| Species | Arion ater (Great Black Slug, Large Black Slug) |
| Species aggregate | Arion ater agg. (black slugs, orange slugs) |
| Genus | Arion (a genus of slugs) |
| Family | ARIONIDAE (roundback slugs) |
| Order | PULMONATA (slugs and snails) |
| Class | GASTROPODA (slugs and snails) |
| Phylum | MOLLUSCA (slugs, snails, bivalves, octopus, sea slugs) |
| Superphylum | LOPHOTROCHOZOA (molluscs and relatives) |
| Clade | Bilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals) |
| Subkingdom | EUMETAZOA (metazoans) |
| Kingdom | ANIMALIA (animals) |
| Domain | Eukaryota (eukaryotes) |
| Life | BIOTA (living things) |
| Records of Arion ater (Great Black Slug, Large Black Slug) : | ||||
| 1: Arion ater (Great Black Slug, Large Black Slug) | ||||
| 14 Oct 2016 | OSGR: SU20 | 50° 50’ N, 1° 40’ W | Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) | England |
| Mating pair: one orange, one dark brown with orange foot | ||||
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| 2: Arion ater (Great Black Slug, Large Black Slug) | ||||
| 16 Jul 1972 | OSGR: SE65 | 53° 60’ N, 1° 0’ W | England | |
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Arion ater (Great Black Slug, Large Black Slug) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:
 NBN (data.nbn.org.uk)
has a distribution map for Arion ater (Great Black Slug, Large Black Slug)
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 BioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk)
has 1 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Arion ater (Great Black Slug, Large Black Slug)
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A large black, brown, grey, orange or dull yellowish slug.
The fringe is generally the same dull colour as the rest of the upper surface and this is the only species in the Aion ater aggregate which can have a black foot fringe.
Brown forms will have a sole of the same colour or paler.
Heathland forms are black with a black foot fringe and the sole either black or dark grey.
This is also the only member of the group which reliably sways from side to side in the contracted state when firmly stroked from head to tail.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, all original material on the BioImages website by Malcolm Storey is licensed under the above Creative Commons Licence.
Photographs from other photographers are used with permission but not included under the above CC licence.