Scientific name
Trachelipus rathkii
Trachelipus rathkii combines two antennal flagellar segments with five pairs of visible respiratory patches. This combination helps separate it from the large woodlice with which it often shares shelters. [1]
Origin
BMIG mainly describes southeastern English populations and a few more isolated records; Bodentier⁴ also documents the species in Germany. These regional maps do not delimit the native range. [1][2]
- Damp meadows
- Five pairs of lung patches
- Careful identification
Natural-history or taxonomic sources distinguished from breeding accounts; captive limits explicit.
At a glance
Two flagellar segments and five pairs of respiratory patches help distinguish Trachelipus rathkii from neighbouring large grey woodlice. [1]
| ADULT SIZE | 10–15 mm Bodentier⁴; up to 15 mm in BMIG. [1][2] |
|---|---|
| LIFESPAN | Not established No supported individual lifespan in the selected sources. |
| LIFESTYLE | Ground-dwelling Riverside meadows and poorly drained ground in particular. [1][2] |
Adult size
10–15 mm in length according to Bodentier⁴; up to 15 mm in BMIG. [1][2]
Lifespan
No individual lifespan established through a cohort in the selected sources.
Lifestyle
Occurs particularly on poorly drained ground and in riverside meadows; may become motionless before fleeing. [1][2]
Housing
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Stones, wood and bark — Natural shelters described; no validated breeding setup. [1]
No captive dimensions adopted. The sources document shelters beneath wood, stones, bark and plant debris but validate no breeding setup. [1]
Care parameters
CAPTIVE CLIMATE
Not established — No validated husbandry range in the selected sources.
Humidity
Natural riverside environment — Flood tolerance reported; it does not validate submerged husbandry. [1]
Water
Flood tolerance reported in the wild [1] Do not infer submerged husbandry or an enclosure without drainage.
Temperature and humidity
No captive range adopted Record actual shelter conditions and avoid figures borrowed from another Trachelipus.
Feeding
DIET AND CALCIUM
The two profiles set neither a ration nor a calcium quantity. Presence in plant debris does not provide a feeding frequency. [1][2]
Scope of this profile
Natural-history or taxonomic sources distinguished from breeding accounts; captive limits explicit.
Do not confuse large grey woodlice
The colouring can suggest three longitudinal bands; some females show more orange marbling. BMIG notes confusion with Oniscus asellus and Porcellio scaber. [1] Good practice combines several characters rather than naming from pattern alone. For an uncertain observation, keep a photo and a provisional label.
The landscape does not tell the whole story
Riverside meadows feature prominently in the British profile, while Bodentier⁴ describes a wider diversity of environments, extending to abandoned quarries and disturbed ground. [1][2] An observation on open ground should specify whether the animal was in a tussock, under wood or in accumulated debris. This local contact gives the record its ecological value.
Substrate and ventilation
Flood tolerance reported by BMIG does not demonstrate that permanent standing water suits a culture. [1] Field air movement, substrate and seasonal variations are not automatically reproduced in an enclosure. No precise protocol is provided here: prefer discovery in place or obtain an established strain method before a captive project.
Diet and calcium
The two identification profiles establish neither a ration nor a calcium quantity. Avoid false precision such as a number of pellets per individual. An observation log can describe contacts with plant matter and leftovers, but must distinguish feeding traces from simply staying beneath shelter. Meal frequency cannot be inferred from local abundance.
Reproduction and young
Young present in a meadow provide neither a gestation period nor a maturity age. Their appearance dates can nevertheless enrich records, provided observation effort and identification confidence are retained. No reproductive output is announced in this profile. In a culture already held, keeping groups separate avoids mixing life stages from several species.
Monitoring and limitations
Bodentier⁴ describes initial immobility followed by fairly rapid escape. [2] Recording prior disturbance avoids interpreting this response as abnormal. The spellings rathkei and rathkii do not represent two species in BMIG; rathkii is adopted here. [1] A corrected record must keep its former name in the history rather than creating a new group.
Checklist
- Check antennae and lung patches.
- Distinguish a humid shelter from immersion.
- Use the spelling rathkii.
Observations to record
- Environment and microshelter
- Visible life stages
- Identification and disturbances
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 — Trachelipus rathkii
Source accessed - Senckenberg / Bodentier⁴ — Trachelipus rathkii
Source accessed