Subject: Weird bug near water
Location: Vancouver, BC
May 3, 2016 7:10 pm
This bug was found near a salt water inlet from the ocean, on the seawall. It was near by some restaurants. The weather was overcast, but warm.
Location: Vancouver, BC
Signature: Z
Dear Z,
Based on this Wikipedia image, we are pretty confident this is a Sea Slater, Ligia oceanica, but we would not rule out the possibility that it is a closely related species in the same genus. Ligia pallasii is another species in the genus that is pictured on BugGuide as well as on ASnailsOdyssey where it states: “Studies on field diets of sea slaters Ligia pallasii on rocky, wave-swept shores on the outer coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia indicate a preference for diatoms, filamentous green (Cladophora photograph of a large male isopod Ligia pallasiisp. and Ulva sp.) and red (Bangia sp.) algae, membranous (Porphyra spp.) red algae, and various kelps.” According to BugGuide, that species is commonly called a Common Rock Louse and its habitat is “Caves and crevices on rocky sea cliffs” from “Northwestern US; Central California to Alaska.”
Oh my goodness, thank you so much!
Best, Zoë