Small animals in the French Pyrenees
Auberge les Myrtilles, early in the morning
On the photo above the inn from Anouk en René Kesseleer in Salau/Couflens, an excellent place to spend your vacation. This nice stay served as a starting point for the walks in the area.
Springtails, Collembola
- Family: Neanuridae
- Bilobella aurantiaca (Caroli, 1910)
- Deutonura monticola (Cassagnau, P, 1954)
- Monobella grassei (Denis, 1923)
- Family: Isotomidae
- Subfamily: Entomobryidae
- Orchesella arcuata Lindenmann, W, 1950
- Orchesella kervillei Bonet, F, 1942
- Family: Dicyrtomidae Börner, 1906
- Dicyrtomina violacea (Krausbauer, 1898)
- Family: Katiannidae
- Sminthurinus signatus (Krausbauer, 1898)
- Sminthurinus sp 6
- Family: Sminthuridae Börner, 1913
- Caprainea marginata (Schaft, 1893)
Bilobella aurantiaca
The identification of the animal in the photo is uncertain, it can also be a light form of Bilobella braunerae because there is something of red on the head. Under a piece of dead wood this species sat together with Monobella grassei and Deutonura monticola.
Bilobella aurantiaca or Bilobella braunerae
Bilobella aurantiaca or Bilobella braunerae
Deutonura monticola
A big species 2,5 tot 3 mm, with a blue gray color.
Deutonura monticola
Deutonura monticola
Deutonura monticola
Monobella grassei
This species has also been found in the Netherlands since 2016. The animals are yellow white in color, especially the young ones are almost white. I usually find them in very wet places.
Monobella grassei
Monobella grassei
Orchesella arcuata
Among stones on the side of a mountain road I find a species that looks a lot like Orchesella cincta, but the drawing is clearly different. It appears to beOrchesella arcuata. Between two yellow cross lines a completely black segment and behind it a light colored segment with a black line almost at the back.
Orchesella arcuata, juvenile
Orchesella arcuata, juvenile
Orchesella kervillei
This animal is clearly different from the species found in The Netherlands. The species is characterized by the interrupted side line.
Orchesella kervillei
Orchesella kervillei
Dicyrtomina violacea
Under an old plank I see a Dicyrtomina minuta and a species that looks like Dicyrtomina ornata but this one has a completely yellow head and the dark spot on the back of the body doesn't look good either. After comparing the pictures on www.collembola.org I think it's Dicyrtomina violacea, which is later confirmed by Frans Janssens. The animal is not yet mature.
Dicyrtomina violacea, juvenile
Dicyrtomina violacea, juvenile
Sminthurinus sp 6
This is a very special species, it is a very small fast-running animal, a disaster for the macro photographer, hence some not quite sharp photos. The special thing about this species is that it is probably a new species for science. The opinion of Frans Janssens: I could not find a lookalike image in Bretfeld 1999. So it could be something new. Flickr.com
Sminthurinus spec.
Sminthurinus spec.
Sminthurinus spec.
Sminthurinus signatus
We don't know this species in the Netherlands. It is a very small animal that jumps away quickly if you move a little too much.
Sminthurinus signatus
Sminthurinus signatus
Sminthurinus signatus
Caprainea marginata
I also see this springtail under an old plank. It is a very small and fast moving animal with many spines on its head. The species is very variable in color.
Caprainea marginata
Caprainea marginata
Earwigs, Dermaptera
- Family: Forficulidae
- Pseudochelidura sinuata (Lafresnaye, 1828)
Pseudochelidura sinuata
I see an earwig walking on a large rock high in the Pyrenees, very fast. The animal is quite large, the total length without the scissors is approximately 19 mm. You can see from the large scissors that it is a male animal. Apparently the species is not seen much: Le Monde des insectes with only a few observations from the same area where I found it.
