Common woodlouse  (Oniscus asellus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The common woodlouse is one of the commonest and widely spread of the British woodlice (1). Woodlice are not insects, but are crustaceans; more closely related to crabs and shrimps than insects. The body is divided into three main regions, the head, the thorax (known in woodlice as the 'pereion'), and the abdomen ('pleon') (2). The common woodlouse is typically grey with irregular light patches, but yellow and orange forms may occur near to the sea (2). The surface of the body is dotted with raised blotches; adults usually have a glossy body, but in contrast juveniles often have a rough body texture (2). There are currently two recognised subspecies of the common woodlouse, Oniscus asellus asellus and O. asellus occidentalis, which differ in the details of their appearance and ecology (3).

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