (underside of foot) Mantle. Note texture and presence of grooves and ridges, as Tubercles. Note whether numerous and small/fine vs. few and well as any markings and banding. large/coarse. Pigment may be present in the grooves between tubercles. Tentacles. Note colour. Slugs may need to be handled or disturbed to extend tentacles. Keel (raised ridge). Note length and whether truncated at the tip of tail. Beware markings that may exaggerate or obscure the Breathing pore (pneumostome). length of keel. On right-hand side of body. Note whether rim is noticeably paler or darker than body sides. Sole (underside of foot). Note colour and any patterning. The sole in most slugs is tripartite i.e. there are three fields running Lateral bands. Note whether present on mantle and/or tail. in parallel the length of the animal. Is the central field a different Note also intensity, whether broad or narrow, and whether high shade from the lateral fields or low on body side. Shell Dorsal grooves. In Testacellidae, note wheth- Mucus pore. er the two grooves meet in front of the shell or Present only in Arionidae underneath it. Foot fringe. In Arionidae, note fringe colour and if Mantle. In Testacellidae and Trigonochlamydidae, stripes are present or not. the mantle is situated near the tail but may be con- cealed by the shell, if present. 18 Identifying slugs Using the identification charts Living, adult slugs are the easiest to identify. Live slugs This book contains both identification charts and species differ in the shapes they adopt when contracted, accounts. [Not in test version.] We recommend that and their behaviour when disturbed. They may need inexperienced users first try the charts for identification. to be examined closely, especially if small (a lens is They draw attention to important features and away recommended). White tissue or paper is useful to check from distracting ones. The charts are designed to work the colour of the mucus. Always wash your hands after without the species accounts, although these should be handling slugs. Many species can be identified from consulted for additional features and useful background good photographs provided these show enough of the information to confirm identifications. key features. The right-hand side of the body contains more features since this is where the genital pore and Most of the charts offer several identification options at breathing pore are situated. Dead slugs (e.g. from beer once. Species (or groups of species) and identification or pitfall traps) may become difficult to identify as shapes features are arranged in vertical columns or horizontal distort and colours fade. Some species have to be killed rows. The rows sometimes run across two pages. Where and dissected for accurate identification (see p. 000) in a feature is shared by more than one species (or group of which case any observations or photographs of the live species) the box is spread across columns or rows. animal need to be taken first! It is important to examine several features in turn, There are two main problems with slug identification. ruling out as many species as possible each time. Boxes Firstly, many species are extremely variable in with a red outline highlight particularly distinctive appearance. In particular, size, colour and markings can features that will often work as shortcuts to the right vary between localities and habitats and even among identification. slugs from a single clutch of eggs. They often change radically as slugs grow. Only one or a few species will correspond with all features, except in cases of exceptional variability. If the slug Secondly, juveniles of some species may resemble the being identified does not correspond with all features, adults of others. Some species have a loosely-defined try returning to an earlier chart to check it is in the right adult season, but juveniles can be encountered at any group of species. Other species may be found in Britain time of year. Without experience there is no easy way to and Ireland in future, but the vast majority of slugs will distinguish a juvenile of a large species from an adult of belong to the known species. a small species. Most slugs of 50 mm or more long will be mature enough to identify, but some species become Some externally similar slug species cannot be adult at just 15 mm. Of course, slugs encountered mating distinguished without dissection. Such cases are or laying eggs will be adult. In some species the genital indicated in the charts. pore also becomes subtly swollen in adults. Juveniles may have noticeably bigger optic tentacles, relative to For encouragement, remember that: their body size. These problems make it difficult to construct and use a • Not every single slug you find will be identifiable, dichotomous key (a key that presents only two options at least at first. Juveniles especially are often not at a time). We have therefore adopted charts or tabular distinctive enough to identify to species. keys that show several options at once. Where possible, the identification charts emphasize shape, texture and • With practice, especially as one encounters more behavioural features over size, colour, and markings. species, identification becomes easier. This is They are designed to work for both adults and (as far as motivation to keep exploring! possible) juveniles. 