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A woodlouse (plural woodlice) is an isopod crustacean from the polyphyleticThe current consensus is that Oniscidea is actually triphyletic suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda. They get their name from often being found in old wood. The first woodlice were
marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military ...
isopods which are presumed to have colonised land in the
Carboniferous The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carboniferou ...
, though the oldest known fossils are from the
Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
period. They have many
common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
s and although often referred to as terrestrial isopods, some species live semiterrestrially or have recolonised aquatic environments. Woodlice in the families
Armadillidae Armadillidae is a family of woodlice (Oniscidea; terrestrial crustaceans), comprising around 80 genera and 700 species. It is the largest family of Oniscidea, and one of the most species-rich families of the entire Isopoda. Armadillids genera ...
, Armadillidiidae, Eubelidae, Tylidae and some other genera can roll up into a roughly spherical shape ( conglobate) as a defensive mechanism; others have partial rolling ability, but most cannot conglobate at all. Woodlice have a basic morphology of a segmented, dorso-ventrally flattened body with seven pairs of jointed legs, specialised
appendage An appendage (or outgrowth) is an external body part, or natural prolongation, that protrudes from an organism's body. In arthropods, an appendage refers to any of the homologous body parts that may extend from a body segment, including ante ...
s for respiration and like other peracarids, females carry fertilised eggs in their marsupium, through which they provide developing
embryo An embryo is an initial stage of development of a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male spe ...
s with water, oxygen and nutrients. The immature young hatch as
manca The manca (plural: ''mancae'') is the post-larval juvenile in some crustaceans. The manca stage is the defining characteristic of a clade called Mancoida which comprises all the member of the Peracarida except the Amphipoda. Mancae closely resembl ...
e and receive further maternal care in some species. Juveniles then go through a series of moults before reaching maturity. While the broader
phylogeny A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological s ...
of the Oniscideans has not been settled, eleven infraorders/
sections Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...
are agreed on with 3,937 species validated in scientific literature in 2004 and 3,710 species in 2014 out of an estimated total of 5,000–7,000 species extant worldwide. Key adaptations to terrestrial life have led to a highly diverse set of animals; from the marine
littoral zone The littoral zone or nearshore is the part of a sea, lake, or river that is close to the shore. In coastal ecology, the littoral zone includes the intertidal zone extending from the high water mark (which is rarely inundated), to coastal ...
and
subterranean lake An underground lake or subterranean lake is a lake underneath the surface of the Earth. Most naturally occurring underground lakes are found in areas of Karst topography, where limestone or other soluble rock has been weathered away, leaving a cav ...
s to arid deserts and desert slopes above sea-level, woodlice have established themselves in most terrestrial
biome A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...
s and represent the full range of transitional forms and behaviours for living on land. Woodlice are widely studied in the contexts of
evolutionary biology Evolutionary biology is the subfield of biology that studies the evolutionary processes (natural selection, common descent, speciation) that produced the diversity of life on Earth. It is also defined as the study of the history of life ...
,
behavioural ecology Behavioral ecology, also spelled behavioural ecology, is the study of the evolutionary basis for animal behavior due to ecological pressures. Behavioral ecology emerged from ethology after Niko Tinbergen outlined four questions to address wh ...
and
nutrient cycling A nutrient cycle (or ecological recycling) is the movement and exchange of inorganic and organic matter back into the production of matter. Energy flow is a unidirectional and noncyclic pathway, whereas the movement of mineral nutrients is cycli ...
. They are popular as terrarium pets because of their varied colour and texture forms, conglobating ability and ease of care.


