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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Crustaceans (Crustacea) » Malacostracans (Malacostraca) » Marsupial Crustaceans (Peracarida) » Isopods (Isopoda) » Scutocoxifera » Woodlice (Oniscidea) » Holoverticata » Orthogonopoda » Synocheta » Trichoniscidae » Brackenridgia » Brackenridgia heroldi
Photo#1330460
One of my favorite CA endemics - Brackenridgia heroldi - female
Copyright © 2017 Eric C. Maxwell

One of my favorite CA endemics - Brackenridgia heroldi - Female
Los Angeles County, California, USA
December 29, 2014
Size: 3-5mm
Although I was hoping to see this species on a recent trip to California, I have to admit I was surprised when I finally found some. I expected that they would be much harder to find than they ended up being, although I may have simply gotten lucky. At any rate, I was very glad to get a chance to see these in person. I believe the yellow patches visible in her abdomen are ovaries, hence the gender tag.

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One of my favorite CA endemics - Brackenridgia heroldi - female One of my favorite CA endemics - Brackenridgia heroldi - female
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Contributed by Eric C. Maxwell on 11 January, 2017 - 1:15am

How was the habitat?
I've found it only in reasonably natural native oak woodland, but recently a friend of mine posted a similar isopod from ornamental habitat that was quite urban. We mostly assume it is only in preserved ecosystems, but maybe it travels.
… James Bailey, 1 November, 2017 - 8:01pm login or register to post comments

 
Riparian habitat
I found these individuals just a few meters from a permanent stream, in the stream's riparian zone. They were under small boulders living in the clay. There is a similar-looking species called Haplophthalmus danicus that is often found in or near landscaped areas, or other areas where humans have a presence, and that could be what your friend found. Did he post the picture on bugguide?
… Eric C. Maxwell, 2 November, 2017 - 8:07am login or register to post comments

 
Haplo. seems to be surprisingly rare here
We are fairly sure that it is Brackenridgia we are seeing across the south. I have only found Haplo. in coastal run-off debris so far.
… James Bailey, 27 April, 2019 - 11:27am login or register to post comments

Cute little species, did you collect any?
*
… Hisserdude, 24 February, 2017 - 9:37pm login or register to post comments

 
Sure did.
They're not very productive, but they are reproducing for me. I have a few dozen more than I started with, anyway.
… Eric C. Maxwell, 12 March, 2017 - 1:47pm login or register to post comments

 
That's great!
Hope they keep breeding for you, they are a very interesting little species of isopod! :)
… Hisserdude, 12 March, 2017 - 1:50pm login or register to post comments

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