82 THE BRITISH WOODLICE. 



Ligia oceanica Linne (The Quay-louse). Plate I. 



1767 Oniscus oceaiticus Linne (43), p. 1061. 



1793 Cymothoa oceanica Fabiicius (26), p. 509. 



181 5 Ligia scopulomm Leach (38), p 374. 



1868 Ligia oceanica Bate and Westwood (1), p. 444. 



1898 Ligia oceanica Sars (59), 156, pi. LXX. 



There is but one British species of Ligia, and this, the 

 largest member of the whole tribe to be met 

 with in these Islands, usually attains a length 

 of two centimetres, while adult males may be 

 nearly half as long again. It is the Oniscus 

 oceanicus of Linnaeus and lives on the sea shore, 

 where it may be found at low tide beneath stones 

 and rubbish in the crevices of timber. Ligia 

 forms a connecting link between the woodlice 

 proper and the many Isopods which actually 

 live in the sea. 



The colour of the animals is a greenish grey, 

 and the compound eyes are almost black, so 

 that they are very conspicuous ; there are from 

 eleven to fourteen joints to the flagellum of the 

 outer antennae and this feature, taken in con- 

 A nd G la^ F p L p A d G u E nc^r junction with the large size and habitat, is 

 ]01 lin g Ia H ocea1JcT A sufficient to identify the species in question. 



On the coast of Essex the name " quay- 

 lowders " is given to these crustaceans, '• lowder " being 

 apparently an old plural of louse. 



It is worthy of mention that Mr. Webb, when in charge of 

 the Marine Biological Station at Brightlingsea, examined a 

 very large male specimen of Ligia oceanica, in which the maxillae 

 were duplicated and consisted of four pairs instead of two. 



BRITISH LOCALITIES:— 



England: Brightlingsea; (W.M.W.): Maldon ; (W.M.W. 

 from R.M.): Southend; (J. A.M.) : Whitstable; (W.M.W.) 

 Heme Bay; Margate; Dover; Folkestone; fJ.A.M.) 



Scotland : Shetland to Cornwall ; (Norman, 49J. 



Ireland : East Coast ; West Glengariff ; Castletown ; Bere- 

 haven ; Bundoran ; (Scharf, 63). 



FOREIGN DISTRIBUTION: — 

 Europe: France; (25); Spain: (12): Denmark, Prussia, Norway, Faroe 

 Islands, Belgium ; (59). 

 Africa: Morocco; (16), 



