"Pill bugs" of the family Armadillidiidae are often confused with pill millipedes such as Glomeris marginata, which is also widespread and common in Britain and Ireland, but pill millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment, while woodlice have only seven pairs of legs.[5] Six certainly native species occur in the British Isles; some doubt exists as to the status of Eluma caelatum.
Armadillidium album is a pale-coloured species, and does not roll itself into a ball when disturbed. Rather, it remains stationary, but with its body slightly arched. It is only found at coastal sites, chiefly in sand dunes, having been first discovered in Britain at the Taw and Torridge estuaries in Devon in 1906.[3] It is found from the Netherlands along the Atlantic coast of Europe to the Mediterranean, where it reaches as far east as Greece.[2]
Armadillidium depressum is a large pill bug, up to 20 mm (0.79 in) long. Females are somewhat variable in colour, but males are uniformly slate grey. It cannot roll up into a perfect ball, but leaves its antennae and telson exposed.[3] In the British Isles, it is only found in South West England and South Wales, but is also found in Belgium, France and Italy.[2]
Like the previous species, Armadillidium nasatum cannot roll up into a perfect ball; it too leaves its antennae and telson exposed.[3] As well as being introduced to North America, it is found natively from Italy and northern Spain to the Netherlands and Britain,[2] where it is widely distributed across the southern half of the country.[3]
Armadillidium pictum occurs over most of Europe, where it is chiefly a forest species. In the British Isles, it is only known from a few sites, all remote from human habitation, in Cumbria and Powys. It closely resembles A. pulchellum, but it is darker in colour, with less distinct mottling, which is arranged in lines along the length of the body. It is also, at up to 9 mm (0.35 in) long, slightly larger than A. pulchellum.[3]
Armadillidium pulchellum may reach 6 mm (0.24 in) in length, and is covered with mosaic patterns of black, white, orange and red. The British Isles hold the greatest concentration of sites for this species,[3] which also extends across Northern and Western Europe.[2] In Great Britain, it is found on coastal cliffs and in upland areas, being particularly associated with Thymus spp.; in Ireland, its ecological tendencies are different, often being found in calcareous glacial sites, particularly eskers.[3]
Armadillidium vulgare is the most common and thus the most well known of the pill bugs. It grows up to 14 mm (0.55 in) long, and is a uniform grey colour.[6] Its abundance tails off to the north and west, and is not known to occur north of a line between the estuaries of the River Clyde and the River Tay in Scotland, or north-west of a line between Galway and Lough Foyle in Ireland. It is associated with sand dunes in the more north-westerly parts of its range, but is often replaced on Carboniferous limestone by the related species Armadillidium pulchellum. Beyond Britain, it is found throughout Europe and parts of Asia, and has been introduced to North America, Australia, South Africa and some islands in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.[3]
Eluma caelatum, Miers, 1877
Eluma caelatum (previously Eluma purpurascens)[2] is typically 10 mm (0.39 in), but exceptionally up to 15 mm (0.59 in) long. The body is purplish brown, with a pair of single large, black ocelli and a triangular telson. It is abundant on cliffs on Ireland's east coast, although it is also found beside railway lines away from the sea, suggesting it was introduced with railway ballast. In 1975, the species was discovered for the first time in Great Britain, and was originally known from two sites: Overstrand, Norfolk and near Herne Bay, Kent, both sites being coastal cliffs of soft rock.[3] It is now known to occur at numerous locations in south-east England (mainly Kent and Essex) including several non-coastal, man-made habitats.[7] It is found outside the British Isles on Atlantic coasts south to north-western Africa, as well as the Canary Islands, Azores and Madeira. It has been introduced to Tasmania and to French Guiana, from where the type specimen hails.[2]
Cylisticus convexus, the "curly woodlouse", has a scattered distribution across the British Isles. It seems to occur either in coastal sites, or synanthropically in anthropogenic habitats. It has been introduced to sites across the New World, from Canada to Argentina.[3]
Halophilosciidaeedit
Haplophilosciidae is a family of woodlice lacking pleopodal lungs. Its members are therefore restricted to coastal habitats.[8]
Ligia oceanica, the sea slater, is the largest of the British woodlice, reaching a length of up to 30 mm (1.2 in). It is found on rocky shores throughout the British Isles. Its wider range extends from Norway to Morocco, and has since been introduced to North America.[3]
Oniscus asellus, the "common shiny woodlouse", is the most widespread species of woodlouse in the British Isles, both geographically and ecologically.[3] It is not known from the Mediterranean Basin, but is widespread in Northern and Western Europe, as far east as the Ukraine, as well as in the Azores and Madeira; it has also been widely introduced in the Americas.[2] It is one of the largest native woodlice in Britain, at up to 16 mm (0.63 in) long.[9] It is relatively flat, and is a shiny patchy grey in colour.[3]
Originally described under the name Chaetophiloscia meeusei from greenhouses at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,[3]Burmoniscus meeusei is now known to occur in the wild in Brazil, Hawaii and Taiwan.[2] It is not native to the British Isles.