0 mm 50 mm 100 mm 150 mm 10 20 30 40 60 70 80 90 110 120 130 140 [ Very small ][ Small ][ Medium-sized ][ Large ][ Very large Identification of Slugs Identification (Approx. max recorded size 200 mm) 19 1. Major Groups I 1a. External shell Group Shell spiral and obvious, even if thin and transparent. Snails For identification, see the AIDGAP guide by Animal able to retract fully into shell. Cameron (2008). Mantle virtually hidden within shell. Identification of Slugs Identification Shell a loosely coiled spiral, very thin, transparent. Semi-slugs (Vitrinidae) Animal snail-like, but unable to retract fully into shell. Go to Chart 15. Mantle mainly hidden within shell, but with mantle lobes overlapping shell edge. Shell virtually uncoiled, flattened and fingernail- Shelled Slugs (Testacellidae) like, covering only part of the rear end of the animal. Go to Chart 14. Mantle virtually hidden beneath shell. Other Slugs No visible external shell. Go to 1b. 1b. Mantle Position Group Ghost Slug (Trigonochlamydidae) p. XX Mantle tiny, disc-shaped, at the very rear of the animal. Note: in extremely rare cases, Testacellidae (p.xx) have been found alive but lacking a shell Mantle cloak-like or shield-like, covering the neck Other slugs and “shoulders” of the animal. Mantle is of a very different texture from rest of body with breathing Go to Chart 2. pore on right side. 20 2. Major Groups II Round-backed Slugs Long-keeled Slugs Short-keeled Slugs Short-keeled Slugs 2. (Arionidae) (Milacidae, Boettgerillidae) (Limacidae) (Agriolimacidae) (raised ridge) (raised No keel. Keel long, running all the way to Keel short, petering out well before the rear mantle edge. Animal round-backed. the rear mantle edge. Keel Note: a very weak keel is present in some species , especially when young, but unlike other keeled slugs these have a mucus pore at the tail tip. Tail tip Tail Rounded, with a mucus pore Pointed, with no mucus pore. Pointed, with no mucus pore. Pointed, with no mucus pore. visible. Keel sloping sharply to tail tip. Keel sloping gradually to tail tip. Keel sloping sharply to tail tip. groove groove Mantle texture Mantle Mantle finely granular Mantle texture variable. A Mantle with fine concentric Mantle with fine concentric (“shagreened”). deep shaped groove is ridges, like a fingerprint. Ridges ridges, like a fingerprint. Ridges usually present, but often centred around the midpoint of centred around the breathing inconspicuous. the back. pore. Breathing pore in front half of Breathing pore in rear half of Breathing pore in rear half of Breathing pore in rear half of mantle. mantle. mantle. mantle. Breathing pore Breathing 15 - 140 mm. 25 - 75 mm. 35 - 200 mm. 15 -50 mm Usually rather sluggish and less Particularly poor climbers, Rather active when handled. Especially active, extending willing to extend when handled. usually found on or in the Mucus may be thin and runny. readily in the hand. Mucus may Mucus may be very sticky and ground. Strong climbers, often found be thin and milky. staining. Poor climbers. well off the ground. Adult size & behaviour size Adult Round-backed Slugs Long-keeled Slugs Short-keeled Slugs Short-keeled Slugs (Arionidae) (Milacidae, Boettgerillidae) (Limacidae) (Agriolimacidae) Go to Chart 3. Go to Chart 8. Go to Chart 9. Go to Chart 13. Families Identification of Slugs Identification 21 3. Arionidae: Genara & Subgenera 3. Geomalacus Arion (Kobeltia) Arion (Carinarion) Arion (Mesarion) Arion (Arion) Medium-sized to Medium-sized Very small to small Small Medium-sized very large (60 - 90 mm). (15 - 45 mm). (30 - 45 mm). (50 - 70 mm). (60 - 140 mm). Adult size Adult Identification of Slugs Identification Tubercles Small/fine; even more Varying between species. Small/fine; central row Small/fine, even more Large/coarse; slugs so than in many smaller May appear prickly when often paler, giving the so than in many smaller nearly always rough or species. retracted. impression of of a keel i.e.
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