Armadillidium vulgare

Technical Sheet of the Isopod Armadillidium vulgare

Scientific Name: Armadillidium vulgare

Common Name: Pill bug, roly-poly, common woodlouse.

Classification:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Malacostraca
• Order: Isopoda
• Family: Armadillidiidae
• Genus: Armadillidium
• Species: A. vulgare

Distribution:

• Geographical Range: Native to the Mediterranean region, but has spread to many parts of the world, including North America, South America, and other temperate regions.

Habitat:

• Prefers moist, shaded environments such as forests, gardens, and areas with leaf litter. It can also be found in urban areas, living under stones, logs, and in damp places.

Physical Characteristics:

• Size: Generally between 12 and 16 mm in length.
• Shape: Oval and flattened dorsoventrally.
• Color: Varies from gray to brown, and can have lighter or darker coloration patterns.
• Exoskeleton: Hardened and segmented, allowing for flexibility and protection.

Behavior:

• Activity: Primarily nocturnal. It hides during the day and emerges at night to forage.
• Mobility: Moves slowly and has the ability to roll into a ball to protect itself from predators and adverse conditions.

Diet:

• Feeding Habits: Detritivore. Feeds on decomposing organic matter, such as dead leaves, decaying wood, and plant debris. It may also consume fungi and small amounts of animal matter.

Reproduction:

• Reproduction Method: Oviparous. The female carries the eggs in a pouch called a marsupium, located on her abdomen.
• Number of Eggs: Can lay between 20 and 40 eggs per brood.
• Development: The eggs hatch into small juveniles that resemble adults in shape but are smaller and lack wings.