Woodlice

Guides

Armadillidae
Tropical Pill Woodlice, Pill Bugs
Armadillidae is the largest family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice), comprising approximately 80 genera and 700 species. Members are characterized by their ability to enroll into a complete sphere (conglobation), a defensive behavior that distinguishes them from most other woodlice families. The family exhibits a strongly convex body form adapted for this rolling behavior, with antennae fully enclosed within the sphere when enrolled—a key difference from the superficially similar family Armadillidiidae. Armadillids occupy diverse habitats across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with some species adapted to arid environments and others to cave systems.
woodlice terrestrial-crustaceans conglobation isopods pill-bugs
Cixius yufengi
Cixius yufengi is a species of planthopper in the family Cixiidae, described by Tsaur in 1993. The species belongs to a genus of small, often inconspicuous insects that feed on plant sap. Very little specific information is available about this particular species.
planthopper Cixiidae California-endemic Tsaur-1993 Auchenorrhyncha Fulgoromorpha sap-feeder Hemiptera insect arthropod Hexapoda Animalia Eukaryota Delphacoidea Cixiinae Cixiini Cixius species accepted GBIF Catalogue-of-Life taxonomy distribution California USA United-States North-America endemic invertebrate hemipteran true-bug bug insecta animal hexapod eukaryote arthropoda cixius-yufengi yufengi Tsaur 1993 scientific-name canonical-name authorship rank status genus specific-epithet classification taxonomy-match exact kingdom phylum class order family distribution-records Buglife endemic-species British-endemics Ivell's-Sea-Anemone Edwardsia-ivelli Widewater-Lagoon Sussex extinct likely-extinct not-seen-in-over-forty-years 1973 1983 dance-fly Poecilobothrus-majesticus Essex 1907 Caledonian-Planthopper Cixius-caledonicus not-seen-for-70-years Manx-Shearwater-Flea Ceratophyllus-fionnus 1960s Turk's-Earth-Centipede Nothogeophilus-turki Isles-of-Scilly Isle-of-Wight 1988 never-seen-again conservation James-Harding-Morris book British-endemic-invertebrates Craig-Macadam Celtic-Woodlouse Metatrichoniscoides-celticus Wales western-fringes-of-England 1980s Chater's-Bristletail Dilta-chateri iridescent jumping-powers 1990s Lundy-Cabbage-Flea-Beetle Psylliodes-luridipennis Lundy-Island Devon co-endemism Lundy-Cabbage endemic-plant Lundy-Cabbage-Weevil Ceutorhynchus-contractus-pallipes taxonomic-uncertainty Horrid-Ground-weaver Nothophantes-horridus Plymouth development Northern-February-Red-Stonefly Brachyptera-putata Scotland drumming abdomen-tapping British-Cave-Shrimp Niphargus-glenniei blind ghostly-pale caves damp-rock-fissures temporary-puddles humid-caves rediscovered protected survival conservation-priorities global-responsibility evolutionary-twists ecological-intrigue hope natural-heritage Back-from-the-Brink RSPB Big-Garden-Birdwatch BSBI New-Year-Plant-Hunt plants wildlife nature communications public-engagement campaigns rare-species obscure-species overlooked-species irreplaceable-species local-wonders global-stakes isolation thousands-of-years millions-of-years evolution landscapes Red-Squirrel Hedgehog Europe shared-species nowhere-else no-backup no-second-chances celebration protection cherish recognise awareness habitat-protection research forgotten-creatures spotlight slipping-through-the-cracks unknown-to-public rarely-surveyed barely-hanging-on already-gone uncomfortable-truth important-species least-known strange deeply-unsettling sole-global-responsibility lose-them-everywhere organisations fighting-to-change extraordinary-work rarest most-threatened entirely-overlooked forgotten evolved step-with-Britain's-landscapes familiar-species share-with-Europe population-overseas reintroduce lose-them written journey overlooked irreplaceable found-nowhere-else-on-Earth call-to-recognise protect uniquely-ours available-now booksellers species-found-nowhere-else-on-Earth passionate-nature-enthusiast lifelong-love exploring natural-world trekking mountains rare-flowers scouring fens elusive-moths investigating exotic-invertebrates hothouses fascination unwavering professional-life conservation-sector high-impact-campaigns inspired England's-rarest most-obscure-species mission Britain-and-Ireland fall-in-love-with-plants SHARE Facebook LinkedIn guest-blog author how-many-species found-only-in-Britain simple-question comprehensive-list researching writing 2022 reference buried-in-books scattered-across-internet tucked-away minds-of-species-experts result over-700-species at-least-another-100-subspecies occur-nowhere-else-on-Earth total-global-responsibility very-few-people name-even-a-single-one struck most-irreplaceable-species live-or-die decisions-made-within-our-borders top-of-conservation-priorities celebrated understood set-out tell-their-stories unique-invertebrates incredibly-fortunate Buglife's-Conservation-Director first-time compiling-report 20-species five-species-of-fly four-species-of-beetle two-stoneflies