Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2006, Page 177

ÚTBREIÐSLA AV GRÁUM UNDIR STEINI (ISOPODA: ONISCOIDEA)
IFØROYUM
175
Three of the four found species L. ocean-
ica, O. asellus and P. scaber can be identi-
fied in the field, which is why only 485 spec-
imen were collected of these species.
All species new to an area have been
identifíed by collected specimen. Figure 2
shows in which Jocations species have been
found in this study. It also includes those of
Lohmander (1929) and Stephensen (1929)
and Bengtson pers.comm.
Voucher specimens representing all the
records, have been deposited in the collec-
tions of the Museum ofNatural Histoiy, Tór-
shavn, Faroe Islands.
During 1978 and 1979 extensive field-
work was conducted on the Faroes (Bengt-
son, 1979) resulting in check-lists of several
groups of invertebrates, part of this mate-
rial has not been published until now.
Results
The distribution of the species differ (Fig.
2). In the areas where it is found, P. scaber
seems to be the most abundant, i.e. it is found
in most locations. But it is absent from the
central-north part of the Faroes, with the ex-
ception of one record from the village of Eiði
prior to 1929. It has been found in three lo-
cations in the northeastern area, and in four
locations in the northwestern area. O. asel-
lus shows a similar distribution, with only
one recorded location north of 62° 05’ (prior
to 1929.
Not many individuals have been found
°f T. pusillus. They seem to be evenly dis-
tributed, throughout the Faroes, but not
much else can be deduced about the distri-
bution. L. oceanica too seems to be evenly
distributed, but has been found in more lo-
cations than T. pusillus.
Discussion
No new species have been added to the lists
of Lohmander (1929) and Stephensen
(1929). The numbers of species from neigh-
bouring areas are 37 in Britain and Ireland
(Hopkin, 1991), 4 in the Shetlands, 5 in the
Orkneys, 9 in the Hebrides (Harding and
Sutton, 1985) and 7 in lceland (Erling Ólaf-
sson in litt.).
Woodlice are most commonly found in
residential areas in the Faroe Islands. T.
pusillus, having been found in 18, 19 and
22 locations, respectively, than P. scaber,
which has been found in 41 locations.
The fact that we have been unable to fmd
P. scaber in Kalsoy, Kunoy, Borðoy, Viðoy,
could be due to oversight, but communica-
tion with local people confírm our negative
results, and that woodlice are at least as
scarce as in Fugloy and Svínoy.
P. scaber was reported seen in the village
of Húsar in the island of Kalsoy (Joan Isak-
sen pers. comm.) around 2003, but a thor-
ough search in 2005 turned out negative. We
have no explanation as to why woodlice
seemingly are more scarce to the north of
the Faroes.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to: Óla Jákup and Sunnuva
úr Dímun, Bjarni Garðshorn, Benjamin
Isaksen, Joan Isaksen, Áslakkur Johannesen,
Rodmund á Kelduni, Jóannis Mikkelsen,
Marita Gulklett, Hans Jørgen Nysted, Ann-
leyg Patursson, Marjun Arge Simonsen,
Hans Eli Sivertsen, Alf Sørensen|, Karstin