Exosphaeroma laeviusculum

Exosphaeroma laeviusculum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Isopoda
Family:	Sphaeromatidae
Genus:	Exosphaeroma
Species:	E. laeviusculum
Binomial name
Exosphaeroma laeviusculum (Heller, 1868) [1]
Synonyms [2]
Sphaeroma laevisculumHeller, 1868

Exosphaeroma laeviusculum is a species of isopod in the family Sphaeromatidae, ^[2] native to the west coast of southern Africa.

Description

Exosphaeroma laeviusculum has a flattened body with speckled pattern of black and white, or pink. The pleon consists of a single segment, although the original fused segments are still discernible by lateral grooves. The telson is triangular, bears two small ridges near the base and a semicircle of tiny tubercles. Average body length is 10 mm. ^[3]

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs on the west coast of southern Africa, from Lüderitz in Namibia to Cape Point in South Africa. ^{[3] [4]} It inhabits the intertidal zone or shallow water, where it may be found among weeds or under stones. ^[3]

For unknown reasons, the original description by Camill Heller reports the type locality as "Java". ^{[1] [2]}

References

1. Camill Heller (1868). "Crustaceen". Reise der Osterreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859. Zoologischer Theil. Vol. 2. pp. 1–280.
2. Niel Bruce, M. Schotte (2015). "Exosphaeroma laeviusculum". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 9 January 2017.
3. Branch, G. M.; Griffiths, C. L.; Branch, M. L.; Beckley, L. E. (2010). Two Oceans: a Guide to the Marine Life of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik Nature.
4. Kensley, Brian (1978). Guide to the marine isopods of southern Africa. South Africa Museum. ISBN   0-908407-43-2.