Miktoniscus spinosus

(Say, 1818)

Eastern Mikto

Miktoniscus spinosus is a small terrestrial isopod in the Trichoniscidae, commonly known as the Eastern Mikto. It belongs to the suborder Oniscidea, which encompasses the familiar woodlice and pill bugs. The is native to the eastern United States, with documented presence in New England. As a member of the Synocheta, it represents one of the more derived lineages of terrestrial isopods.

Miktoniscus spinosus by (c) Nathan T. Jones, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nathan T. Jones. Used under a CC-BY license.

Isopoda of Maryland (10.3897-zookeys.801.24146) Figure 2 by Shultz JW (2018) A guide to the identification of the terrestrial Isopoda of Maryland, U.S.A. (Crustacea). In: Hornung E, Taiti S, Szlavecz K (Eds) Isopods in a Changing World. ZooKeys 801: 207-228. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.801.24146. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Miktoniscus spinosus: /mɪktoʊˈnɪskəs spɪˈnoʊsəs/

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Images

Distribution

New England, United States. The is native to the eastern United States.

More Details

Taxonomic note

The was originally described by Thomas Say in 1818. It is classified within the suborder Oniscidea (woodlice) and the section Synocheta, indicating it possesses pleopodal lungs rather than pseudotracheae for respiration.