Desertoniscus Verhoeff, 1930

Kashani, Ghasem M. & Allspach, Andreas, 2012, Redescription of Desertoniscus taschkentensis (Verhoeff, 1930) and description of Desertoniscus schmalfussi n. sp. (Isopoda: Oniscidea), Zootaxa 3154, pp. 40-46 : 40-41

Desertoniscus Verhoeff, 1930

Type species: Desertoniscus subterraneus Verhoeff, 1930

Diagnosis. Small body, up to maximum 10 mm, usually about 4–8 mm; tergites with conspicuous scale setae, with or without tubercles; short antenna, usually not surpassing posterior margin of pereion tergite I, with flagellum of two articles, proximal segment shorter and club-shaped; pereion epimera I with rounded hind margin; telson triangular with slightly concave sides, pleopod exopodite I in males with apex truncate or with a more or less deep hollow; pleopod-endopodite I in males with straight and pointed apex; noduli laterales on pereion tergites I–IV or II– IV far from the lateral margin and closer to the posterior margin ( Borutzky 1978; Taiti & Checcucci 2011).

Remarks. Borutzky (1978) pointed out that the dorsal margin of pereiopod VII carpus in males is always straight and without crest-shaped projection; while in the newly described species ( D. schmalfussi n. sp.) there is a distinct ridge in the same position, excluding this character from the generic characteristics.

The members of this genus live in the soil, sometimes very deep, down to 60 cm in steppes and agricultural territories ( Borutzky 1978; Taiti & Checcucci 2011).