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Porcellio spinicornis

Crustaceans

Porcellio spinicornis is a woodlouse, a land-dwelling isopod crustacean in the family Porcellionidae. It is widespread across Europe and has also been introduced to North America. The species is a medium-sized woodlouse, usually about 10 to 15 millimetres long, with a glossy, slightly granular body that ranges from dark gray through brown to yellow and often carries two rows of yellow blotches. Whatever the body colour, the head and the last five body segments stay dark. It has broad, spiny lobes at the front sides of the head, which give the species its name. It lives in forests, grasslands and rocky ground, is active at night and feeds on dead plant material such as leaves, twigs and bark. Like other isopods the female carries her eggs and young in a fluid-filled brood pouch, the marsupium, until the first juvenile stage. It is not listed on the IUCN Red List and has entered the hobby trade in pet isopods.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Detritivore or Scavenger 1
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 1
Relationship to People
Kept as Pets 1
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Conservation Status
Not Evaluated 1
Activity Pattern
Nocturnal 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Malacostraca, Taxa
Source Animal Diversity Web: Porcellio spinicornis (Animal Diversity Web)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Porcellio spinicornis (Wikipedia)Lead, distribution
Quote, Lead, distribution
This species is widespread in Europe

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Porcellio spinicornis (Wikipedia)Lead, introduced range
Quote, Lead, introduced range
has also been introduced to North America
Sources
1. Porcellio spinicornis (Wikipedia)
  • Ecology and behavior
    is a detritivore, feeding on a wide range of dead plant material
  • Ecology and behavior, activity
    It is a nocturnal species and is typically active at night.
  • Conservation status
    is not listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List
  • Habitat and distribution
    is found in a variety of habitats across Europe
  • Habitat and distribution, realm
    including forests, grasslands, and rocky areas
  • Relationships with humans
    has been introduced into the Isopod Hobby
  • Lead, distribution
    This species is widespread in Europe
  • Lead, introduced range
    has also been introduced to North America
  • In Group: Isopods (Woodlice), Lead sentence
    is a species of woodlouse in the family Porcellionidae
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web: Porcellio spinicornis (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity WebChild Taxon Of: Malacostraca, Classification
Quote, Child Taxon Of: Malacostraca, Classification
Malacostraca
View the Source
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