Vivarium
Guides
Isopoda
isopods, woodlice, pillbugs, sowbugs, sea slaters, gribbles
Isopoda is an ancient order of crustaceans encompassing over 10,000 described species across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. Members are characterized by dorsoventrally flattened bodies, seven pairs of similar walking legs (giving the group its name from Greek iso- "equal" and pod- "foot"), and two pairs of antennae. The order exhibits exceptional morphological diversity, ranging from minute interstitial forms to giant deep-sea species exceeding 30 cm in length. Isopods lack a carapace, instead possessing overlapping dorsal plates that provide flexibility and protection. Females brood eggs in a specialized marsupium formed by oostegites under the thorax.