Pseudochelidura sinuata ♂
Millipedes, Diplopoda
- Family: Pauropodidae
- Pauropoda
- Family: Eurypauropodidae
- Acopauropus Cook, 1896
- Trachypauropus Tomosvary, 1882
- Family: Glomeridae
- Glomeris intermedia Latzel, 1884 - Oranje kogel
- Loboglomeris pyrenaica (Latzel, 1886)
- Trachysphaera pyrenaica (Ribaut, 1907)
- Family: Hirudisomatidae
- Hirudisoma latum (Ribaut, 1908)
- Family: Lophoproctidae
- Lophoproctus lucidus (Chalande, 1888)
- Family: Polyxenidae
- Polyxenus lagurus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Pauropoda
A family of difficult to identify animals, they are smaller than 2 mm, white in colour and have hairs. The antennae of these animals are branched.
Pauropoda
Pauropoda
Acopauropus of Trachypauropus
In a publication by Dr. Scheller you can read that 15 different species of this group have been found in the Ariège. (Scheller, 1996). According to Jean-Jacques Geoffroy the animals on the photo are of the family Eurypauropodidae, of the genus Acopauropus or of the genus Trachypauropus, both are found in France. They are animals of only a few mm in length. I've found several of them, but I can't really see any difference, except between the two specimens of the photographs below, but I suppose the light and even smaller one in the bottom two pictures is a young animal, although I'm not sure.
Acopauropus of Trachypauropus
Acopauropus of Trachypauropus
Acopauropus of Trachypauropus
Acopauropus of Trachypauropus
Acopauropus of Trachypauropus
Glomeris intermedia
There are two species of Glomeris in the Netherlands: Glomeris marginata common and Glomeris intermedia rare. In France there are many more species, but beware the color is variable. A fixed feature are the lines on the second back shield (the largest shield).
Glomeris intermedia
Glomeris intermedia
Loboglomeris pyrenaica
This species is only found in the Pyrenees, so just like the next species it is an endemic.
Loboglomeris pyrenaica
Loboglomeris pyrenaica
Loboglomeris pyrenaica
Trachysphaera pyrenaica
The first time I found this animal, I thought it was a dead dehydrated Glomeris, until it started to walk. The Duborget key only says Trachysphaera lobata Fauna Europaea listed for France also Trachysphaera pyrenaica. The solution comes from the French experts. It is an endemic species of the Central Pyrenees which is already known from the valley of Salau-Couflens from the cirque d'Anglade. The difference with T. lobata is in the rear shields in front of the end shield that carry only one row of grains where the species from the Massif Central has two rows.
Trachysphaera pyrenaica
Trachysphaera pyrenaica
Trachysphaera pyrenaica
Trachysphaera pyrenaica
Hirudisoma latum
This is a small species, up to 6 mm long and 2.3 mm wide, only two and a half times as long as wide, with a maximum of 28 segments. (Bröllemann, 1935). I am not entirely sure about the determination, there is also Hirudisoma pyrenaeum in the same area.
Hirudisoma latum
Hirudisoma latum
Lophoproctus lucidus
A very nice little millipede is Lophoproctus lucidus. I found these under a piece of dead wood under boxwood bushes. There were a number of animals of different sizes in the crevices of the wood. They crawled away rather quickly and I was only able to take a small number of pictures. It took me a lot of effort to find out the name, but the French experts helped me.
Lophoproctus lucidus
Polyxenus lagurus
This species is also found in the Netherlands, but it is such a beautiful species that I have included these photos from France. In the Netherlands often under bark of pine trees, in France I found it under stones.
Polyxenus lagurus
Polyxenus lagurus
Terrestrial Woodlice, Isopoda
- Family: Armadillidiidae
- Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille, 1802) - Common Pill Woodlouse
- Family: Philosciidae
- Tiroloscia pyrenaica (Dollfus, 1897)
- Family: Porcellionidae
- Porcellio gallicus Dollfus, 1904
- Porcellio monticola Lereboullet, 1853
- Family: Scleropactidae
- Sphaerobathytropa ribauti Verhoef, 1908
- Family: Trichoniscidae
- Oritoniscus flavus (Budde-Lund, 1906)
Common Pill Woodlouse, Armadillidium vulgare
In France I have been surprised by the size of this species, they are much larger in France than in the Netherlands. At first I thought it would be a different species. With Woodlice it is a matter of taking a good picture of the head and tail (telson), completed with a picture from above you usually have enough to give the species a name. The color is very variable.
