# Black slug (*Arion ater*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/arion-ater  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The black slug (Arion ater) is a mollusc in the snails and slugs subgroup, belonging to the family Arionidae within the class Gastropoda. It is placed in the genus Arion and the superfamily Arionoidea, and its scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758). Other English names for it include Black snail, Black arion, Great black slug, Large black slug and Greater black slug. The IUCN Red List assesses the black slug globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Mollusca
- class: Gastropoda
- family: Arionidae
- genus: Arion
- species: *Arion ater* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Arion ater*, *Arion ater var. albida*, *Arion ater var. albolateralis*, *Arion ater var. empiricorum*, *Arion empiricorum*, *Arion sulcatus*, *Limax ater*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the black slug?

The black slug is a mollusc in the snails and slugs subgroup, classified in the class Gastropoda and the family Arionidae.

### What is the scientific name of the black slug?

The scientific name of the black slug is Arion ater, placed in the genus Arion.

### Who named the black slug and when?

The authority for Arion ater is written as (Linnaeus, 1758).

### Is the black slug endangered?

No. The IUCN Red List assesses the black slug globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

### What other names does the black slug have?

Other English names for the black slug are Black snail, Black arion, Great black slug, Large black slug and Greater black slug.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Black slug (Arion ater). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/arion-ater