Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Crustacea (Crustaceans) ➔ Class Malacostraca (Malacostracans) ➔ Order Isopoda (Pillbugs, sowbugs, woodlice) ➔ Family Ligiidae

Ligidium hypnorum (Cuvier, 1792)

Sumpfassel

Synonyms and other combinations:

Ligia melanocephala C. Koch, 1838 | Ligidium amethystinum Schoebl, 1861 | Ligidium carpathicum Verhoeff, 1937 | Ligidium cursorium Budde-Lund, 1885 | Ligidium persoonii Brandt, 1833 | Ligidium silvaenigrae Verhoeff, 1937 | Oniscus agilis Persoon, 1793 | Oniscus hypnorum Cuvier, 1792 | Zia agilis C. Koch, 1841 | Zia melanocephala C. Koch, 1841 | Zia paludicola C. Koch, 1841 | Zia saundersi Stebbing, 1873 |

  • Ligidium hypnorum 8166
    Ligidium hypnorum (Cuvier, 1792)  Sumpfassel   
    Ligidium hypnorum
    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2018-01-20 11:13:11
    Image number: 8166

    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
    2018-01-20 11:13:11
  • Ligidium hypnorum 8167
    Ligidium hypnorum (Cuvier, 1792)  Sumpfassel   
    Ligidium hypnorum
    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2018-01-15 13:40:28
    Image number: 8167

    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
    2018-01-15 13:40:28
  • Ligidium hypnorum 8168
    Ligidium hypnorum (Cuvier, 1792)  Sumpfassel   
    Ligidium hypnorum
    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2018-01-15 13:35:44
    Image number: 8168

    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
    2018-01-15 13:35:44

Distribution:
Europe, West Asia.
Habitat:
Humid deciduous forests, swamps, banks.
Habitus:
Body length 7 - 10 mm; the body is highly arched, shiny, variably colored, usually yellowish-brownish with extended, dark markings; antennal flagellum with 10 - 13 segments; eyes big.
Similar species:
A similar species is Philoscia muscorum belonging to the family Philosciidae. This has an antennal flagellum with 3 segments.
In Bavaria, still exists Ligidium germanicum another species of the same genus.
Biology:
Ligidium hypnorum belongs to the woodlice (Oniscidea). The species breathes only through gills and is therefore bound to damp and waterlogged locations. The quick woodlouse can be found in the leaf litter, in the moss and under wet wood. Ligidium hypnorum mainly feeds on decaying organic matter, such as fallen leaves, wood, fungi, algae, dead insects and feces.

References, further reading, links:
  1. Boyko C.B, Bruce N.L., Merrin K. L., Ota Y., Poore G.C.B., Taiti S., Schotte M. & Wilson G.D.F. (Eds) (2008 onwards). (2018). WoRMS Isopoda: World Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans database (version 2017-03-01). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, 2017 Annual Checklist (Roskov Y., Abucay L., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., De Wever A., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J., Penev L., eds.). Digital resource at www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2017. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. ISSN 2405-884X.
  2. Bellmann, Heiko: Kosmos-Atlas Spinnentiere Europas, Franckh Kosmos Verlag-GmbH & Co., Stuttgart, 3. Auflage von 2006, ISBN 3-440-07025-5