Ctenoscia minima (Dollfus, 1892)
Status:
Introduced
ID Difficulty
3
Identification
Ctenoscia minima is a well pigmented, relatively fast moving woodlouse with a discontinuous (stepped) body outline and an antenna comprised of three flagella segments. It is readily distinguished from other Philosciids by the presence of the eye comprised of a single ommatidium (multiple ommatidia in other European Philosciids).
A description with figures is given by Hughes (2024).
Distribution and Habitat
Several specimens of Ctenoscia minima were found beneath a large potted plant in a garden centre in Essex in 2023 by Thomas Hughes (2024).
Subsequently, specimens collected by Mark Telfer in 2016 from under stones in the hothouse at Ventnor Botanic Gardens, Isle of Wight were also confirmed to be this species (Telfer, 2024).
It has a broad western Mediterranean distribution from Italy to Spain.
References
Hughes, T.D. (2024) Ctenoscia minima (Dollfus, 1892): A woodlouse new for the British Isles from a Garden Centre in Essex (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Philosciidae). Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group 36: 2-8.
Telfer, M.G. (2024) Ctenoscia minima (Dollfus, 1892) (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Philosciidae): the earliest British record from Ventnor Botanic Gardens, Isle of Wight. Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group 36: 9.
BRC code
76