Isopoda is an order of crustacean, which includes woodlice and their relatives. Members of this group are called Isopods and include both terrestrial and marine species. All have rigid, segmented exoskeletons, two pairs of antennae, seven pairs of jointed limbs on the thorax, and five pairs of branching appendages on the abdomen that are used in respiration. Females brood their young in a pouch under their thorax.
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 or roly polies. Other common names include slaters,potato bugs, butchy boys and doodle bugs. 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.
Porcellio scaber, 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 species preying on them.
Oniscus asellus, the common woodlouse, is one of the largest and most common species of woodlouse in the British Isles and Western and Northern Europe, growing to lengths of 16 mm and widths of 6 mm.
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.
A woodlouse is any crustacean belonging to the suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda. They get their name from often being found in old wood, and from louse, a parasitic insect, although woodlice are not insects.
Trichoniscus pusillus, sometimes called the common pygmy woodlouse, is one of the five most common species of woodlice in the British Isles. It is acknowledged to be the most abundant terrestrial isopod in Britain. It is found commonly across Europe north of the Alps, and has been introduced to Madeira, the Azores and North America.
Ligidium hypnorum is a species of woodlouse found across Europe and western Asia. It is a fast-moving, active species whichthat rarely grows longer than 9 mm (0.35 in). It is dark and shiny, and is similar in appearance to the common species Philoscia muscorum, and also the rarer Oritoniscus flavus. In Great Britain, it was first discovered at Copthorne Common, Surrey, in 1873, and most later records are also from South East England. It is considered a good indicator species for ancient woodland.
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 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:
The Arcturidae are a family of marine isopod crustaceans in the suborder Valvifera. Members of the family resemble woodlice and are found globally in cooler areas in shallow seas.
Mesoniscus is a genus of woodlice, placed in its own family, Mesoniscidae, and section, Microcheta. It contains two species – Mesoniscus alpicolus and Mesoniscus graniger – that live in Central and Eastern Europe, mostly in and around caves.
Trachelipodidae is a family of woodlice, containing the following genera:
Suarezia is a genus of woodlice, in the family Scleropactidae, containing the two species Suarezia differens and Suarezia heterodoxa, both of which are endemic to Madagascar.
Laureola dubia is an endemic species of armadillo woodlice, a land crustacean isopods of the family Armadillidae that lives in São Tomé and Príncipe. The species was described in 1983 by Helmut Schmalfuss and Franco Ferrara.
Annobodillo is a genus of armadillo woodlice, terrestrial crustacean isopods of the family Armadillidae. The only species within the genus is Annobodillo coecus, which is endemic to the island of Annobón in Equatorial Guinea. The species and the genus were described in 1983 by Helmut Schmalfuss and Franco Ferrara. The name of the genus Annobodillo refers to the island Annobón.
Feadillo saotomensis is an endemic species of armadillo woodlice, a land crustacean isopod of the family Armadillidae that lives in the island of São Tomé in São Tomé and Príncipe. The species was described in 1983 by Helmut Schmalfuss and Franco Ferrara.
Rhyscotus rotundatus is a species of armadillo woodlice, a terrestrial crustacean isopod of the family Rhyscotidae. It is endemic to the island of São Tomé in São Tomé and Príncipe. The species was described in 1978 by Helmut Schmalfuss and Franco Ferrara.
Paraxenodillo is a genus of armadillo woodlice, terrestrial crustacean isopods of the family Armadillidae. The only species within the genus is Paraxenodillo singularis, that lives in the island of Annobón in Equatorial Guinea. The species and the genus were described in 1983 by Helmut Schmalfuss and Franco Ferrara.
