black slug vs Cluster Bat

Milax nigricans compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

• black slug is Not Evaluated while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	black slug	Cluster Bat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Mollusca (Mollusks)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Stylommatophora (Stylommatophora)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Milacidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Milax	Myotis
Species	Milax nigricans	Myotis sodalis

Evolutionary Relationship

black slug and Cluster Bat share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

black slug

NE — Not Evaluated

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	black slug	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

black slug

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Range

Found across Europe (8 countries).

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

black slug

The Black slug (Milax nigricans) is a species in the genus Milax. Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.