A new species of woodlouse (Isopoda, Oniscidea) from the Canarian laurel forest

By

Orihuela-Rivero, Raúl
Balibrea Escobar, Carmen
Noguerales, Víctor
Lopez, Heriberto
Oromí, Pedro

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1225

Pages

49--63

Subjects

Canary Islands , Porcellionidae , taxonomy , Tenerife , Woodlice

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1225.124521

 

Abstract

A new species of terrestrial isopod, Porcellio aguerensis Orihuela-Rivero, sp. nov. of the family Porcellionidae (Oniscidea), is described from the laurel forest of Tenerife, Canary Islands. This new species belongs to the Atlantic group (“scaber”) as defined by Vandel due to the structure of the male pleopod 1 and its “primitive” glandular system. Some diag­nostic characters that allow it to be differentiated from other species are revealed, such as (i) the smooth dorsal surface, (ii) the sinuosity of the posterior margin of the first pereonites, (iii) the configuration of the glandular system, and (iv) the structure of the male pleopod 1 exopod. The affinity of Porcellio aguerensis Orihuela-Rivero, sp. nov. with the morphologically closest members of the genus is discussed, both with continental and insular species, hypothesizing a relationship between the Canarian species of Porcellio and the “primitive” continental lineages of the genus. A key of the Porcellio species occurring in Tenerife is included. The conservation of Porcellio aguerensis Orihuela-Rivero, sp. nov. within a scenario of increasing dominance of invasive species is discussed.