Limnoria lignorum
Quick Summary
Limnoria lignorum, commonly known as a gribble, is a small, wood-boring marine crustacean belonging to the genus Limnoria. These isopods are found in seas worldwide and feed on algae, driftwood, and submerged wooden structures like docks and wharves.12
Gribbles can cause significant damage by burrowing into wood. Limnoria lignorum grows up to 5 mm long and can penetrate about 12 mm into wood. Some species, like L. tripunctata, are even capable of boring into wood treated with creosote, a substance that deters most other wood-boring invertebrates.1
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