Red Slug

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iRed Slug

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Pulmonata
Family:	Arionidae
Genus:	Arion
Species:	A. rufus

Binomial name

Arion rufus
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The Red Slug (Arion rufus; also known as the Chocolate Arion or the European red slug) is a large slug, characterised by its usually red or brown body and lack of a keel. At most, a full-grown Red Slug can extend to be approximately 18cm (7 inches) in length; although they usually only grow to be 7–10cm (2.7–3.9 inches) long.

The Red Slug typically lives in gardens, fields, or other wooded areas near human activity. It is most common in western and central Europe, as well as North America; in particular, southern British Columbia. The Red Slug originated in Europe.

Perhaps the Red Slug's most distinguishable feature is the placement of its respiratory pore just before the mid-point of its mantle. Like all slugs, the Red Slug moves relatively slow because they only have one muscular foot, which is mostly red with stripes.

The Red Slug, like all other slugs, uses two pairs of tentacles to sense its environment. The darkly-coloured upper pair, called optical tentacles, is used to sense light. The lower pair provide the Red Slug's sense of smell. Both pairs can be retract and extend themselves to avoid hazards, and, if lost, can be regrown.

Its genus, Arion, is derived from the name of the legendary Greek poet Arion. Its species name, rufus, is Latin for red. Although often red or brown, Arion rufus can also be greenish-brown, black, yellow, or orange.