Philoscia muscorum, the "common striped woodlouse" or "fast woodlouse", is up to 11 mm (0.43 in) long, with a greyish-brown, mottled, shiny body,[10] and long legs, which allow it to move quickly. It is more common in the south of the British Isles, but can be found up to the north coast of Scotland.[3]
Setaphora patiencei, Bagnall, 1908
Although the generic placement of this species is uncertain, it is known to occur in the wild in Mauritius and Réunion, and is now established in greenhouses in England.[2] It is not native to the British Isles.
Acaeroplastes melanurus is known from much of southern Europe, from Croatia to Spain and the Azores, and including Algeria.[2] In the British Isles, it is only known from cliffs at Howth, County Dublin, where it was found several times between 1909 and 1934.[3] The species was rediscovered in 2002,[11] and further study showed that a substantial population still exists.[12]
Agabiformius lentus, Budde-Lund, 1885
Agabiformius lentus is native to the Mediterranean region, but has been widely introduced outside that range.
Porcellio dilatatus is a widespread species, although only abundant at a few restricted sites. It is large and wide, with a rounded tip to the telson in adults.[3]
Porcellio laevis is, when fully grown, the largest of the Porcellio species in the British Isles, at up to 18 mm (0.71 in) long.[6] It may be in decline due to the reduced availability of its preferred habitat; it was formerly common around horse dung.[3] It is more common in warmer climates, and is found across Europe and North Africa, as well as having been introduced to many other parts of the world.[2]
Porcellio scaber, the "common rough woodlouse", is one of the most frequent woodlice in the British Isles. It is also one of the best colonisers, having become established from Iceland to South America and South Africa.[3] Adults may reach 11 mm (0.43 in) long.[6]
Porcellio spinicornis is confined to stone walls and buildings, with a tendency to avoid areas with a strong Atlantic climatic influence. It is distinctively marked, with two rows of yellow marks along the body against a brown background with a darker median stripe and a blackish head. Its wider distribution covers much of Europe, but little of the Mediterranean region, eastwards to Ukraine; it has also been introduced to Canada and the United States.[3]
Porcellionides cingendus, Kinahan, 1857
Porcellionides cingendus has an Atlantic, or Lusitanian distribution, stretching from Portugal to the British Isles,[2] and reaching its northernmost location at St. John's Point, (near Killough) County Down. It partly replaces Philoscia muscorum where it occurs, and the two are easily confused in the field; Porcellionides cingendus, however, is narrower, and has a matt, not shiny, body.[3]
Porcellionides pruinosus is quite different from P. cingendus and the two are unlikely to be confused in the field. P. pruinosus has a characteristic dusty bloom and very pale legs. Although there is some doubt as to its native status in Britain, P. pruinosus has been found in Roman remains in London, indicating that if it was introduced, it was not introduced recently.[3] The species is predominantly Mediterranean in its distribution, but has taken on a cosmopolitan distribution through the actions of man.[2]
Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi is closely associated with ants' nests, particularly those of Lasius flavus, Lasius niger and species of Myrmica. It has a distinctive oval shape and short antennae. Its distribution appears to follow those of the ants with which it lives, and the British Isles are the north-westerly limit of its range. Elsewhere, P. hoffmannseggi extends south to the Mediterranean.[3] It is found outside Europe in North Africa and Turkey, and has been introduced to North America.[2]
Trichorhina tomentosa is the only species of woodlouse originating in the Americas to have become established in the British Isles, where it survives in greenhouses.[2]
Nagurus cristatus has a pantropical distribution, and is found in greenhouses in temperate climates, including in the British Isles,[2] though it is not a native species.
Trachelipus rathkei is sometimes confused with the more frequent Porcellio scaber, although its markings, with a regular longitudinal pattern of a light colour on a grey-brown background, are distinctive. They can be distinguished by examining the number of pleopodal lungs on the animal's underside with a hand lens – species of Porcellio have only two pairs, while T. rathkei has five pairs.
