Community of terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Oniscidae): differences between natural and labored environments

Abstract

The structure and diversity of terrestrial isopod communities are described and compared in natural and labored environments. Samples collected by hand from July 2010 to June 2011 at the San José Department, Uruguay. As a result, 4 species belonging to 3 families and 3 genera were identified: Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille, 1804), Armadillidium nasatum (Budde-Lund, 1885), Porcellio laevis (Latreille, 1804) and Balloniscus sellowi (Brandt, 1833). Armadillidium nasatum (Budde-Lund, 1885) and Porcellio laevis (Latreille, 1804) were recorded for the first time in Uruguay. Species richness values are low in both environments. Species assemblages were dominated by Armadillidium vulgare and Armadillidium nasatum in both environments. Porcellio laevis was exclusively for the natural environment. Both habitats had lower values of Shannon-Wiener diversity, due to the high dominance of Armadillidium vulgare.