Deto echinata
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| Deto echinata | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Isopoda |
| Suborder: | Oniscidea |
| Family: | Detonidae |
| Genus: | Deto |
| Species: | D. echinata |
| Binomial name | |
| Deto echinata Guérin-Méneville, 1836 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Deto echinata, the horned isopod, is a species of air-breathing isopod, or woodlouse, in the family Detonidae.[1] It inhabits seashores in southern Africa and on some oceanic islands.
Deto echinata is distinguished by a pair of long curved "horns" situated on the back of each segment of the thorax. These horns are substantially longer in males than in females.[2] Horn length in males has been found to be correlated with body condition, and it is hypothesized that this sexual dimorphism acts as an indicator of overall fitness and is the result of sexual selection.[3] Colouration is dark brown on the back, lighter brown in patches, underneath and on the extremities. Males have an average length of 30 mm, females of 22 mm, making the species one of the largest in the suborder.[4]