Androniscus dentiger is readily recognisable by its distinctive pink colour, with a widening yellow stripe towards the rear. Adults are up to 6 mm (0.24 in) long. It is found at cliff sites, in scree and in caves, as well as in anthropogenic habitats. It is found as far south as North Africa and east to Croatia, and has been introduced to North America.[3]
Buddelundiella cataractae, Verhoeff, 1930
Buddelundiella cataractae is an inconspicuous woodlouse, up to 4 mm (0.16 in) long and similar in appearance to a grain of sand when rolled up. Within Britain, it is only known from Cardiff, Barry and a site near Snettisham, Norfolk, although it has a wide distribution in Europe, possibly reaching as far east as Georgia.[3]
Haplophthalmus danicus is reasonably widely distributed in the British Isles, but is rare outside South East England. It is a pale animal, up to 4 mm (0.16 in) long, with longitudinal ridges along its body. It is found throughout Europe, in Turkey, North America, Japan and several islands in the Atlantic Ocean.[3]
Haplophthalmus mengii, Zaddach, 1844
Haplophthalmus mengei has a narrower body than H. danicus, but is a similar size and colour. It is found mostly in coastal or limestone-rich sites. Outside Britain, the species is thought to occur as far east as Austria and Poland.[3]
Metatrichoniscoides celticus is the smallest of the British woodlice, at only 3 mm (0.12 in) long. It is white in appearance and is only known to occur along a 48 km (30 mi) stretch of the Glamorgan coast.[3] It was discovered perhaps as late as 1979, and is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List because of its small population size.[13] It is endemic to the British Isles.
Miktoniscus linearis, Patience, 1908
Miktoniscus linearis is not believed to be a native British species, although so far it is only known from greenhouses in England and Germany.[2]
Oritoniscus flavus is, despite the implication in its name, a dark purple or maroon colour, and can thus be told apart from the paler Trichoniscus pusillus. It is also, at 8 mm (0.31 in) long, slightly larger. It has a wide head and a tapering body, producing a shape reminiscent of a trilobite. It is rare in Great Britain, being found only in south Wales and in Midlothian in Scotland, but is widespread in Ireland, and is found further afield in the Pyrenees, leading to speculation that the species may be part of the "Lusitanian fauna".[3]
Trichoniscoides albidus, Budde-Lund, 1880
As with the previous species, Trichoniscoides albidus has a misleading specific epithet, since in life it is reddish-purple. It is similar to Trichoniscus pusillus, but its exoskeleton is dull, unlike the shiny surface in Trichoniscus pusillus. It is found in areas with an Atlantic climate from France to southern Sweden.[3]
Trichoniscoides saeroeensis, Lohmander, 1923
Trichoniscoides saeroeensis is distinctively coloured, with a pink pleon, but a white pereon, and with red or pink ocelli. It is widely distributed around British and Irish coasts, and is also known from Brittany, Denmark and Sweden.[3]
Trichoniscoides sarsi Patience, 1908
Trichoniscoides sarsi resembles the previous species, but has noticeable orange or pink patches on either side of its rear; unlike T. saeroeensis, however, T. sarsi is found inland.[3] It seems to tolerate cold especially well, and has been recorded outside the British Isles from France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and has also been introduced to Newfoundland.[2]
Trichoniscus pusillus, the "common pygmy woodlouse", is widespread in Europe north of the Alps, and has been introduced to Madeira, the Azores and North America.[2] In the south of its range, T. pusillusreproduces sexually, but towards the north of its range, parthenogenesis predominates.[14] It is the most abundant woodlouse species in Britain,[15] and extremely widespread, occurring as far north as the northernmost tip of Shetland.[3] It is shiny in appearance and reddish-brown in colour, with white patches visible on close inspection, where muscles attach to the exoskeleton.[3] It reaches a maximum size of 5 mm (0.20 in) long.[16]
Trichoniscus pygmaeus, Sars, 1899
Trichoniscus pygmaeus is perhaps the most under-recorded British woodlouse species, since it lives deeply buried in the soil, and adults resemble immature individuals of the very abundant Trichoniscus pusillus.[3] It is found from Morocco, across Europe, to south-western Russia (Krasnodar Krai).[2]
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabHelmut Schmalfuss (2003). "World catalog of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea) – revised and updated version" (PDF). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A. 654: 341.
