Ariolimax Morch, 1859
The genus represents the colorful banana slugs of the Pacific Northwest.
Produces a thick mucus when disturbed by a predator (Harper 1988).
Are able to rappel down from trees on a mucus cord (Harper 1988).
External: Variably colorful (yellow, olive, or brown); pneumostome in the posterior half of mantle; prominent keel, but not reaching mantle; caudal mucus pit (Forsyth 2004); keel present; caudal mucus pore present (on tail tip); undivided sole (Leonard et al. 2011).
Internal: 11-19 ridges on jaw (Mead 1943); epiphallus present; penial verge in A. columbianus only; buccal and tentacular retractors joined behind diaphragm (Leonard et al. 2011).
Eggs: Translucent white with a thin shell, 7 mm diameter, almost spherical; laid in a clump of 30+ eggs in a hole (Harper 1988).
Juveniles: 15-20 mm long at hatching, and lacking color and spots (Harper 1988).
100 to 260 mm (Forsyth 2004).
Pacific Northwest of North America.
Predators - Pacific giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus), California newt (Taricha torosa), garter snakes, shrews, moles, foxes, porcupines, raccoons, crows, ducks, beetles, millipedes, other slugs (Harper 1988).
Parasites - mites (Harper 1988).
Consumes fungus, dead and living plants, fruit, seeds, lichen, algae, feces, dead animals (Harper 1988).
Mate year-round. Mating may take twelve or more hours; slugs assume an S-shape position and cross-fertilize each other simultaneously; the penis may become stuck, resulting in the slugs chewing off the organ (apophallation) (Harper 1988).