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Limax cinereoniger

Ash-black slug

Habitus (CC BY-SA 3.0) Rolf Zimmermann

Short Description

With a length of up to 20 centimetres, the ash-black slug is the largest native slug. It can be recognised by its three-part underside (sole) with dark edges and a light central area. Most of the time it is completely black. However, there are also brown, greyish or whitish animals. Lighter animals are often patterned. It has a distinct ridge on the back part of the back.

Young animals are brown in colour.

Features

Ash-black slug

Limax cinereoniger

  • very large

  • underside with dark edge and light centre field

Similar species

Leopard slug

Limax maximus
It has reddish-brown antennae and a uniformly light underside.

Black slug

Arion ater
It has no distinct edge along the rear dorsum. Its body is shorter and broader.

Tree slug

Lehmannia marginata
They can hardly be distinguished from the young without a light microscope.
Habitus (CC BY-SA 3.0) Teemu Maki

In the city

It is very rare in the city. It prefers natural forests and scrubland and hides under stones, decomposing tree stumps, fallen tree trunks or even loose bark.

Fun Facts

  • It lives up to three years.

  • It is particularly active at night and prefers damp places.

  • Specimens up to 30 centimetres long have been found.

  • It feeds on various types of fungi and algae and decomposing plant material. It also eats dead members of its own species.

  • It is also active in winter when temperatures are mild.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Sohle (CC BY-SA 3.0) Rolf Zimmermann

Sources

Habitus, Rolf Zimmermann, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Limax_cinereoniger_on_moss_(Schwarzer_Schnegel_auf_Moos).JPG

Habitus, Teemu Maki, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Limax_cinereoniger.JPG

Sohle, Rolf Zimmermann, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Limax_cinereoniger_on_stick_(Schwarzer_Schnegel_auf_Zweig).JPG

Wiese, V. (2014) Die Landschnecken Deutschlands. Finden – Erkennen – Bestimmen, Wiebelsheim: Quelle & Meyer Verlag.

Page „Schwarzer Schnegel“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 28.04.2017, 11:54 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Schwarzer_Schnegel&oldid=164988220 (Accessed:10.10.2017).

Nordsiek, R. (n.d.) Schwarzer Schnegel - Die faszinierende Welt der Schnegel, URL: http://www.schnegel.at/index.html?/arten/limax_cinereoniger.html (Accessed: 10.10.2017).

NABU Landesverband Niedersachen (n.d.) Der Schwarze Schnegel. Ein Artenportrait, URL: https://niedersachsen.nabu.de/tiere-und-pflanzen/sonstige-arten/schnecken/arten-niedersachsen/11740.html (Accessed: 05.12.2017).

Schniebs, K. (2017): Schwarzer Schnegel (Limax cinereoniger Wolf, 1803), URL: https://www.weichtiere-sachsen.de/Pages/TaxonomyBrowser.aspx?id=429423 (Accessed: 07.12.2017).