Common names

Common names for woodlice vary throughout the English-speaking world. A number of common names make reference to the fact that some species of woodlice can roll up into a ball. Other names compare the woodlouse to a pig. The collective noun is a quabble of woodlice. Common names include: *armadillo bug *billy baker ( South Somerset) *billy button (Dorset) *boat-builder ( Newfoundland, Canada) *butcher boy or butchy boy (Australia, mostly around
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
) *carpenter or cafner (
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, Canada) *carpet shrimp (Ryedale) *charlie pig (Norfolk, England) *cheeselog (
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spell ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
) *cheesey wig *cheesy bobs ( Guildford,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
) *cheesy bug (
North West Kent North West Kent is a geographical area in Kent, a county in south-east England. The term North West Kent may refer to one or both of two distinct areas; one is entirely within the modern boundaries of Kent, whereas the other also contains parts o ...
, Gravesend, England) *cheesy lou (
Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include ...
) *cheesy papa (
Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
) *chiggy pig (
Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
) *chisel pig *chucky pig (
Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
,
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of ...
,
Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouths ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
) *chuggy pig *crawley baker (
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...
) *daddy grampher ( North Somerset) *damp beetle (North East England) *doodlebug (also used for the larva of an
antlion The antlions are a group of about 2,000 species of insect in the neuropteran family Myrmeleontidae. They are known for the predatory habits of their larvae, which mostly dig pits to trap passing ants or other prey. In North America, the larvae ...
and for the cockchafer) *fat pigs (
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
), *gramersow (
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people ...
,
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
) *granny grey (Wales) *granny grunter (Isle of Man) *grumper-pig (Bermuda) *hardback (Humberside, England) *hobbling Andrew (Oxfordshire, England) *hobby horse (Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, England) *hog-louse *horton bug (Deal, Kent, England) *humidity bug (Ontario, Canada) *jomits (Cloneganna) *menace (
Plymouth, Devon Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymout ...
) *mochyn coed (tree pig), pryf lludw (ash bug), granny grey in
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
*monkey-peas (
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, England) *pea bug (
Medway Medway is a unitary authority district and conurbation in Kent, South East England. It had a population of 278,016 in 2019. The unitary authority was formed in 1998 when Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with the Borough of Gillingham to ...
, England) *peasie-bug (
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, England) *pennysow ( Pembrokeshire, Wales) *piggy wig *pill bug (usually applied only to the genus ''Armadillidium'') *potato bug *roll up bug *roly-poly *saw bug (Dingwall, Nova Scotia) *scuttlebug (New Zealand) *slater (
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, Ulster,
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
) *sour bug (Cambridgeshire) *sow bug *water bug *wood bug (
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
, Canada) *wood-louse


Description and life cycle

The woodlouse has a shell-like
exoskeleton An exoskeleton (from Greek ''éxō'' "outer" and ''skeletós'' "skeleton") is an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to an internal skeleton ( endoskeleton) in for example, a human. In usage, some of the ...
, which it must progressively shed as it grows. The moult takes place in two stages; the back half is lost first, followed two or three days later by the front. This method of moulting is different from that of most arthropods, which shed their cuticle in a single process. A female woodlouse will keep fertilised eggs in a marsupium on the underside of her body, which covers the under surface of the thorax and is formed by overlapping plates attached to the bases of the first five pairs of legs. They hatch into offspring that look like small white woodlice curled up in balls, although initially without the last pair of legs. The mother then appears to "give birth" to her offspring. Females are also capable of reproducing asexually."How Now, Sow Bug?," Discover, August 1999, 68. Despite being
crustacean Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapoda, decapods, ostracoda, seed shrimp, branchiopoda, branchiopods, argulidae, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopoda, isopods, barnacles, copepods, ...
s like lobsters or
crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all th ...
s, woodlice are said to have an unpleasant taste similar to "strong urine".


Pillbugs and pill millipedes

Pillbugs (woodlice of the family Armadillidiidae, also known as pill woodlice) can be confused with pill millipedes of the order Glomerida. Both of these groups of terrestrial segmented arthropods are about the same size. They live in very similar habitats, and they can both roll up into a ball. Pill millipedes and pillbugs appear superficially similar to the naked eye. This is an example of
convergent evolution Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...
. Pill millipedes can be distinguished from woodlice on the basis of having two pairs of legs per body segment instead of one pair like all isopods. Pill millipedes have 12 to 13 body segments and about 18 pairs of legs, whereas woodlice have 11 segments and only seven pairs of legs. In addition, pill millipedes are smoother, and resemble normal millipedes in overall colouring and the shape of the segments.


