Higher classification Arion | Superfamily Arionoidea Genus Arion Rank Species | |
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Similar Arion, Arion silvaticus, Arion fasciatus, Gastropods, Molluscs | ||
Arion circumscriptus johnston 1828 brown banded arion
Arion circumscriptus, common name Brown-banded arion, is a species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Arionidae.
Contents
- Arion circumscriptus johnston 1828 brown banded arion
- Description
- Distribution
- Parasites
- Taxonomy
- References
Description
Slug is up to 40mm when mature. 50 mm long in Welter-Schultes It is a roundback slug. In colour it is dark grey (sometimes with bluish hue) or brown.The mantle has dark spots, the sides are usually lighter near the foot-fringe and have one dark longitudinal band on each side, running above pneumostome. The dorsum often has a very slight keel and the slug is bell-shaped in transverse section when contracted. The sole is whitish and the mucus colourless. Genitalia:Atrium large, epiphallus heavily pigmented and wider than vas deferens, oviduct short and not narrow, spermatheca elongate.
Distribution
Arion circumscriptus is found mainly in middle and northern latitudes in Europe.The distribution type is European Temperate This species occurs in countries and islands including:
It has been introduced in:
Parasites
Parasites of Arion circumscriptus include:
Taxonomy
The original description of the three slugs in the subgenus Carinarion, Arion (Carinarion) fasciatus, Arion (Carinarion) silvaticus and Arion (Carinarion) circumscriptus was based on small differences in body pigmentation and details of the genital anatomy. A recent study of these morphospecies (typological species) claims that previous studies had shown that body colour in these slugs may be influenced by their diet, and the genital differences were not confirmed by subsequent multivariate morphometric analyses.Analysis of alloenzyme and albumen gland proteins had given conflicting results.Also that evidence of interspecific hybridization in places where these predominantly self-fertilizing slugs apparently outcross contradicted their status as biological species. Molecular studies led to the conclusion that the three members of Carinarion are a single species-level taxon. The name Arion fasciatus has priority.
