Current Biotica 8(2):183-186, 2014 ISSN 0973-4031 Research Communication Record of the brown slug, Mariella dussumieri Gray, 1855 (Gastropoda: Ariophantidae) in marigold (Tagetes sp.) S. Onkara Naik, M. Jayashankar, V. Sridhar and A. K. Chakravarthy* Division of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru – 5600 89, Karnataka, India *E-mail:
[email protected] Malacofauna have increasingly The incidence was observed for the drawn attention of pest managers in recent second year and a two fold increase in the times due to their emergence as agri- density of slugs with damage to crops was horticultural pests (Barker, 2002). Snails and observed. Feeding damage up to 30% loss slugs as pests on ornamental and agri- was recorded in young plants (n=60 plants) horticultural crops have been reported in in 2013 compared to 15 % loss (n=60 Bengaluru and Kolar, South India plants) observed during 2012. Feeding by (Jayashankar et al., 2010; Sridhar et al., slugs on buds, flowers, growing shoot tips 2012). The brown slug, Mariella dussumieri and foliage was recorded (Fig.1 & 2). The Gray, 1855 (Gastropoda: Ariophantidae) is mucus secreted by slug crawling on apical reported feeding voraciously on the shoots had dried forming a silvery slime, succulent buds and leaves of vanilla plants distinguishing from insect damage and this in the Western Ghats (Mavinkurve et al., unsightly slime trails reduced marketability 2004). It is reported to be pestiferous on of flowers. Slugs continued to be active at coffee in South India (Bhat and Shamanna, night and on cloudy, rainy days.