About This Project

Native isopods of the US have been largely neglected with many species having not even been described or named. This is problematic as many isopods are useful indicator species of healthy environments. In addition, native isopods are also threatened by the introduction of invasive species and by global climate change. In this project we set out to identify and describe multiple previously undescribed Venezillo species in the western US. This project will support future research of these taxa.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

In order to assess if a species is at risk the species first need to be identified and named. Isopods are a historically neglected group that are an excellent indicator species for soil health. Focusing on Venezillo, we utilized iNaturalist to find observations of potentially undescribed species. Currently only 2 species have been described from California, Arizona, and Nevada (Venezillo microphthalmus and Venezillo arizonicus) . Based on examination of photos on the website iNaturalist we estimated eight additional distinct undescribed species. After our initial field work, we found an additional two undescribed species suggesting there are many more undescribed Venezillo in this region.

What is the significance of this project?

The native Venezillo (Pill Woodlice) in the western United States are likely threatened by many factors. Global warming is causing major changes in our desert and forest environments. The lack of rainfall in major portions of California, including the Mojave Desert and transverse mountain ranges has been extreme in the past several years, leading to droughts and wildfires. Local researchers have reported long-living plant species dying at an alarming rate. In order to assess the impact on native isopods we first need to describe them to understand their range and native habitat.

What are the goals of the project?

The primary goal is to collect Venezillo specimens throughout California, Arizona, and Nevada, fully describe the morphological features of each population, and a conduct phylogenetic analyses, then publish the results in a peer-reviewed journal. We will collect 5-20 from each population to support all downstream work. The localities visited have been selected based on iNaturalist observations, published data, and habitat assessments. In addition, information about the habitat and range of these species will be collected for the purpose supporting later research. A secondary goal is to identify features that can be used for species-level ID from top-down or side view photos as found on iNaturalist to enable the use of observations on the community science platform for examining range of these species. The morphological and DNA (CO1) data will be used to examine the phylogenetic relationships, assign populations to existing species, and identify novel species.