Ligiidae

Family: Ligiidae

Group: Marine Invertebrate, Species

Scientific Name	Common Name	Summary
Ligia pallasii	Rock Louse	Feeds largely on decaying organic matter in the high intertidal. It cannot breathe underwater. Mature females are much broader than the males, thanks to their wide, flaring plates. They are about 50% as long as they are wide, whereas males and immatures are twice as long as they are wide. Ligia Pallasi is probably the only local species in the genus. L. occidentalis is rarely found north of California. Other, much smaller intertidal isopods to looks for are Oregon pillbug (Gnorimosphaeroma oregonensis), and the (known from Oregon) New Zealand isopod, or burrowing Australasian isopod, Sphaeroma quoyanum, which burrows into the shoreline, styrofoam, and other substrates.