| These are woodlice which you may also find and be able to identify. |
| Maximum length: |
6mm |
| Usual habitat: | Large
variety of sites, including coast, garden rubble, old quarries. |
| Known distribution: |
Widespread
and common. |
| Comments: | Pink with a double yellow stripe down the centre of the body. |
| Scientific name: | Androniscus
dentiger (Rosy woodlouse) |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
20mm |
| Usual habitat: | Coastal
cliffs and many inland sites. |
| Known distribution: |
Locally
abundant in SW England and S Wales. |
| Comments: | Rolls
into an imperfect sphere, leaving a small gap. |
| Scientific name: | Armadillidium depressum |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
15mm |
| Usual habitat: | Coastal
and a wide range of human sites. |
| Known distribution: |
Locally
common throughout UK. |
| Comments: | May
be confused with A.nasatum, but has more pointed 'tails' (uropods). |
| Scientific name: | Cylisticus convexus |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
9mm |
| Usual habitat: | Damp
leaf litter in fens and woods. |
| Known distribution: |
Locally
common in south and east England . |
| Comments: | Runs
extremely fast when disturbed. |
| Scientific name: | Ligidium hypnorum |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
4mm |
| Usual habitat: | In
and around ant nests. |
| Known distribution: |
Common
in south, less so in north |
| Comments: |
Probably
feeds on pellets regurgitated by its ant hosts. |
| Scientific name: | Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
15mm |
| Usual habitat: | Wide
range of land habitats. |
| Known distribution: |
Scattered
records throughout UK. |
| Comments: |
Has
a round tip to the telson. |
| Scientific name: | Porcellio dilatatus |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
12mm |
| Usual habitat: | Walls
and buildings. |
| Known distribution: |
Widespread
and locally common in NE Scotland and Cotswolds. |
| Comments: |
Often found at night crawling over walls. |
| Scientific name: | Porcellio spinicornis |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
12mm |
| Usual habitat: |
Dungheaps. |
| Known distribution: |
Most
parts of Britain, with most records from east. |
| Comments: |
Runs
extremely fast and erratically when disturbed. |
| Scientific name: | Porcellionides pruinosus |
|
|
| Maximum length: |
15mm |
| Usual habitat: |
wide
range of habitats |
| Known distribution: |
south-east of England and midlands |
| Comments: |
has five pairs of lungs which can easily be seen by naked eye |
| Scientific name: | Trachelipus rathkei |
|
|
| If you have reached this part of the web site, you are probably still unsure about the identity of your woodlouse. There are other kinds of woodlice found in the UK, but to identify them you need to refer to the Field Study Council key. If you do not wish to purchase the book, ask your local library to order it for you. |