Ecology

Many members of Oniscidea live in terrestrial, non-aquatic environments, breathing through
trachea The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all air- breathing animals with lungs. The trachea extends from t ...
-like lungs in their paddle-shaped hind legs (pleopods), called pleopodal lungs. Woodlice need moisture because they rapidly lose water by
excretion Excretion is a process in which metabolic waste is eliminated from an organism. In vertebrates this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin. This is in contrast with secretion, where the substance may have specific tasks after ...
and through their cuticle, and so are usually found in damp, dark places, such as under rocks and logs, although one species, the desert dwelling ''
Hemilepistus reaumuri ''Hemilepistus reaumuri'' is a species of woodlouse that lives in and around the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, "the driest habitat conquered by any species of crustacean". It reaches a length of and a width of up to , and has ...
'', inhabits "the driest habitat conquered by any species of crustacean". They are usually nocturnal and are detritivores, feeding mostly on dead plant matter. A few woodlice have returned to water. Evolutionary ancient species are amphibious, such as the marine-intertidal sea slater (''
Ligia oceanica ''Ligia oceanica'', the sea slater, common sea slater, or sea roach, is a littoral zone woodlouse, living on rocky seashores of the European North Sea and Atlantic coastlines. ''L. oceanica'' is oval, twice as long as broad, and may reach up to ...
''), which belongs to family Ligiidae. Other examples include some '' Haloniscus'' species from
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
(family Scyphacidae), and in the northern hemisphere several species of Trichoniscidae and '' Thailandoniscus annae'' (family Styloniscidae). Species for which aquatic life is assumed include '' Typhlotricholigoides aquaticus'' (Mexico) and '' Cantabroniscus primitivus'' (Spain). Woodlice are eaten by a wide range of insectivores, including spiders of the genus ''
Dysdera ''Dysdera'' is a genus of woodlouse hunting spiders that was first described by Pierre André Latreille in 1804. They originated from Central Asia to Central Europe. The family has gained many common names from their individual species, includi ...
'', such as the
woodlouse spider The woodlouse spider (''Dysdera crocata'') is a species of spider that preys primarily upon woodlice. Other common names refer to variations on the common name of its prey, including woodlouse hunter, sowbug hunter, sowbug killer, pillbug hunte ...
''Dysdera crocata'', and land planarians of the genus '' Luteostriata'', such as ''
Luteostriata abundans ''Luteostriata abundans'' is a species of Brazilian land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae. It is a common species in human-disturbed areas in Brazil's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. Description ''Luteostriata abundans'' is a ...
''. Woodlice are sensitive to agricultural pesticides, but can tolerate some toxic heavy metals, which they accumulate in the hepatopancreas. Thus they can be used as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution.


Evolutionary history

The oldest fossils of woodlice are known from the mid-Cretaceous around 100 million years ago, from amber deposits found in Spain, France and Myanmar, These include a specimen of living genus ''
Ligia ''Ligia'' is a genus of isopods, commonly known as rock lice or sea slaters. Most ''Ligia'' species live in tidal zone cliffs and rocky beaches, but there are several fully terrestrial species which occur in high-humidity environments. Ecolog ...
'' from the Charentese amber of France, the genus '' Myanmariscus'' from the Burmese amber of Myanmar, which belongs to the Synocheta and likely the Styloniscidae, '' Eoligiiscus tarraconensis'' which belongs to the family
Ligiidae Ligiidae is a family of woodlice, the only family in the infraorder Diplocheta. Its members are common on rocky shores, in similar habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that ...
, '' Autrigoniscus resinicola'' which belongs to the family Trichoniscidae, and '' Heraclitus helenae'' which possibly belongs to Detonidae all from Spanish amber, and indeterminate specimens Charentese amber. The widespread distribution and diversification apparent of woodlice in the mid-Cretaceous implies that the origin of woodlice predates the breakup of Pangaea, likely during the
Carboniferous The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carboniferou ...
.


As pests

Although woodlice, like earthworms, are generally considered beneficial in gardens for their role in controlling certain pests, producing compost and overturning the soil, they have also been known to feed on cultivated plants, such as ripening
strawberries The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...
and tender seedlings. Woodlice can also invade homes en masse in search of moisture and their presence can indicate dampness problems. They are not generally regarded as a serious household pest as they do not spread malady and do not damage sound wood or structures. They can be easily removed with the help of vacuum cleaners, chemical sprays, insect repellents, and insect killers, or by removing the damp.


