Philoscia muscorum explained

Philoscia muscorum, the common striped woodlouse^[1] or fast woodlouse,^[2] is a common European woodlouse. It is widespread in Europe, the British Isles and is found from southern Scandinavia to Ukraine and Greece.^[3] It has also spread to Washington and many states in New England, also the mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as Nova Scotia.^[3]

Description

P. muscorum may reach in length, with a shiny body which is mottled and greyish-brown in colour.^[2] The fast woodlouse is, as its name suggests, faster than other common species; its body is raised up off the ground rather more than the others and the head is always very dark in colour.

Classification

Twelve subspecies are recognised:

• Philoscia muscorum albescens Collinge, 1918
• Philoscia muscorum aureomaculata Collinge, 1918
• Philoscia muscorum biellensis Verhoeff, 1936
• Philoscia muscorum dalmatia Verhoeff, 1901
• Philoscia muscorum frigidana Verhoeff, 1928
• Philoscia muscorum maculata Collinge, 1918
• Philoscia muscorum marinensis Verhoeff, 1933
• Philoscia muscorum muscorum (Scopoli, 1763)
• Philoscia muscorum rufa Legrand, 1943
• Philoscia muscorum standeni Collinge, 1917
• Philoscia muscorum triangulifera Verhoeff, 1918
• Philoscia muscorum virescens Collinge, 1917

See also

• List of woodlice of the British Isles

Notes and References

1. Web site: Common striped woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum) . . January 28, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090611004901/http://www.arkive.org/common-striped-woodlouse/philoscia-muscorum/info.html . 2009-06-11 . dead .
2. Web site: Fast woodlouse - Philoscia muscorum . . January 28, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100107004851/http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o158-fastwoodlouse.php . January 7, 2010 .
3. Web site: Philoscia muscorum muscorum . . January 28, 2009.