Exosphaeroma laeviusculum
species of crustacean
Exosphaeroma laeviusculum is a species of isopod in the family Sphaeromatidae, native to the west coast of southern Africa.
Description
Exosphaeroma laeviusculum has a flattened body with speckled pattern of black and white, or pink. The pleon consists of a single segment, although the original fused segments are still discernible by lateral grooves. The telson is triangular, bears two small ridges near the base and a semicircle of tiny tubercles. Average body length is 10 mm.
Distribution and habitat
The species occurs on the west coast of southern Africa, from Lüderitz in Namibia to Cape Point in South Africa. It inhabits the intertidal zone or shallow water, where it may be found among weeds or under stones.
For unknown reasons, the original description by Camill Heller reports the type locality as "Java".
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Exosphaeroma laeviusculum” as species of crustacean. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of crustacean. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 5, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q2180556. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
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Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Exosphaeroma laeviusculum”, its source revision and the description used here.
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Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Exosphaeroma laeviusculum” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.