How do I identify a porcellio Scaber?
A large woodlouse (to 17 mm) with a rough, heavily tuberculate body, antennal flagella comprising two segments and and two pairs of pleopodal lungs. Although typically uniformly slate-grey, it is not uncommon for the base of the antennae to be pale orange and numerous brightly mottled varieties are frequent.
Where are porcellio Scaber found?
Porcellio scaber is found across Central and Western Europe. In the United Kingdom, it is one of the “big five” species of woodlice. It has also colonised North America, South Africa and other regions including the remote sub-Antarctic Marion island, largely through human activity.
How many scientific names does a porcellio Scaber have?
Map to
| Mnemonic i | PORSC |
|---|---|
| Scientific name i | Porcellio scaber |
| Taxonomy navigation | › Porcellio Terminal (leaf) node. |
| Common name i | Common rough woodlouse |
| Synonym i | Oniscus granulatus |
Is porcellio an insect?
Identification: The adult woodlice is about 15 mm in length, quite flat, and slate grey in colour. The woodlouse is not an insect but a crustacean that has 14 segment and 7 pairs of legs to its body, which gives the woodlouse the flexibility to be able to curl into a ball to protect itself from danger.
Are porcellio Scaber nocturnal?
Porcellio scaber (Common Rough Woodlouse) is a species of isopods in the family Porcellionidae. They are native to the Palearctic and Europe. They are nocturnal detritivores.
Do woodlice prefer hot or cold?
Conclusion The results indicated a weak correlation between temperature and woodlice density. They were more abundant in cooler regions of the box. Therefore they seem to prefer cooler temperatures within the range of 21 C-25 C.
Why do woodlice prefer dark conditions?
Woodlice are terrestrial crustaceans, a body-form otherwise only found in aquatic organisms. In their natural environment, woodlice are found in damp, dark places (e.g. under stones and amongst rotting wood/leaf litter). They dry out quickly in dry air (e.g. in the open and/or in bright sunlight).
What is a woodlice role in the ecosystem?
These tiny creatures feed on mildew, fungus, decaying leaves, and materials found in a compost pile. By eating this decaying material, woodlice help to release nutrients into the soil. During their lifespan of two to three years, they are of great importance to the ecosystem.
Why are there more woodlice at night?
Though they look like millipedes, woodlice are actually crustaceans, related to shrimps and crabs. This makes woodlice some of the few truly land-living crustaceans (most have to return to the water to breed). This is why woodlice hide away in cool, damp places during the day and come out at night.
How many scientific names does Mertensia virginica have?
Mertensia virginica (common names Virginia bluebells, Virginia cowslip, lungwort oysterleaf, Roanoke bells) is a spring ephemeral plant with bell-shaped sky-blue flowers, native to eastern North America….Mertensia virginica.
| Virginia bluebells | |
|---|---|
| Species: | M. virginica |
| Binomial name | |
| Mertensia virginica (L.) Pers. ex Link, 1829 |
Can porcellio laevis breed porcellio Scaber?
“Porcellio” is the genus, “laevis”, “scaber”, “haasi”, etc. are the species. Neither separate genera nor species can breed.