Slug ID please (1 Viewer)

[IamFof]

Hi guys
A few nights ago we had some mist and in the morming I spotted 2 large slugs.
Today I spotted another. Full length a good 15cm. By the time I got back with the camera it had slid under a small shrub.
Length was now about 10cm.
Any ideas?
TIA
Fof

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Certainly an Arion species; I think there are now 4 or 5 large Arion species on the British list; I’ll look up the details in the FSC guide tomorrow.

 

[IamFof]

So, one of the Spanish slugs. I thought there was only 1 spp in the UK.
Not doing any damage or causing any mayhem so it can continue to do what it does.

 

[aeshna5]

So, one of the Spanish slugs. I thought there was only 1 spp in the UK.
Not doing any damage or causing any mayhem so it can continue to do what it does.

There are several Arion spp in this country-many native. They are tricky & may need dissection to get an accurate ID.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

The Orange edge of the foot strongly suggests it is Arion rufus, a native British species, but this cannot be confirmed absolutely without dissection.

 

[IamFof]

Thanks, WP. I strongly suspected ID would be difficult.
Therefore, Arion spp., till proved otherwise.
Fof

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Technically Arion sp - a member of genus Arion, rather than Arion app - multiple different species within genus Arion.

 

[IamFof]

Interesting. I have always used spp for species and ssp for subspecies.
Never had any other comments.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Just noticed the auto(in)correct in my previous post. The (more) complete list
sp - one unknown species
spp - multiple unknown species
ssp - one unknown subspecies
sspp - multiple unknown subspecies

 

[IamFof]

That is something I have never come across.
Been involved around the edges only, so no authority at all.
Strange nobody has ever mentioned it.
One learns something new, every day. Now to get my ancient brain to alter it's autocomplete function.