Porcellionides cingendus (Kinahan, 1857)
Synonyms
Metoponorthus cingendus (Kinahan, 1857)
Status:
GB IUCN status: Least Concern
ID Difficulty
Identification
Porcellionides cingendus is a medium sized woodlouse (to 9 mm body length), mottled in various shades of yellow, red or brown. It is a fast moving species, with a stepped body outline, the antennal flagella comprising two segments and with two pairs of pleopodal lungs.
Confusion is most likely with Philoscia muscorum or Philoscia affinis (which both have three flagella segments) or Ligidium hypnorum (flagella comprises many bead-like segments).
Distribution
Porcellionides cingendus occurs widely throughout southern Ireland, but in England and Wales it has a markedly south-western and predominantly coastal distribution.
Habitat
In Ireland it occurs widely in rough grassland, hedgerows, open woodland, gardens, waste ground, etc. In Britain it is typically inhabits semi-natural coastal grassland, but may occur inland in gardens, etc.
It can be found beneath stones, dead wood or mat-forming plants, and within tussocks or amongst grass litter. It is inevitably associated with Philoscia species, such as the western Philoscia affinis (hence frequent confusion).
This summary is based on the detailed account in Gregory (2009).
References
Gregory, S. (2009) Woodlice and Waterlice (Isopoda: Oniscidea & Asellota) in Britain and Ireland. Field Studies Council/Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
Links
World List of Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans: https://www.marinespecies.org/isopoda/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=262505
BRC code
82
idBmigTaxa
Cru_1630