^N. Dias, M. Sprung & M. Hassall (2005). "The abundance and life histories of terrestrial isopods in a salt marsh of the Ria Formosa lagoon system, southern Portugal". Marine Biology. 147 (6): 1343–1352. doi:10.1007/s00227-005-0033-2. S2CID 84853859.
^. ARKive.org. Archived from the original on 2010-04-29. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
^. Natural England. Archived from the original on 2010-01-07. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
^Maria Wickenberg & Julian D. Reynolds (2002). "A recent Irish record of the woodlouse Acaeroplastes melanurus (Budde-Lund, 1885) (Isopoda: Porcellionidae), considered to be extinct in the British Isles". Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society. 26: 60–63.
^Roy Anderson (2007). "Observations on the status and ecology of Acaeroplastes melanurus (Budde-Lund) (Crustacea: Oniscidea) at Howth Head, Dublin". Irish Naturalists' Journal. 28 (12): 497–505. JSTOR 25536869.
^H. I. Griffiths (1996). "Metatrichoniscoides celticus". 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved August 10, 2007. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
^Bengt Christensen (1983). "Genetic variation in coexisting sexual diploid and parthenogenetic triploid Trichoniscus pusillus (Isopoda, Crustacea)". Hereditas. 98 (2): 201–207. doi:10.1111/j.1601-5223.1983.tb00594.x. PMID 6874390.
^J. Phillipson (1983). "Life cycle, numbers, biomass and respiratory metabolism of Trichoniscus pusillus (Crustacea, Isopoda) in a beech woodland – Wytham Woods, Oxford". Oecologia. 57 (3): 339–343. Bibcode:1983Oecol..57..339P. doi:10.1007/BF00377178. PMID 28309361. S2CID 13591328.
^"Woodlouse Wizard: an identification key". Natural History Museum. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
January 01, 1970
list, woodlice, british, isles, woodlice, most, species, rich, group, terrestrial, crustaceans, described, species, found, worldwide, species, families, native, british, isles, these, species, acaeroplastes, melanurus, been, considered, extinct, british, isles. Woodlice are the most species rich group of terrestrial crustaceans 1 Of the 4 000 described species found worldwide 2 35 species in 10 families are native to the British Isles One of these species Acaeroplastes melanurus had been considered extinct in the British Isles but was rediscovered in 2002 at its only site Howth County Dublin Ireland and a further ten species have become naturalised in greenhouses presumably transported with exotic plants 3 Five species are especially common throughout the British Isles and are known as the famous five species 4 They are Oniscus asellus the common shiny woodlouse Porcellio scaber the common rough woodlouse Philoscia muscorum the common striped woodlouse Trichoniscus pusillus the common pygmy woodlouse and Armadillidium vulgare the common pill bug One species Metatrichoniscoides celticus is endemic to Glamorgan and is listed as a vulnerable species in the IUCN Red List Contents 1 Armadillidae 2 Armadillidiidae 3 Cylisticidae 4 Halophilosciidae 5 Ligiidae 6 Oniscidae 7 Philosciidae 8 Porcellionidae 9 Platyarthridae 10 Styloniscidae 11 Trachelipodidae 12 Trichoniscidae 13 ReferencesArmadillidae editReductoniscus costulatus Kesselyak 1930 Reductoniscus costulatus occurs naturally in the Seychelles on Mauritius in Malaysia and in the Hawaiian Islands but has been introduced to several parts of Europe where it survives in greenhouses 2 Armadillidiidae edit nbsp Armadillidium vulgare nbsp Armadillidium vulgare in the rolled up defensive posture characteristic of pill bugs nbsp Armadillidium pictum Pill bugs of the family Armadillidiidae are often confused with pill millipedes such as Glomeris marginata which is also widespread and common in Britain and Ireland but pill millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment while woodlice have only seven pairs of legs 5 Six certainly native species occur in the British Isles some doubt exists as to the status of Eluma caelatum Armadillidium album Dollfus 1887 Armadillidium album is a pale coloured species and does not roll itself into a ball when disturbed Rather it remains stationary but with its body slightly arched It is only found at coastal sites chiefly in sand dunes having been first discovered in Britain at the Taw and Torridge estuaries in Devon in 1906 3 It is found from the Netherlands along the Atlantic coast of Europe to the Mediterranean where it reaches as far east as Greece 2 Armadillidium depressum Brandt 1833 Armadillidium depressum is a large pill bug up to 20 mm 0 79 in long Females are somewhat variable in colour but males are uniformly slate grey It cannot roll up into a perfect ball but leaves its antennae and telson exposed 3 In the British Isles it is only found in South West England and South Wales