Porcellio scaber  Latreille 1804

Common rough woodlouse, rough woodlouse, potato bug, slater

Life-size model

Zoological classification

Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Isopoda
Suborder: Oniscidea
Family: Porcellionidae

Habitat

Porcellio scaber can be found under stones and logs and it is the commonest species in greenhouses, but it is even more common in bark crevices and on old walls. It can be also found in large numbers under old tree trunks.

Sources

Originally Western Europe, at present introduced almost everywhere in the world. It lives especially related to human habitats and is the most common and widely distributed woodlouse.

Further information

In its habitat "it is very useful in breaking down plant remains into pleasant crumbly compost. Owing to their abundance, these woodlice are important in breaking down autumn leaves, dead wood and other plant material, as well as being significant food items in the diets of predatory insects, spiders, centipedes, toads, shrews and some birds." 4)

Description of the model:

We offer a set of 8 species in different sizes. The models are made of high quality epoxy resin and coloured using a UV-resistant acrylic paint and varnish. Modelmaker: Susanne Henssen
The casts show the top side of the specimen without legs. Not all models have tentacles, because they use to sit in such a crowd that legs and tentacles are scarcely seen.

Reference for the text:

4) http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o160-porcellioscaber.php 03-12-2008