Armadillidiidae Temporal range: | |
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An Armadillidium granulatum in various stages of conglobation, i.e., "rolling up" | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Isopoda |
Suborder: | Oniscidea |
Section: | Crinocheta |
Family: | Armadillidiidae Brandt, 1833 |
Genera | |
See text |
Armadillidiidae is a family of woodlice, a terrestrial crustacean group in the order Isopoda. Unlike members of some other woodlice families, members of this family can roll into a ball, an ability they share with the outwardly similar but unrelated pill millipedes and other animals. This ability gives woodlice in this family their common names of pill bugs [1] or roly polies. [2] Other common names include slaters, potato bugs, butchy boys, [3] and doodle bugs. [4] Most species are native to the Mediterranean Basin, while a few species have wider European distributions. The best-known species, Armadillidium vulgare , was introduced to New England in the early 19th century and has become widespread throughout North America. [5]
Name | Region |
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Pill bug | Global |
Rollie Pollie, Roly Poly | US, [6] Canada |
Roll-up bug | US [6] |
Woodlouse | UK, Australia, US [6] |
Slater Bugs | Australia |
Cheesy bug | UK (parts of) |
Sowbug, Sow bug | US [6] |
Doodlebug, Doodle bug | US [6] |
Slater | Australia, New Zealand, Scotland (North-East), Ireland (Ulster) |
Cellar Bugs | Germany |
Carpenter | Canada, US (certain regions) |
bed pisser Pissebed | Netherlands / Belgium |
Possibly "closed door" Cloporte | Francophone regions |
Parsons Pig | UK |
Bench biters | Denmark |
Chiggy pig | UK (Devon) |
Chuckie pig | US (South) |
Little pig Chanchito | South America (certain countries) |
Potato bug | UK, Canada, US [6] |
Gramersow | UK (Cornwall) |
Basketball bug | US [6] |
Twiddle bug | US [6] |
Millipede | US [6] |
Centipede | US [6] |
Porcellino di terra/Onisco | Italy |
Pill bugs in the family Armadillidiidae are able to form their bodies into a ball shape, in a process known as conglobation . Conglobation has evolved independently in several families; this behaviour is shared with pill millipedes (which are often confused with pill bugs), [7] armadillos, cuckoo wasps, and some extinct trilobites. [8] It may be triggered by stimuli such as vibrations or pressure, and is a key defense against predation; it may also reduce respiratory water losses. [9] This defense mechanism is possible because of their segmented body structure. Armadillidiidae have overlapping plates called tergites that are connected by flexible joints. The tergites allow the body to roll up inwards. To roll up, they have muscles called pleopods that contract the abdominal tergites inwards.
The diet of pill bugs is largely made up of decaying or decomposed plant matter such as leaves, and to a lesser extent, wood fibers. Pill bugs will also eat living plants, especially in wet conditions, sometimes consuming leaves, stems, shoots, roots, tubers, and fruits. Some species of pill bugs are known to eat decaying animal flesh or feces. [10] They will also eat shed snakeskin and dead bugs, if necessary. This diet has a secondary effect of decelerating the breakdown of litter, aiding in the retention of organic material in the soil. This helps in balancing the carbon content in the soil. Pill bugs also contribute to their ecosystem as detritivores.
However, pill bugs can be serious pests in certain agricultural systems, particularly in areas that are prone to heavy rains and flood conditions. Since they are attracted to decaying plant matter, they are often found on farms eating the crop residue. This leads pill bugs to start eating emerging seedlings. This has started to pose agricultural problems in Southern Australia. Farmers in the United States and in Argentina have also reported increased rates of pill bugs destroying seed oil and soybean crops. They have also been observed eating wood supports in houses making them a house pest. Pill bugs will feed on numerous crop plants including corn, beans, squash, peas, melon, chard, beet, cucumber, potato, spinach, lettuce, and strawberry, with potential for significant yield loss in strawberry in particular.
