Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Crustacea (Crustaceans) ➔ Class Malacostraca (Malacostracans) ➔ Order Isopoda (Pillbugs, sowbugs, woodlice) ➔ Family Oniscidae
Oniscus asellus Linnaeus, 1758
Mauerassel Common Woodlouse
Synonyms and other combinations:
Oniscus affinis Say, 1818 | Oniscus fossor C. Koch, 1838 | Oniscus lamperti L. Koch, 1901 | Oniscus languidus L. Koch, 1901 | Oniscus murarius Cuvier, 1792 | Oniscus nodulosus Verhoeff, 1934 | Oniscus vicarius Stuxberg, 1872 | Porcellio lineatus Fitch, 1855 | Porcellio taeniola C. Koch, 1835 |
Distribution:
Europe (except the Mediterranean); North America; Dominican Republic; North Atlantic Ocean; South Atlantic Ocean.Habitat:
Damp forests, often in the human settlement area.Description:
Size: (15-18) mm x (6-10) mm; body: broad, strongly flattened, surface clearly grained, shiny, dark brown with variable spots; antenna with tripartite flagellum; frontal edge of the head in front of the eyes on both sides with long protruding frontal lobes.Biology:
The Common Woodlouse Oniscus asellus prefers damp and dark places. The species has a low resistance to dehydration. In forests it is often found under stones, the loose bark of rotten tree stumps and under deadwood. Oniscus asellus hides during the day and comes out after dark. The predominantly nocturnal activity is caused by light sensitivity, lower nighttime temperatures and relatively high humidity.Common woodlice feed mainly on fallen leaves, white-rotted wood and rotting plant parts.
References, further reading, links:
- 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.
- Bellmann, Heiko: Kosmos-Atlas Spinnentiere Europas, Franckh Kosmos Verlag-GmbH & Co., Stuttgart, 3. Auflage von 2006, ISBN 3-440-07025-5