Ligia oceanica
Ligia oceanica | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Subphylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | |
Family: | |
Genus: | |
Species: | L. oceanica
|
Binomial name | |
Ligia oceanica | |
Synonyms [1] | |
|
Ligia oceanica, the sea slater, common sea slater or sea roach, is a littoral woodlouse.
L. oceanica is oval, twice as long as broad and may reach up to 30 millimetres (1.2 in) in length, making it one of the largest oniscid isopods.[2] Its colour may vary from grey to olive-green, and it has large compound eyes and long antennae, ⅔ as long as its body.[3]
L. oceanica is found in temperate waters from Norway to the Mediterranean Sea,[4] and from Cape Cod north to Maine.[5] It is a common species, occurring wherever the substrate of the littoral zone is rocky, and is especially common in crevices and rock pools and under stones.[3] It is a nocturnal omnivore,[6] eating many kinds of seaweed, diatoms [3] and debris, with a particular fondness for bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus).[2]
L. oceanica individuals live for 21⁄2–3 years and usually breed only once.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Helmut Schmalfuss (2003). "World catalog of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea) — revised and updated version" (PDF). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde, Serie A. 654: 341 pp.
- ^ a b "The Care of Woodlice (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidae)". November 11, 2005.
- ^ a b c Susie Ballerstedt (2005). "Common sea slater - Ligia oceanica". Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
- ^ Juan Luis Menéndez (July 3, 2005). "Ligia oceanica (Linnaeus, 1767)" (in Spanish). Naturaleza Cantábrica.
- ^ Richard Fox (2001). "Invertebrate zoology laboratory exercises". Lander University.
- ^ a b "Sea slater (Ligia oceanica)". ARKive.org. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
External links
- Data related to Ligia oceanica at Wikispecies