but is also found in Belgium France and Italy 2 Armadillidium nasatum Budde Lund 1885 Like the previous species Armadillidium nasatum cannot roll up into a perfect ball it too leaves its antennae and telson exposed 3 As well as being introduced to North America it is found natively from Italy and northern Spain to the Netherlands and Britain 2 where it is widely distributed across the southern half of the country 3 Armadillidium pictum Brandt 1833 Armadillidium pictum occurs over most of Europe where it is chiefly a forest species In the British Isles it is only known from a few sites all remote from human habitation in Cumbria and Powys It closely resembles A pulchellum but it is darker in colour with less distinct mottling which is arranged in lines along the length of the body It is also at up to 9 mm 0 35 in long slightly larger than A pulchellum 3 Armadillidium pulchellum Zenker 1798 Armadillidium pulchellum may reach 6 mm 0 24 in in length and is covered with mosaic patterns of black white orange and red The British Isles hold the greatest concentration of sites for this species 3 which also extends across Northern and Western Europe 2 In Great Britain it is found on coastal cliffs and in upland areas being particularly associated with Thymus spp in Ireland its ecological tendencies are different often being found in calcareous glacial sites particularly eskers 3 Armadillidium vulgare Latreille 1804 Armadillidium vulgare is the most common and thus the most well known of the pill bugs It grows up to 14 mm 0 55 in long and is a uniform grey colour 6 Its abundance tails off to the north and west and is not known to occur north of a line between the estuaries of the River Clyde and the River Tay in Scotland or north west of a line between Galway and Lough Foyle in Ireland It is associated with sand dunes in the more north westerly parts of its range but is often replaced on Carboniferous limestone by the related species Armadillidium pulchellum Beyond Britain it is found throughout Europe and parts of Asia and has been introduced to North America Australia South Africa and some islands in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans 3 Eluma caelatum Miers 1877 Eluma caelatum previously Eluma purpurascens 2 is typically 10 mm 0 39 in but exceptionally up to 15 mm 0 59 in long The body is purplish brown with a pair of single large black ocelli and a triangular telson It is abundant on cliffs on Ireland s east coast although it is also found beside railway lines away from the sea suggesting it was introduced with railway ballast In 1975 the species was discovered for the first time in Great Britain and was originally known from two sites Overstrand Norfolk and near Herne Bay Kent both sites being coastal cliffs of soft rock 3 It is now known to occur at numerous locations in south east England mainly Kent and Essex including several non coastal man made habitats 7 It is found outside the British Isles on Atlantic coasts south to north western Africa as well as the Canary Islands Azores and Madeira It has been introduced to Tasmania and to French Guiana from where the type specimen hails 2 Cylisticidae editCylisticus convexus De Geer 1778 Cylisticus convexus the curly woodlouse has a scattered distribution across the British Isles It seems to occur either in coastal sites or synanthropically in anthropogenic habitats It has been introduced to sites across the New World from Canada to Argentina 3 Halophilosciidae editHaplophilosciidae is a family of woodlice lacking pleopodal lungs Its members are therefore restricted to coastal habitats 8 Halophiloscia couchii Kinahan 1858 Haplophiloscia couchii is a coastal species which is almost never seen in daylight 3 It was originally described from Talland Bay Cornwall but is found as far south as Dakar Senegal and has also been introduced to North America South America and Australia Stenophiloscia glarearum Verhoeff 1908 Stenophiloscia glarearum formerly S zosterae 2 is less than 6 mm 0 24 in long and white with a distinctly spiny dorsal surface In the British Isles it is only known from three sites Slapton Ley Scolt Head Island and Goldhanger Essex 3 Outside Britain the species is only known from the Canary Islands and Mediterranean coasts from Spain to Malta and Greece 2 Ligiidae edit nbsp Ligia oceanica at Portishead Somerset Ligia oceanica Linnaeus 1767 Ligia oceanica the sea slater is the largest of the British woodlice reaching a length of up to 30 mm 1 2 in It is found on rocky shores throughout the British Isles Its wider range extends from Norway to Morocco and has since been introduced to North America 3 Ligidium hypnorum Cuvier 1792 In the British Isles Ligidium hypnorum is restricted to the south and east of England being particularly frequent in Kent and Surrey but with