Family PHILOSCIIDAE Kinahan, 1857
Introduction
In Australia, philosciids typically live in litter or under wood and stones in forest or woodland or near the sea coast. Three species have been found in the nests of ants. Some species, mainly in Laevophiloscia Wahrberg, occur in caves and Abebaioscia Vandel is troglobitic.
Five genera of Philosciidae are endemic to Australia: Abebaioscia, Ashtonia, Eurygastor, Huntonia and Metriogaster, all described by Vandel. Laevophiloscia and Plymophiloscia Wahrberg and Australophiloscia Green are mainly Australian, but the former occurs also on the Loyalty Islands and the latter in New Caledonia whereas Australophiloscia Green also inhabits Polynesia. The generic position of Chaetophiloscia grayi Vandel is uncertain. Most members of the genus are Palearctic and species from Africa and South America have been transferred to other genera. The family, in particular the genus Chaetophiloscia, has been treated by Schmalfuss & Ferrara (1978) and Schmalfuss (1990, 1991).
Diagnosis
Animals do not conglobate. Pleonal epimera 3–5 small so that body outline is interrupted between pereon and pleon. (In Eurygastor Vandel the break in outline is less than usual). Head with supra-antennal line present; frontal line present, incomplete or absent. Head without conspicuous lobes. Antenna 2 flagellum with 3 articles. Maxillipedal palp reduced, not much larger than endite, with only 3 articles. No dactylar organ on pereopods in Australian species. Male with penis not bifurcated distally. Typically without pleopodal lungs.
General References
Schmalfuss, H. 1990. Die Landisopoden (Oniscidea) Griechenlands. 11. Beitrag; Gattung Chaetophiloscia (Philosciidae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 97: 169-193
Schmalfuss, H. 1991. The terrestrial isopod genus Chaetophiloscia in Western Asia (Oniscidea: Philosciidae). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie) 463: 1-9
Schmalfuss, H. & Ferrara, F. 1978. Terrestrial isopods from West Africa. Part 2: Families Tylidae, Ligiidae, Trichoniscidae, Styloniscidae, Rhyscotidae, Halophilosciidae, Philosciidae, Platyarthridae, Trachelipidae, Porcellionidae, Armadillidiidae. Monitore Zoologico Italiano n.s., Monographie 11: 15-97
Vandel, A. 1952. Étude des Isopodes terrestres récoltés au Vénézuéla par le docteur G. Marcuzzi, suivie de considérations sur le peuplement du continent de Gondwana. Memorie del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Verona 3: 59-203
History of changes
Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
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05-Aug-2022 | 04-May-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
05-Aug-2022 | 29-Jun-2010 | MODIFIED | ||
12-Feb-2010 | (import) |