''Ligia australiensis'', the Australian marine slater, is a

woodlouse A woodlouse (plural woodlice) is an isopod crustacean from the polyphyleticThe current consensus is that Oniscidea is actually triphyletic suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda. They get their name from often being found in old wood. ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Ligiidae Ligiidae is a family (biology), family of woodlouse, woodlice, the only family in the infraorder Diplocheta. Its members are common on rocky shores, in similar habitats to those inhabited by species of the bristletail ''Petrobius'' and the crab ...

Range

It can be found quite readily along the southern coast of Australia, including Tasmania, hiding under a huge variety of cover. It is not found as often on the coast of New South Wales, although it can be found in abundance in

estuaries An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...

Predation

''L. australienses'' is a frequent meal for the burrowing shore crab ('' Leptograpsodes octodentatus''), occasionally for the sacred kingfisher ('' Todiramphus sanctus''), and possibly the Pedra Branca skink ('' Niveoscincus palfreymani'').

References

External links

* Woodlice Crustaceans described in 1853 Crustaceans of Australia {{Isopod-stub