further populations in East Anglia western Gloucestershire and North Somerset It grows up to 9 mm 0 4 in and is dark and shiny in appearance It is found mainly in deciduous woodland especially ancient woodland and in fens Outside Britain it is distributed across Central Europe as far east as the Black Sea 3 Oniscidae edit nbsp Oniscus asellus Oniscus asellus Linnaeus 1758 Oniscus asellus the common shiny woodlouse is the most widespread species of woodlouse in the British Isles both geographically and ecologically 3 It is not known from the Mediterranean Basin but is widespread in Northern and Western Europe as far east as the Ukraine as well as in the Azores and Madeira it has also been widely introduced in the Americas 2 It is one of the largest native woodlice in Britain at up to 16 mm 0 63 in long 9 It is relatively flat and is a shiny patchy grey in colour 3 Philosciidae edit nbsp Philoscia muscorum Burmoniscus meeusei Holthuis 1947 Originally described under the name Chaetophiloscia meeusei from greenhouses at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew 3 Burmoniscus meeusei is now known to occur in the wild in Brazil Hawaii and Taiwan 2 It is not native to the British Isles Philoscia muscorum Scopoli 1763 Philoscia muscorum the common striped woodlouse or fast woodlouse is up to 11 mm 0 43 in long with a greyish brown mottled shiny body 10 and long legs which allow it to move quickly It is more common in the south of the British Isles but can be found up to the north coast of Scotland 3 Setaphora patiencei Bagnall 1908 Although the generic placement of this species is uncertain it is known to occur in the wild in Mauritius and Reunion and is now established in greenhouses in England 2 It is not native to the British Isles Porcellionidae edit nbsp Porcellio scaber nbsp Porcellio dilatatus nbsp Porcellio spinicornis Acaeroplastes melanurus Budde Lund 1885 Acaeroplastes melanurus is known from much of southern Europe from Croatia to Spain and the Azores and including Algeria 2 In the British Isles it is only known from cliffs at Howth County Dublin where it was found several times between 1909 and 1934 3 The species was rediscovered in 2002 11 and further study showed that a substantial population still exists 12 Agabiformius lentus Budde Lund 1885 Agabiformius lentus is native to the Mediterranean region but has been widely introduced outside that range Porcellio dilatatus Brandt 1833 Porcellio dilatatus is a widespread species although only abundant at a few restricted sites It is large and wide with a rounded tip to the telson in adults 3 Porcellio laevis Latreille 1804 Porcellio laevis is when fully grown the largest of the Porcellio species in the British Isles at up to 18 mm 0 71 in long 6 It may be in decline due to the reduced availability of its preferred habitat it was formerly common around horse dung 3 It is more common in warmer climates and is found across Europe and North Africa as well as having been introduced to many other parts of the world 2 Porcellio scaber Latreille 1804 Porcellio scaber the common rough woodlouse is one of the most frequent woodlice in the British Isles It is also one of the best colonisers having become established from Iceland to South America and South Africa 3 Adults may reach 11 mm 0 43 in long 6 Porcellio spinicornis Say 1818 Porcellio spinicornis is confined to stone walls and buildings with a tendency to avoid areas with a strong Atlantic climatic influence It is distinctively marked with two rows of yellow marks along the body against a brown background with a darker median stripe and a blackish head Its wider distribution covers much of Europe but little of the Mediterranean region eastwards to Ukraine it has also been introduced to Canada and the United States 3 Porcellionides cingendus Kinahan 1857 Porcellionides cingendus has an Atlantic or Lusitanian distribution stretching from Portugal to the British Isles 2 and reaching its northernmost location at St John s Point near Killough County Down It partly replaces Philoscia muscorum where it occurs and the two are easily confused in the field Porcellionides cingendus however is narrower and has a matt not shiny body 3 Porcellionides pruinosus Brandt 1833 Porcellionides pruinosus is quite different from P cingendus and the two are unlikely to be confused in the field P pruinosus has a characteristic dusty bloom and very pale legs Although there is some doubt as to its native status in Britain P pruinosus has been found in Roman remains in London indicating that if it was introduced it was not introduced recently 3 The species is predominantly Mediterranean in its distribution but has taken on a cosmopolitan distribution through the actions of man 2 Platyarthridae edit nbsp Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi