Scientific name
Philoscia muscorum
The stepped silhouette and dark dorsal stripe point towards Philoscia muscorum, but a second very similar species, P. affinis, requires more careful checking than colour alone. [1]
Origin
Documented in Great Britain and Ireland, with older maps partly affected by confusion with P. affinis; also present in the German fauna. [1][2]
- Fast
- Grassy environments
- Difficult identification
Natural-history synthesis; no validated captive protocol in the selected sources.
At a glance
The stepped silhouette and dark dorsal stripe point towards Philoscia muscorum, but confusion with P. affinis requires checking. [1]
| ADULT SIZE | Up to 11 mm BMIG; Bodentier⁴ separately gives 7–12 mm. [1][2] |
|---|---|
| LIFESPAN | Not established No supported individual lifespan in the selected sources. |
| LIFESTYLE | Fast runner Lawns, hedges and the bases of bushes. [1][2] |
Adult size
Up to 11 mm in BMIG; 7–12 mm in Bodentier⁴. The two profiles do not specify a shared sample. [1][2]
Lifespan
Individual lifespan not established in the selected sources.
Lifestyle
A woodlouse that runs quickly when disturbed; associated with lawns, hedges and the bases of bushes. [1][2]
Housing
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Low vegetation — Natural ground shelters; no captive dimensions adopted. [1][2]
A primarily natural-history profile: no validated enclosure dimensions or captive breeding method in the selected documents.
Care parameters
CAPTIVE CLIMATE
Not established — No validated husbandry range in the selected sources.
Humidity
Natural environment — Ground shelters among vegetation; no captive humidity target established. [1][2]
Microhabitat
Low vegetation and ground shelters [1][2] Distinguish the surrounding lawn from contact beneath a stone or piece of wood.
Temperature and humidity
No captive range established A landscape preference does not become a climate instruction.
Feeding
DIET AND CALCIUM
The natural-history profiles establish neither a detailed ration nor a calcium dosage for this species. Do not infer a menu from its shelter neighbours. [1][2]
Scope of this profile
Natural-history synthesis; no validated captive protocol in the selected sources.
Identification through several characters
BMIG describes three flagellar segments and no lung patches, with a head often darker than the body. Orange individuals have sometimes been mistaken for Androniscus dentiger. [1] Apparent length and bright colour are therefore not enough. Keep a clear dorsal image and an antennal view when possible without grasping the animal.
Grassland, hedge and litter
The British preference mainly concerns grassy habitats, while Bodentier⁴ adds hedges, gardens and some woodland. [1][2] These nuances show that a ‘forest’ or ‘grassland’ label is too broad to explain every observation. Recording vegetation height, shelter type and shade gives a more useful record than a town name alone.
Setup: do not invent a protocol
The sources consulted describe ecology and identification. They assess neither soil mixture, ventilation nor culture depth. Presence beneath wood does not indicate that a container holding only wood would allow sustainable husbandry. This profile recommends natural-history observation; a captive project must first be supported by a documented method for a correctly identified strain.
Foods and calcium
No detailed diet specific to this species is provided by the profiles opened. Copying a Porcellio ration simply because they sometimes share a shelter would be misleading. In a record, note an observable feeding contact and its support; keep that observation separate from the interpretation ‘eating’. No calcium-supplement dosage is proposed.
Reproduction: the value of life-stage records
Neither maturity age nor brood frequency is established here. Young collected with adults can belong to several species. A series of dated photographs from the same identified culture would therefore be more valuable than a count mixing every animal in a sample. Identification uncertainty must accompany notes on young.
Daily monitoring or a field log
Rapid escape is a described behaviour, and its absence during a short observation alone does not indicate a problem. [1][2] Record whether the animal was disturbed before the photograph and limit overturning shelters. Older distribution errors recalled by BMIG justify particular caution with identifications based solely on an app or distant image. [1]
Checklist
- Check antennae and head.
- Keep a photo with a scale.
- Record the possibility of P. affinis.
Observations to record
- Grassy environment and shelter
- Visible characters
- Life stage and behaviour
The app provides individual animal records. Check which features are available for your animal in the released version.
Sources
Document-based overview; not a substitute for veterinary advice.
- British Myriapod and Isopod Group — Philoscia muscorum
Source accessed - Senckenberg / Bodentier⁴ — Philoscia muscorum
Source accessed