| Asellus aquaticus | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Superorder: | Peracarida |
| Order: | Isopoda |
| Family: | Asellidae |
| Genus: | Asellus |
| Species: | A. aquaticus |
| Binomial name | |
| Asellus aquaticus | |
Asellus aquaticus is a freshwater crustacean resembling a woodlouse. It is known by various common names including pond slater, water louse, aquatic sowbug, water hoglouse and cress bug.
Asellus aquaticus is common throughout the temperate zone, including Europe and Russia. [1] It is found in rivers, streams and standing water, particularly where there are plenty of stones under which it hides, but it is not found where the water is strongly acidic. [2] It is a detritivore.
Asellus aquaticus is relatively tolerant of a range of pollutants and has been used as an indicator of water quality. [1]
Asellus aquaticus can breed throughout the year, if the temperature is high enough: they do not breed under cold temperatures. Maturity can be reached in few months under warm summer temperatures, but maturation may take as much as two years in permanently cold water bodies (e.g., high-latitude or mountain waters). [3] Life span varies similarly: from 9 months in South Africa to 20 months in Northern Europe. Females carry eggs in brood pouches underneath their body. [4]
Aquarists worldwide are showing increasing interest towards A. aquaticus as a low-maintenance freshwater aquarium pet and tank cleaner. While often sold as live food for other fish, some keepers in the US and Germany have started selectively breeding A. aquaticus to be sold as pets, usually from online platforms like eBay. [5]
A number of subspecies are considered to be endangered including:
Anaspididae is a family of freshwater crustacean that is endemic to Tasmania, Australia. The family contains 3 genera and 5 species. This group of crustaceans are considered living fossils. They are commonly and collectively known as the Tasmanian anaspid crustaceans.
Cyprinodon is a genus of pupfishes found in waters that range from fresh to hypersaline. The genus is primarily found in Mexico, the Caribbean Islands and southern United States, but C. variegatus occurs as far north as Massachusetts and along the entire Gulf of Mexico coastline, and C. dearborni and C. variegatus are found in northern South America. Many species have tiny ranges and are highly threatened, in some cases already extinct. Cyprinodon are small; the largest reaches 10 cm (3.9 in) in length and most other species only reach about half that size.
Alona hercegovinae is a species of crustacean in the family Chydoridae. It is endemic to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its natural habitat is inland karsts.
Alona sketi is a species of crustacean in family Chydoridae. It is endemic to Slovenia. Its natural habitat is inland karsts.
Atlantasellus is a genus of crustaceans, and the only member of the family Atlantasellidae. It contains these species:
Carinurella paradoxa is a species of crustacean in family Niphargidae, and the only species in the genus Carinurella. It is found in phreatic waters of the Vipava and Soča rivers in Italy and Slovenia.
Chirocephalus pelagonicus is a species of crustaceans in the family Chirocephalidae. It is endemic to North Macedonia.
Monolistra is a genus of isopod crustaceans in the family Sphaeromatidae. Its members are restricted to countries of the former Yugoslavia, Italy and Switzerland. It contains the following subgenera and species, four of which are listed as vulnerable (VU) or endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List:
Niphargobates is a genus of amphipod crustaceans containing two species from European caves. Niphargobates lefkodemonaki is only known to occur in a cave near Xyloskalo in the Lefka Ori mountains, Crete, Greece. Niphargobates orophobata is only known to occur in caves near Postojna, Slovenia. Both species are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Niphargus aberrans is a species of crustacean in the family Niphargidae. It is endemic to Slovenia.
Niphargus hadzii is a species of crustacean in family Niphargidae. It is endemic to Slovenia, and is named after Slovene zoologist Jovan Hadži.
Niphargus spoeckeri is a species of crustacean in the family Niphargidae. It is endemic to Slovenia.
Niphargus stenopus is a species of freshwater amphipod crustacean which is endemic to Slovenia.
Onchotelson is a genus of isopod crustaceans in the family Phreatoicidae, which is endemic to Tasmania. It contains two species, both of which are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List:
Fabaeformiscandona aemonae is a species of ostracod crustacean in the Candonidae family. It is endemic to Slovenia.
Typhlocypris cavicola is a species of ostracod crustacean in the family Candonidae. It is endemic to Slovenia, where it is only known from Krka Cave.
Typhlocypris trigonella is a species of ostracod crustacean in the family Candonidae. It is endemic to Slovenia, where it is known only from Postojna Cave.
Sphaerolana is a genus of isopod crustaceans in the family Cirolanidae, all of which are endemic to Mexico.
Stygobromus is a genus of amphipod crustaceans that live in subterranean habitats. The majority of the listed species are endemic to North America, a smaller number of species are also known from Eurasia. Most of the North American species live in areas which were not covered by the Laurentide Ice Sheet, although a few species seem to have survived under the ice. A number of species are on the IUCN Red List as endangered species (EN) or vulnerable species (VU); one species, S. lucifugus, is extinct.
Thermosphaeroma is a genus of crustacean in family Sphaeromatidae. They occur exclusively in hot springs of southwestern United States and central Mexico.
| Authority control databases: National |
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