The family Armadillidiidae is differentiated from other woodlouse families by the two-segmented nature of the antennal flagellum, by the form of the uropods, and by the ability to roll into a ball. [11]
Within the family Armadillidiidae, 18 genera are currently recognized: [12]
A 2022 study of myrmecophilous populations indicated that these represented a new species of Cristarmadillidium , and three new species within a new genus, Iberiarmadillidium . [13]
Armadillidium is a genus of the small terrestrial crustacean known as the woodlouse. Armadillidium are also commonly known as pill woodlice, leg pebbles, pill bugs, roly-poly, or potato bugs, and are often confused with pill millipedes such as Glomeris marginata. They are characterised by their ability to roll into a ball ("volvation") when disturbed.
Armadillidium vulgare, the common pill-bug, potato bug, common pill woodlouse, roly-poly, slater, doodle bug, or carpenter, is a widespread European species of woodlouse. It is the most extensively investigated terrestrial isopod species. It is native to Mediterranean Europe, but as an introduced species they have become naturalized in almost all suitable ecosystems. They are kept as pets by hobbyists for their wide range of possible color variations.
Woodlice or roly-polies, are terrestrial isopods in the suborder Oniscidea. Their name is derived from being often found in old wood, and from louse, a parasitic insect, although woodlice are neither parasitic nor insects.
Hemilepistus reaumuri is a species of woodlouse or isopod that lives in and around the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, "the driest habitat conquered by any species of crustacean, not including insects which are now known to be crustaceans pancrustacea". It reaches a length of 22 mm (0.87 in) and a width of up to 12 mm (0.47 in), and has seven pairs of legs which hold its body unusually high off the ground. The species was described in the Description de l'Égypte after the French Campaign in Egypt and Syria of 1798–1801, but was first formally named by Henri Milne-Edwards in 1840 as Porcellio reaumuri. It reached its current scientific name in 1930 after the former subgenus Hemilepistus was raised to the rank of genus.
Platyarthridae is a family of woodlice, containing the following genera:
Trachelipus is a genus of woodlice in the family Trachelipodidae, containing the following species:
Armadillidae is a family of woodlice, 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. Most of the armadillidae taxa are not monophyletic. Armadillids generally have a strongly convex body shape, with some rather shallowly convex. Like members of the woodlice family Armadillidiidae, armadillids are capable of enrolling into a sphere (conglobation), and are commonly known as pill bugs. Some species, however, have secondarily lost their conglobation ability. For example, a species exist in which the males lack the inner face of the coxal plates and are therefore unable to conglobate. Armadillids differ from the Armadillidiidae in that the antennae are fully enclosed within the sphere.
Armadillidium depressum, the southern pill woodlouse is a large, relatively common British species of woodlouse characterized by its "splayed" appearance.
Armadillidium nasatum, the nosy pill woodlouse, is a large, Western European-based species of woodlouse that has been introduced to North America, along with Armadillidium vulgare also found in other parts of Europe.
Volvation, is a defensive behavior in certain animals, in which the animal rolls its own body into a ball, presenting only the hardest parts of its integument, or its spines to predators.
Armadillidium pulchellum is a species of woodlice belonging to the family Armadillidiidae. It is native to Europe.
Armadillidium atticum is a European species of woodlouse endemic to Greece. It is a relatively small species and belongs to the so called "Armadillidium insulanum complex".
Armadillidium sfenthourakisi is a European species of woodlouse endemic to Greece.
Armadillidium maniatum is a European species of woodlouse endemic to Greece.
Paxodillidium is a genus of woodlice endemic to Greece. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species Paxodillidium schawalleri. Its true affinities within the family Armadillidiidae are not known.
Armadillidium phalacronum is a European species of woodlouse endemic to Greece. It is a relatively small-sized species that probably belongs to the so-called "Armadillidium insulanum complex".
Armadillidium maculatum, also known as the zebra isopod or zebra pillbug is an Armadillidium species of woodlouse, named for its black and white patterns. It is native to southern France. It is quite popular as pets or vivarium cleaners, due to their ability to break down various waste.
Armadillidium stolikanum is a European species of woodlouse endemic to Greece.
Schizidium is a genus of woodlice, found from Greece to Iran.