Brandt 1833 Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi is closely associated with ants nests particularly those of Lasius flavus Lasius niger and species of Myrmica It has a distinctive oval shape and short antennae Its distribution appears to follow those of the ants with which it lives and the British Isles are the north westerly limit of its range Elsewhere P hoffmannseggi extends south to the Mediterranean 3 It is found outside Europe in North Africa and Turkey and has been introduced to North America 2 Trichorhina tomentosa Budde Lund 1893 Trichorhina tomentosa is the only species of woodlouse originating in the Americas to have become established in the British Isles where it survives in greenhouses 2 Styloniscidae editCordioniscus stebbingi Patience 1907 The native range of Cordioniscus stebbingi is restricted to eastern Spain It has however been introduced to greenhouses worldwide 2 Styloniscus spinosus Patience 1907 Styloniscus spinosus is native to Mauritius Reunion Madagascar and Hawaii but is found in some greenhouses in Great Britain 2 Trachelipodidae edit nbsp Trachelipus rathkii Nagurus cristatus Dollfus 1881 Nagurus cristatus has a pantropical distribution and is found in greenhouses in temperate climates including in the British Isles 2 though it is not a native species Nagurus nanus Budde Lund 1908 Nagurus nanus is found throughout the tropics in anthropogenic habitats 2 Trachelipus rathkii Brandt 1833 Trachelipus rathkei is sometimes confused with the more frequent Porcellio scaber although its markings with a regular longitudinal pattern of a light colour on a grey brown background are distinctive They can be distinguished by examining the number of pleopodal lungs on the animal s underside with a hand lens species of Porcellio have only two pairs while T rathkei has five pairs Trichoniscidae edit nbsp Androniscus dentiger nbsp Trichoniscus pusillus Androniscus dentiger Verhoeff 1908 Androniscus dentiger is readily recognisable by its distinctive pink colour with a widening yellow stripe towards the rear Adults are up to 6 mm 0 24 in long It is found at cliff sites in scree and in caves as well as in anthropogenic habitats It is found as far south as North Africa and east to Croatia and has been introduced to North America 3 Buddelundiella cataractae Verhoeff 1930 Buddelundiella cataractae is an inconspicuous woodlouse up to 4 mm 0 16 in long and similar in appearance to a grain of sand when rolled up Within Britain it is only known from Cardiff Barry and a site near Snettisham Norfolk although it has a wide distribution in Europe possibly reaching as far east as Georgia 3 Haplophthalmus danicus Budde Lund 1880 Haplophthalmus danicus is reasonably widely distributed in the British Isles but is rare outside South East England It is a pale animal up to 4 mm 0 16 in long with longitudinal ridges along its body It is found throughout Europe in Turkey North America Japan and several islands in the Atlantic Ocean 3 Haplophthalmus mengii Zaddach 1844 Haplophthalmus mengei has a narrower body than H danicus but is a similar size and colour It is found mostly in coastal or limestone rich sites Outside Britain the species is thought to occur as far east as Austria and Poland 3 Metatrichoniscoides celticus Oliver amp Trew 1981 Metatrichoniscoides celticus is the smallest of the British woodlice at only 3 mm 0 12 in long It is white in appearance and is only known to occur along a 48 km 30 mi stretch of the Glamorgan coast 3 It was discovered perhaps as late as 1979 and is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List because of its small population size 13 It is endemic to the British Isles Miktoniscus linearis Patience 1908 Miktoniscus linearis is not believed to be a native British species although so far it is only known from greenhouses in England and Germany 2 Miktoniscus patiencei Vandel 1946 Miktoniscus patiencei is found in soils and shingles just above the strand line of salt marshes and sea cliffs It is small at 4 mm 0 16 in in length and white It has been found quite widely along the south coasts of England and Ireland and also at a site in Kincardineshire 3 Elsewhere in Europe it is known from the English Channel coasts of Brittany and from the Channel Islands 2 Oritoniscus flavus Budde Lund 1906 Oritoniscus flavus is despite the implication in its name a dark purple or maroon colour and can thus be told apart from the paler Trichoniscus pusillus It is also at 8 mm 0 31 in long slightly larger It has a wide head and a tapering body producing a shape reminiscent of a trilobite It is rare in Great Britain being found only in south Wales and in Midlothian in Scotland but is widespread in Ireland and is found further afield in the Pyrenees leading to speculation that the species may be part of the