Common Pill Woodlouse, Armadillidium vulgare
Common Pill Woodlouse, Armadillidium vulgare
Common Pill Woodlouse, Armadillidium vulgare
Porcellio monticola
This is a species that reminds me of Oniscus asellus but the last antenna member here consists of only two parts and of three at Oniscus asellus. I found the animal on the bank of the river just before the auberge, between the long grass under a branch.
Porcellio monticola
Porcellio monticola
Porcellio monticola
Porcellio gallicus
This is a nice shiny solid species with a busy drawing, I haven't found much of it, but most of the time there were several of them under a stone.
Porcellio gallicus
Porcellio gallicus
Porcellio gallicus
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
As with Oniscus asellus, the last antenna member here consists of three parts. An easy recognition point are the light spots on the tail segments. This species is common in the Salau area.
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
In June 2019 we even see an albinistic specimen of this species.
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Tiroloscia pyrenaica
Sphaerobathytropa ribauti
A small species that looks hairy with the many protrusions on the shields.
Sphaerobathytropa ribauti
Sphaerobathytropa ribauti
Sphaerobathytropa ribauti
Sphaerobathytropa ribauti
Sphaerobathytropa ribauti
Oritoniscus flavus
In June 2019 I found beautiful red woodlouse in several places. These animals reminded me of the Striped Woodlouse, they were about the same size and the same speed.
Oritoniscus flavus
Oritoniscus flavus
Oritoniscus flavus
Schorpioenvliegen, Mecoptera
- Family: Panorpidae
- Panorpa meridionalis Rambur, 1842
Panorpa meridionalis
A scorpion fly that occurs in the south west of France and clearly differs from the species found in the Netherlands. The spots in the wings are very strong, the head color is red as with P. cognata, that just has a very light drawing in the wings. The chestpiece has an orange-like color and is yellow with the other species. I found this species in the Cirque d'Anclade a beautiful valley with a waterfall near Salau.
Panorpa meridionalis ♀
Panorpa meridionalis ♂
Harvestmen, Opiliones
overview species:
- Family: Nemastomatidae
- Mitostoma pyraeneum (Simon, 1879)
- Nemastomella bacillifera (Simon, 1879)
- Family: Phalangiidae
- Dicranopalpus catariegensis Wijnhoven et al, 2022
- Megabunus diadema (Fabricius, 1779)
- Family: Phalangodoidea
- Scotolemon lespesi Lucas, 1860
- Family: Sclerosomatidae
- Homalenotus quadridentatus (Cuvier, 1795).
- Family: Trogulidae
- Anelasmocephalus cambridgei (Westwood, 1847)
- Trogulus closanicus Avram, 1971.
Mitostoma pyraeneum
A very small, but beautiful, species. Found on a large rock under the trees close to a stream.
Mitostoma pyraeneum
Mitostoma pyraeneum
Mitostoma pyraeneum
Mitostoma pyraeneum, juvenile
Mitostoma pyraeneum, juvenile
Nemastomella bacillifera
The Nemastomella group can be found in Spain, Portugal and France. The animal of the picture I found under an old plank next to the Auberge Les Myrtilles in Salau, the place is located at an altitude of 850 meters. It is a very small harvestman, body length less than 2 mm.
Nemastomella bacillifera
Nemastomella bacillifera
Dicranopalpus catariegensis
This species was described in 2022 as Dicranopalpus catariegensis by Hay Wijnhoven, Jochen Martens and Carlos E. Prieto. The pictures are of not yet mature specimens. The forked palps are characteristic for this genus.
Dicranopalpus catariegensis, juvenile
Dicranopalpus catariegensis, juvenile
Dicranopalpus catariegensis, juvenile
Megabunus diadema
Megabunus diadema I find a beautiful species, with its fantastic eye hillock. It is a fairly small harvestman with a body length of up to 4 mm. They are mainly found on the large granite blocks on which some moss grows. If you walk up to a block of stone like that, you'll see a very perky little harvestman running away. In order to enjoy its beautiful appearance, you will have to enlarge it considerably. Reproduction is usually parthenogenetic, so usually only female. They occur in the Pyrenees (France and Spain), France on the Channel coast, Ireland, England and Norway.
