Lucasius pallidus (Budde-Lund, 1885)
Status:
GB IUCN status: Not applicable (non-native)
ID Difficulty
Identification
Lucasius pallidus is a rather broad, small, brownish woodlouse reminiscent of a poorly pigmented immature Porcellio scaber or Oniscus asellus. Male first pleopod with highly characteristic exopod.
A brief description of this species, with figures, is given in Gregory (2014).
Distribution
Lucasius pallidus is only known from Eden Project (Mediterranean Biome), Cornwall, where it was discovered in 2010, and was still present in 2020 (Gregory, 2025).
In the wild this species is found in southern Europe. It may be awaiting discovery at other ‘Mediterranean’ glasshouse throughout Britain and Ireland.
Habitat
Specimens have been found beneath large stones and dead wood (where it is damp beneath).
References
Gregory, S.J. (2025) 15 years on: An update to Woodlice and Waterlice in Britain and Ireland, part 2 ~ Non-native species, not yet naturalised. Bulletin of the British Myriapod and Isopod Group, 37: 7-25.
Gregory, S. (2014) Woodlice (Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Eden Project, Cornwall, with descriptions of species new to Britain, and poorly known British species. Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group 27: 3-26.
Links
World List of Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans: https://www.marinespecies.org/isopoda/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=261060
BRC code
82