Lusitanian fauna 3 Trichoniscoides albidus Budde Lund 1880 As with the previous species Trichoniscoides albidus has a misleading specific epithet since in life it is reddish purple It is similar to Trichoniscus pusillus but its exoskeleton is dull unlike the shiny surface in Trichoniscus pusillus It is found in areas with an Atlantic climate from France to southern Sweden 3 Trichoniscoides saeroeensis Lohmander 1923 Trichoniscoides saeroeensis is distinctively coloured with a pink pleon but a white pereon and with red or pink ocelli It is widely distributed around British and Irish coasts and is also known from Brittany Denmark and Sweden 3 Trichoniscoides sarsi Patience 1908 Trichoniscoides sarsi resembles the previous species but has noticeable orange or pink patches on either side of its rear unlike T saeroeensis however T sarsi is found inland 3 It seems to tolerate cold especially well and has been recorded outside the British Isles from France Germany Denmark Sweden and Norway and has also been introduced to Newfoundland 2 Trichoniscus pusillus Brandt 1833 Trichoniscus pusillus the common pygmy woodlouse is widespread in Europe north of the Alps and has been introduced to Madeira the Azores and North America 2 In the south of its range T pusillus reproduces sexually but towards the north of its range parthenogenesis predominates 14 It is the most abundant woodlouse species in Britain 15 and extremely widespread occurring as far north as the northernmost tip of Shetland 3 It is shiny in appearance and reddish brown in colour with white patches visible on close inspection where muscles attach to the exoskeleton 3 It reaches a maximum size of 5 mm 0 20 in long 16 Trichoniscus pygmaeus Sars 1899 Trichoniscus pygmaeus is perhaps the most under recorded British woodlouse species since it lives deeply buried in the soil and adults resemble immature individuals of the very abundant Trichoniscus pusillus 3 It is found from Morocco across Europe to south western Russia Krasnodar Krai 2 References edit Richard Brusca August 6 1997 Isopoda Tree of Life Web Project a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Helmut Schmalfuss 2003 World catalog of terrestrial isopods Isopoda Oniscidea revised and updated version PDF Stuttgarter Beitrage zur Naturkunde Serie A 654 341 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an Paul T Harding amp Stephen L Sutton 1985 Woodlice in Britain and Ireland distribution and habitat PDF Abbots Ripton Huntingdon Institute of Terrestrial Ecology p 151 ISBN 0 904282 85 6 accessed through the NERC Open Access Research Archive NORA Walking with Woodlice Imperial College London Pill millipede Glomeris marginata ARKive Archived from the original on 2006 06 17 Retrieved June 21 2007 a b c William H Robinson 2005 Handbook of Urban Insects and Arachnids A Handbook of Urban Entomology Cambridge University Press pp 472 ISBN 0 521 81253 4 National Biodiversity Network NBN Gateway web site N Dias M Sprung amp M Hassall 2005 The abundance and life histories of terrestrial isopods in a salt marsh of the Ria Formosa lagoon system southern Portugal Marine Biology 147 6 1343 1352 doi 10 1007 s00227 005 0033 2 S2CID 84853859 Common woodlouse Oniscus asellus ARKive org Archived from the original on 2010 04 29 Retrieved February 22 2009 Fast woodlouse Philoscia muscorum Natural England Archived from the original on 2010 01 07 Retrieved January 28 2009 Maria Wickenberg amp Julian D Reynolds 2002 A recent Irish record of the woodlouse Acaeroplastes melanurus Budde Lund 1885 Isopoda Porcellionidae considered to be extinct in the British Isles Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society 26 60 63 Roy Anderson 2007 Observations on the status and ecology of Acaeroplastes melanurus Budde Lund Crustacea Oniscidea at Howth Head Dublin Irish Naturalists Journal 28 12 497 505 JSTOR 25536869 H I Griffiths 1996 Metatrichoniscoides celticus 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Retrieved August 10 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a External link in code class cs1 code work code help Bengt Christensen 1983 Genetic variation in coexisting sexual diploid and parthenogenetic triploid Trichoniscus pusillus Isopoda Crustacea Hereditas 98 2 201 207 doi 10 1111 j 1601 5223 1983 tb00594 x PMID 6874390 J Phillipson 1983 Life cycle numbers biomass and respiratory metabolism of Trichoniscus pusillus Crustacea Isopoda in a beech woodland Wytham Woods Oxford Oecologia 57 3 339 343 Bibcode 1983Oecol 57 339P doi 10 1007 BF00377178 PMID 28309361 S2CID 13591328 Woodlouse Wizard an identification key Natural History Museum Retrieved November 1 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of woodlice of the British Isles amp oldid 1181491057, 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