Porcellionides Floria, New Species, from North America; Provinciality in the Cosmopolitan Isopod Porcellionides Pruinosus (Brandt)

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Abstract
P. pruinosis (Brandt) is widely distributed throughout the world but shows extensive, albeit subtle, geographical variation in morphology. This morphological variation has resulted in a complex and confused taxonomic history for the genus, with many new species having been described only to be subsequently synonymized with P. pruinosus. What has previously been considered to be P. pruinosus in North America is 2 separate species. Although these species differ only subtly in morphology, they are electrophoretically, reproductively, and distributionally distinct. For one of these species, P. pruinosus (Brandt), electrophoretic, morphological and reproductive comparisons of North American individuals with European samples suggest a European origin. The other species is not referable to any other described species of Porcellinoides and is described as a new species. P. pruinosus (as formerly defined) may consist of a number of distinct and localized species rather than 1 cosmopolitan species. Therefore, it would appear that the taxonomic status of P. pruinosus is in need of re-evaluation on a world-wide basis.

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