As pets

Woodlice have become a popular, low-maintenance household pet for children as well as a hobby for invertebrate and insect enthusiasts or collectors. Porcellionidae (sowbugs) and
Armadillidae Armadillidae is a family of woodlice (Oniscidea; terrestrial crustaceans), comprising around 80 genera and 700 species. It is the largest family of Oniscidea, and one of the most species-rich families of the entire Isopoda. Armadillids genera ...
(pillbugs) are seen often as they are the most common terrestrial isopods in Europe and North America. The isopod community has many resources for the care of the species. Many sites sell isopods for starting a colony, and to keep a bioactive vivarium clean. Isopods are also a popular species at reptile or invertebrate conventions either sold as pets or micro-feeders.


Morphs and varieties

Amongst those who keep woodlice as pets, many species are bred for a certain coloration or variety of a species and are often recognized by a nickname that corresponds with their variety. Popular varieties include Dalmatian (''
Porcellio scaber ''Porcellio scaber'' (otherwise known as the common rough woodlouse or simply rough woodlouse), is a species of woodlouse native to Europe but with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are often found in large numbers in most regions, with many spe ...
''), Dairy Cow (''
Porcellio laevis ''Porcellio laevis'' ( commonly called the swift woodlouse, dairy cow isopod, or smooth slater in Australia) is a species of woodlouse in the genus '' Porcellio''. As the species epithet ''laevis'' as well as the vernacular name "swift woodlouse ...
''), Montenegro ('' Armadillidium klugii''), Zebra (''Armadillidium maculatum''), Magic Potion ('' Armadillidium vulgare''), Powder Blue ''( Porcellionides pruinosus)'', Panda King and Rubber Ducky (''
Cubaris ''Cubaris'' is a genus of woodlice in the family Armadillidae Armadillidae is a family of woodlice (Oniscidea; terrestrial crustaceans), comprising around 80 genera and 700 species. It is the largest family of Oniscidea, and one of the mos ...
'' sp.), Tricolor (''Merulanella'' sp.). The Rubber Ducky variety is currently to be one of the most desired and yet most expensive pillbug isopod to date, with a purchase of 6 individual specimens costing over one-hundred dollars. This popularity is likely due to its rarity and cute or innocent appearance of a duck face, having yellow bands across the back and front of its body; all ''
Cubaris ''Cubaris'' is a genus of woodlice in the family Armadillidae Armadillidae is a family of woodlice (Oniscidea; terrestrial crustaceans), comprising around 80 genera and 700 species. It is the largest family of Oniscidea, and one of the mos ...
'' species have this duck-billed shape on the head, but the Rubber Ducky variety has a coincidental coloring that lines up perfectly with this shape. Many varieties also have sub-varieties that are even more rare or uncommon, such as the orange mutation or variant of Orange Dalmatian (Dalmatian), Powder Orange (Powder Blue), Pink Ducky (Rubber Ducky), and Orange Koi (Koi) which could be bred with by combining their solid orange variants with the variants in the parentheticals. Other sub-varieties include the Japanese line of Magic Potion, White Ducky, Champagne and Yellow versions of Zebra, Albinos and T-albinos, and many more. There are some terrestrial isopods, though very few, that have been known to be parthenogenic. More specifically, dwarf whites, but it is unclear whether other varieties such as dwarf purple produce the same. Because of this parthenogenesis, they reproduce quickly and can be great for use as pets or feeders in vivariums. Some coloration descriptions can be used to identify multiple species, such as Orange Dalmatian, a color-pattern combination seen in both '' Armadillidium vulgare'' and ''
Porcellio scaber ''Porcellio scaber'' (otherwise known as the common rough woodlouse or simply rough woodlouse), is a species of woodlouse native to Europe but with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are often found in large numbers in most regions, with many spe ...
''. Orange Vigor or Tangerine ('' Armadillidium vulgare''), Peach ('' Armadillidium nasatum''), Orange (''
Porcellio laevis ''Porcellio laevis'' ( commonly called the swift woodlouse, dairy cow isopod, or smooth slater in Australia) is a species of woodlouse in the genus '' Porcellio''. As the species epithet ''laevis'' as well as the vernacular name "swift woodlouse ...
''), Orange (''Armadillidium werneri''), Orange ('' Porcellio expansus''), Orange, Orange Ember, or Spanish Orange (''
Porcellio scaber ''Porcellio scaber'' (otherwise known as the common rough woodlouse or simply rough woodlouse), is a species of woodlouse native to Europe but with a cosmopolitan distribution. They are often found in large numbers in most regions, with many spe ...
''), Maple Orange ('' Oniscus asellus''), Kumquat (''Agabiformius lentus''), and Persimmon ('' Venezillo parvus'') are all simply orange varieties of their species, and when combined with other varieties of their species can make even more uncommon colorations unique to them. Some unique species of woodlouse include the spiny isopods, though not much is known about them and there are only a few of them easily accessible for purchase online. These occasionally include ''Cristarmadillidium muricatum'' and a species from Thailand often referred to as simply "Thailand Spiny".


