What isopods are native to the U.S?

Salmonsaladsandwich

Salmonsaladsandwich

Eleventh Instar
Why are all of the common isopod species in the US supposedly non native? Apart possibly from a few southern Florida species, it seems all woodlice are introduced from Europe... Why aren't there any native North American species? And considering how abundant the invasive ones are, why hasn't their impact on the ecosystem been studied more extensively? I just have a hard time imagining that the continent was once isopod- free...

 
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I was wondering the same until I learned about some of our native isopods from an isopod expert. Recently found out that there's Miktoniscus medcofi (super tiny species that seem to be common throughout Alabama) in my area, and I've found what appears to be Ligidium elrodii at Auburn. Oh and a recent visit to Torreya State Park yielded some Ligidium floridanum and Venezillo parvus

 
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Yeah but those are all small and not nearly as common and widespread as introduced armadillidium, oniscus and porcellio. I wonder what took their niche before their introduction. I feel like they must have a dramatic impact on native environments, but they've been here so long that it can't be studied. Perhaps those small species did once dominate but they've been displaced?

 
Isopods are just one of many things we didn't have. http://www.dailymail...ommon-cold.html

I do not condone the political science of the article, it was just a quick example of fauna changes. Research on introduced isopods shows they are harmless and if they weren't it would be way too late to do anything about it anyway.

 
Salmonsaladsandwich said:
Why are all of the common isopod species in the US supposedly non native? Apart possibly from a few southern Florida species, it seems all woodlice are introduced from Europe... Why aren't there any native North American species? And considering how abundant the invasive ones are, why hasn't their impact on the ecosystem been studied more extensively? I just have a hard time imagining that the continent was once isopod- free...
Click to expand...
Interesting topic. I was wondering about the exact same thing these past weeks...
 
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Considering the popularity that our friends the earthworms have been receiving for their effects on indigenous ecosystems, I'm surprised more work hasn't been done on isopods.

http://ecosystems.se...hworm-invaders/

They are certainly terraforming (consuming leaf litter, occupying space niches under barks and inside logs, aerating the upper levels of soil, selectively grazing on plants when at high population density, etc) ecosystems but in a way that few have quantified yet. As Orin said though, it's too late to do anything now considering their sheer numbers and diversity.

 
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