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• Boettgerilla pallens Simroth 1912 Worm slug

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© Dr Roy Anderson

© Dr Roy Anderson

© Dr Roy Anderson

© Dr Roy Anderson

A very slender medium-sized keeled slug, pale grayish-yellow in colour, sometimes with a bluish tinge and with a slightly darker head, back and keel. A soil species from south-east Europe, accidentally introduced to Ireland in the 1970s.

Key characteristics

• A very slender greyish or bluish-grey keeled slug with slightly darker head and back and translucent sides with yellowish internal organs showing through
• The keel is full length between the back of the mantle and the tail and is the same colour as the back
• Rear of the mantle comes to a broad point
• Mantle with a deep V-shaped groove, but also marked by 'finger-print' concentric grooves
• Sole pale, mucus colourless

Size

35-55 mm.

World Distribution

Originally south-east European but spread via human activities to most of western Europe within the last century.

GBIF distribution map [open in new tab]

Irish Distribution

Very local but increasingly widespread in disturbed sites. First recorded in Ireland in 1973 from Mount Stewart on the Co. Down coast (Anderson & Norris, 1974). Reported from Britain in the previous year and now very widespread there (Kerney, 1999). It appears to be commoner in the southern counties of Ireland than in the north.

Ecology

• This distinctive, worm-like slug is predominantly soil-dwelling
• Most recorded sites are in rubbishy or waste places but there are records for rough pasture and woodland
• Usually seen only when deeply embedded stones are turned over

Red List status

• Not applicable

Wikipedia link

Wikipedia page for Boettgerilla pallens