About Philoscia affinis Verhoeff, 1908
Philoscia affinis is visually extremely similar to Philoscia muscorum. Differences in the coloration of the head and body can be used as indicators for identification, but reliable identification of this species requires microscopic examination of the 7th pereiopod of a male specimen. This species is native to Europe, where it occurs in Spain, France, Slovenia, Italy, Hungary, Germany, and Croatia, and to Northern Africa, where it occurs in Algeria and Tunisia. Unlike P. muscorum, which generally favors open grasslands, Philoscia affinis prefers non-urban sites such as forests and coastal grassland. It is most often found under rocks, rotting wood, and rotting leaves.