In the British Isles


Classification

*Infraorder/Section Diplocheta **
Ligiidae Ligiidae is a family of woodlice, the only family in the infraorder Diplocheta. Its members are common on rocky shores, in similar habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that ...
*Infraorder Holoverticata *Section:
Tylida Tylidae is a family of woodlice. It contains approximately 27 species, all but one in the genus ''Tylos'', the other being '' Helleria brevicornis''. Together with the family Ligiidae Ligiidae is a family of woodlice, the only family in th ...
** Tylidae *Section: Microcheta ** Mesoniscidae *Section: Synocheta ** Buddelundiellidae ** Schoebliidae ** Styloniscidae ** Titaniidae ** Trichoniscidae ** Turanoniscidae *Section: Crinocheta ** Agnaridae **
Alloniscidae ''Alloniscus'' is the sole genus in the woodlice A woodlouse (plural woodlice) is an isopod crustacean from the polyphyleticThe current consensus is that Oniscidea is actually triphyletic suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda. They ...
**
Armadillidae Armadillidae is a family of woodlice (Oniscidea; terrestrial crustaceans), comprising around 80 genera and 700 species. It is the largest family of Oniscidea, and one of the most species-rich families of the entire Isopoda. Armadillids genera ...
** Armadillidiidae ** Balloniscidae **
Bathytropidae Bathytropidae is a family of crustaceans Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipo ...
** Berytoniscidae ** Cylisticidae ** Delatorreiidae ** Detonidae ** Eubelidae ** Halophilosciidae ** Olibrinidae ** Oniscidae ** Philosciidae ** Platyarthridae ** Porcellionidae **
Pudeoniscidae Pudeoniscidae is a family of malacostracans in the order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wher ...
** Rhyscotidae ** Scleropactidae ** Scyphacidae **
Spelaeoniscidae Spelaeoniscidae is a family of crustaceans Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphi ...
** Stenoniscidae **
Tendosphaeridae Tendosphaeridae is a family of crustaceans belonging to the order Isopoda Isopoda is an order of crustaceans that includes woodlice and their relatives. Isopods live in the sea, in fresh water, or on land. All have rigid, segmented exoskel ...
**
Trachelipodidae Trachelipodidae is a family of woodlice, containing the following genera: *'' Levantoniscus'' Cardoso, Taiti & Sfenthourakis, 2015 (3 species) *'' Nagurus'' Holthuis, 1949 (40 species) *'' Pagana'' Budde-Lund, 1908 (5 species) *'' Panchaia'' T ...


See also

* '' Invertebrate iridescent virus 31'' – a species of virus hosted by woodlice


Notes


References

Paul T. Harding & Stephen L. Sutton (1985). Woodlice in Britain and Ireland: distribution and habitat (PDF). Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. p. 151. ISBN 0-904282-85-6. accessed through the NERC Open Access Research Archive (NORA)


External links

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Further reading

* (lists all validated species of Oniscidea published up to the end of 2004) * (lists most scientific publications on the biology of Oniscidea published in a European language until the year 2004.) * (lists all genera published up to the end of 2001) {{Authority control Isopoda Terrestrial crustaceans Detritivores