Overview
Comprehensive Description
General Description
The genus Arion contains about 30 species, most of which inhabit the Iberian Peninsula (Wiktor 1996) and others which are widespread.
© Paustian, Megan
Source:
Terrestrial Slugs Web
Trusted
Distribution
Distribution
Native to Europe, N Africa, and to a lesser extent Asia. Arion's major speciation center is the Iberian Peninsula (Wiktor et al. 2000).
© Paustian, Megan
Source:
Terrestrial Slugs Web
Trusted
Physical Description
Morphology
Morphology
External: Single color body or with banding on the sides; thick skin (Wiktor 1983).
Internal: Internal calcareous granules rather than an internal shell; long, twisted epiphallus; spermatheca connected to atrium, with a distinct stalk; epiphallus, oviduct, and spermatheca duct have separate origins in atrium; short atrium (Wiktor 1983; Wiktor et al. 2000).
Arion are distinct from the genus Geomalacus in terms of: reproductive opening posterior to the pneumostome; short genital retractor; internal shell only remaining as granules (Quick 1960).
© Paustian, Megan
Source:
Terrestrial Slugs Web
Trusted
Look Alikes
Ecology
Habitat
Trophic Strategy
Trophic Strategy
Omivores that usually consume plant material but may opportunistically eat carrion (Wiktor 1983; Barker 2004). Fungus and algae may also be consumed.
© Paustian, Megan
Source:
Terrestrial Slugs Web
Trusted
Wikipedia
Arion (gastropod)
Arion is a genus of air-breathing land slugs, specifically roundback slugs, called "roundback" because they have no keel on the back of the body.
The genus name Arion is taken from that of the legendary ancient Greek poet Arion.
Contents |
Species
Species in the genus Arion include:
- Arion ater
- Arion circumscriptus
- Arion distinctus
- Arion fasciatus
- Arion flagellus
- Arion fuscus
- Arion hortensis
- Arion intermedius Normand, 1852 - synonym: Arion alpinus Pollonera, 1887[2]
- Arion lusitanicus
- Arion obesoductus Reischütz, 1973 - synonym: Arion alpinus auctt. non Pollonera, 1887[2]
- Arion occultus
- Arion owenii
- Arion silvaticus
- Arion simrothi
- Arion rufus
- Arion transsylvanus Simroth, 1885[3]
- Arion vulgaris, the invasive Spanish slug
Note: Arion vejdorskyi or Arion vejdowskyi is a taxon with unclear taxonomic position
References
- ^ Férussac A. E. J. P. J. F d'Audebard de & Deshayes G.-P. 1819-1851. Histoire naturelle générale et particulière des mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles, tant des espèces que l'on trouve aujourd'hui vivantes, que des dépouilles fossiles de celles qui n'existent plus; classés d'après les caractères essentiels que présentent ces animaux et leurs coquilles. pp. Tome 1: 8 + 184 pp.; Tome 2 (1): 402 pp.; 2 (2): 260 + 22 + 16 pp.; Atlas 1: 70 pl.; Atlas 2: 166 + 5 pl.. Paris. (J.-B. Bailliere).
- ^ a b Manganelli G., Bodon M. & Giusti F. (2010). "The status of Arion alpinus Pollonera 1887, and re-description of Arion obesoductus Reischütz 1973 (Gastropoda, Arionidae)". Journal of Conchology 40: 269-276. abstract.
- ^ Jordaens K., Pinceel J., Van Houtte N., Breugelmans K. & Backeljau T. (2010). "Arion transsylvanus (Mollusca, Pulmonata, Arionidae): rediscovery of a cryptic species". Zoologica Scripta 39(4): 343-362. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2010.00425.x.
Further reading
- Quinteiro J., Rodríguez-Castro J., Castillejo J., Iglesias-Piñeiro J. & Rey-Méndez M. (2005). "Phylogeny of slug species of the genus Arion: evidence of monophyly of Iberian endemics and of the existence of relict species in Pyrenean refuges". Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 43(2): 139-148. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0469.2005.00307.x.
Source:
Wikipedia
Unreviewed
Disclaimer
EOL content is automatically assembled from many different content providers. As a result, from time to time you may find pages on EOL that are confusing.
To request an improvement, please leave a comment on the page. Thank you!
