Stenophiloscia glarearum Verhoeff, 1908
Synonyms
Status
GB rarity status: Nationally Rare
ID Difficulty
Identification
This is a small slow moving species, reaching 6mm. Live specimens appear pinkish, somewhat reminiscent of a large pale Trichoniscus pusillus or a pale immature Porcellio scaber. It has a stepped body outline and antennae with 3 flagella segments.
Distribution and Habitat
Apparently very rare in Britain, it is known from a handful of southern coastal sites from Devon to Norfolk. However, it has proved extremely elusive, even at known sites, and is certainly very under-recorded.
Specimens have been collected from between the high water mark and the storm drift line on unvegetated or sparsely vegetated shores composed of shingle or sand, either in pit-fall traps or clinging beneath strandline driftwood. At Cole Point, Essex, it was found with Trichoniscus pusillus, Philoscia muscorum, Porcellio scaber and Armadillidium album (Gregory etal. 2001).
This summary is based on the detailed account in Gregory (2009).
Distribution
Reference
Gregory, S. (2009) Woodlice and Waterlice (Isopoda: Oniscidea & Asellota) in Britain and Ireland. Field Studies Council/Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
Gregory, S., Whiteley, D, & Wilde, I (2001) Some observations of Stenophiloscia zosterae (Verhoeff, 1928) at Colne Point NNR, North Essex. Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group 17: 79-80.