Porcellio scaber Latreille, 1804

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Common name

Rough Woodouse

Status:

GB IUCN status: Least Concern

ID Difficulty

2

Identification

Porcellio scaber is a large (to 17 mm body length) woodlouse with a rough, heavily tuberculate body with a continuous/smooth outline, the antennal flagella comprising two segments and with two pairs of pleopodal lungs.

Although usually slate-grey in colour there are numerous colour forms included brightly mottled varieties (see images). In these forms the pattern is random, and not arranged longitudinally as seen in the similar looking P. spinicornis or Trachelipus rathkii.

J.P. Richards
Warren Maguire
Keith Lugg
Alan Outen
Warren Maguire
Warren Maguire
Warren Maguire
Warren Maguire
Nicola Garnham
Nicola Garnham
Nicola Garnham

Distribution

This species (along with Oniscus asellus) represents the archetypal ‘woodlouse’ familiar to the general public and is abundant under stones and dead wood throughout Britain and Ireland. 

Habitat

There are few habitats where P. scaber does not occur. It it is more tolerant of dries sites than O. asellus and consequently is is the woodlouse most commonly encountered inside houses and readily climbs walls and trees. 

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=262440

BRC code

82

idBmigTaxa

Cru_1626