Woodlouse contour shapes
Comparison of various details in the contour of woodlice useful in identification.
The contour features shown here are NOT necessarily genus level characters, but rather serve as a general example of typical forms.
This collage is intended to provide some visualization of what to look for if a description goes on about the shape of "the hind corner of first pereonite" or the "body outline clearly indented at the pereon-pleon junction" or some such.
True family and genus characteristics are almost always defined by a combination of features (some ventral or microscopic). The features shown here may or may not be part or that (may vary within a family or even genus), but they always are part of the diagnosis of individual species.
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comments (4)
To answer your question: Ehhrrmm, no :-/
The family and genus characteristics are almost always defined by a combination of features (some ventral or microscopic). The features shown here may or may not be part or that (may vary within a family or even genus), but they always are part of the diagnosis of individual species.
This collage is intended to show what to look for if a description goes on about the shape of "the hind corner of first pereonite" or the "body outline clearly indented at the pereon-pleon junction" or some such. It's always nice to have a visual with that.
As you can see both the Porcellionides and the Philoscia in this example have the indented outline (Philoscia a tad stronger than Porcellionides) and both have a rounded hind corner of the first pereonite, so there must be other differences too :o)
In this case the Philoscia is smoother and more shiny vs. Porcellionides slightly rough and dull due to wax covering and the Philoscia has the flagellum of the antennae divided in three segments (taxonomically very strong/important character!) and the Porcellionides has two segments (as have all Porcellionidae and many other families). Oniscus is very different in outline and general appearance from Philoscia, but does share the 3-segmented flagellum depicted for Philoscia here:
I'll add some more text to the description latere :o) Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago