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).
Several specimens of Ctenoscia minima was found beneath a large potted plant in a garden centre in Essex in 2023 (Hughes, 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