Megabunus diadema
Megabunus diadema
Megabunus diadema
Scotolemon lespesi
At a distance of less than 200 meters behind the Auberge Les Myrtilles I find under a dead branch on the ground a small harvestman of a shape that I don't know from The Netherlands. After a lot of searching I get the name of the animal with the help of Hay Wijnhoven. There appear to be two very similar species in Ariège. One species lives in the open and another in caves. This animal was found outside and is therefore Scotolemon lespesi the cave species is Scotolemon lucasi this one is lighter in color and there is also a lot of overlap between the two species. (Martens. Lingnau. 1985)
Scotolemon lespesi
Scotolemon lespesi
Scotolemon lespesi
Scotolemon lespesi
Homalenotus quadridentatus
Characteristic are the four protruding thorns at the back of the body and the large thorn in front of the eye hillock. It is a very rare species in the Netherlands. On the body there are hairs so that sand and other small things stick to it, so they are very well camouflaged. This species is 3.5 to 4 mm long, on the bottom two pictures you see a springtail on the underside of the harvestman, it is a Sminthurinus signatus see also the springtails.
Homalenotus quadridentatus
Homalenotus quadridentatus
Homalenotus quadridentatus
Homalenotus quadridentatus
Anelasmocephalus cambridgei
To my great surprise I find in June 2019 two times an Anelasmocephalus cambridgei. With a lot of effort I found a specimen of this small species in the Netherlands by sieving out the forest soil near Winterswijk at a well-known location. It is to be distinguished of the other species Trogulidae by the long hairs on the legs and its more round body shapes.
Anelasmocephalus cambridgei
Anelasmocephalus cambridgei
Anelasmocephalus cambridgei, long hairs on the legs
Trogulus closanicus
In the vicinity of Salau you often see troughulus species and I find it very difficult to recognize the species. I am not entirely sure about this determination.
Trogulus closanicus
Trogulus closanicus
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank some people for their help in naming the species
Anne Kediet, Arp Kruithof and Matty Berg for their help with earwigs, woodlice and millipedes.
Frans Janssens for his help with the springtails.
Hay Wijnhoven for his help with the harvestmen.
Jean-Jacques Geoffroy, Jean-Paul Mauriès, Monique Nquyen Duy and Franck Noel for their help with the millipedes.
References
- Brölemann, H. W. (1935). Myriapodes Diplopodes (Chilognathes I). Faune de France, 29: 1-369. Paris, PDF Myriapodes
- Duborget, R (2017). Clé díndentification des Glomerida de France PDF sleutel
- Hoes, R (2000). Bestimmungsschussel für die Glomeris Arten Mitteleuropas und angrenzender Gebiete (Diplopoda: Glomeridae) Jahrb. Naturhist. Mus. Bern 13: 3-20 (2000) Bestimmung Glomeris-Arten
- Lemaire, J.M, Geoffroy,J.J., Nguyen Duy-Jacquemin, M. (2018). Un Penicillate nouveau pour la faune de France et de Monaco Lophoproctus coecus Pocock, 1894 (Diplopoda Polyxenida Lophoproctidae) Biocosme mésogéen, Nice, 35 (1-2) :1-12, 2018 PDF
- Martens J. & Lingnau M., 1985. – Die Weberknechte Scotolemon lespesi Lucas und Scotolemon lucasi Simon aus den Pyrenäen-zwei valide Arten ? (Arachnida : Opiliones : Phalangodidae). – Mémoires de Biospéologie, 12 (39) : 111-124. Weberknechte Scotolemon
- Scheller, U (1996). Supplementary notes on Pauropoda (Myriapoda) from SW Europe with description of two new species from France Bulletin du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 4e sér., 18, 1996 Section A, no s 1-2 : 139-164 PDF Pauropoda