one-each woodlouse centipede millipede flea bristletail spider shrimp sea-anemone tell-stories go-out-and-find-them picked-five track-down bumped-into couple-more searched-under-coastal-rocks exquisite pearly-translucent tiny-species barely-2.5mm-long first-discovered known-only-from-Wales nearby searched-damp ferny-woodlands alien-looking astonishing-jumping-powers named-new-to-science travelled Devon's-Lundy-Island try-and-see particularly-rare-pairing only-known-example endemic-beetle possibly-endemic spend-their-lives wintry-visit search elusive-and-threatened found-in-just-a-few-sites within-the-city perpetually-under-pressure owes-its-survival tireless-efforts guided-tour prime-Northern-February-Red-Stonefly habitat blew-my-mind musical-prowess stoneflies-'drum'tapping-their-abdomens slithering-through-tight muddy underground-tunnels personal-favourite utterly-gorgeous spends-its-life chance-search Devon-coast first-sighting almost-thirty-years ones-we've-lost immediately-drawn only-ever-known unfortunately Craig's-report hasn't-been-seen over-forty-years first-collected last-seen within-a-decade knowing-this-species-existed gone-forever sadly not-uncommon-theme endemic-invertebrates discovered hasn't-been-found over-a-century 70-years don't-think-anyone spotted since-the-1960s not-long-after first-described first-found strange-and-uncomfortable-truth some-of-the-most-important-species also-some-of-the-least-known by-definition Britain's-sole-global-responsibility lose-them-here despite-that-significance thankfully organisations-fighting raising-awareness rarest-and-most-threatened otherwise-remain leading-edge-research evolved-in-step Britain's-landscapes thousands unlike-more-familiar-species no-population-overseas nowhere-to-reintroduce why-I-wrote-Endemic utterly-unique mosses woodlice beetles buttercups stories-full-of right-attention action still-be-saved held-on possible within-our-reach all-good-booksellers overlooked-and-irreplaceable Backs-Goldilocks-Buttercup Heather-Stuckey About-the-Author trekking-up-mountains scouring-fens investigating-exotic-invertebrates fascination-with-wildlife RSPB's-Big-Garden-Birdwatch BSBI's-New-Year-Plant-Hunt Back-from-the-Brink-project care-deeply currently ensure-everyone opportunity work-with-BSBI SHARE-ON
Cordioniscus
Cordioniscus is a genus of small terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the family Styloniscidae. The genus contains approximately 18 described species. Members are classified within the suborder Oniscidea, the group containing all fully terrestrial isopods.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods Styloniscidae cave-fauna soil-fauna
Detonella
Detonella is a genus of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the family Detonidae, established by Lohmander in 1927. The genus contains at least two described species: Detonella papillicornis from North America and Detonella sachalina from the Russian Far East. These woodlice belong to the suborder Oniscidea, the group containing all fully terrestrial isopods.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods Detonidae Oniscidea North-America Russian-Far-East Sakhalin
Detonidae
woodlice
Detonidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the order Isopoda, containing at least 3 genera and more than 30 described species. Members of this family are primarily coastal, inhabiting upper intertidal and supratidal zones of rocky shores. The genus Deto includes species with complex taxonomic histories and documented cases of cryptic diversity, such as Deto echinata in southern Africa.
woodlice isopods coastal intertidal cryptic-species southern-Africa
Elumoides
Elumoides is a genus of terrestrial isopods in the family Eubelidae, established by Taiti and Ferrara in 1983. These woodlice belong to the suborder Oniscidea, representing a group of fully terrestrial crustaceans. The genus is part of the diverse isopod fauna found in tropical and subtropical regions.
isopoda woodlice terrestrial-crustaceans eubelidae oniscidea
Eubelidae
Eubelid Pill Woodlice
Eubelidae is a family of woodlice (terrestrial isopods) comprising approximately 50 genera. Members are primarily associated with tropical forest habitats, with the highest diversity concentrated in African tropical forests. The family extends to parts of South-East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, reflecting a disjunct tropical distribution pattern.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods tropical-forests detritivores Africa Asia Arabian-Peninsula
Gabunillo
Gabunillo is a genus of small, eyeless, pigmentless woodlice in the family Armadillidae. Described in 1983 from Gabon, it now includes four species found in Gabon, Brazil, and São Tomé. Members of this genus are characterized by their ability to fully conglobate (roll into a ball), complete absence of eyes, and lack of pseudotracheae. The genus is distinguished from the similar Synarmadillo by cephalon structure, telson shape, and the absence of ventral teeth on thoracic segments.
woodlice pill-bugs eyeless cave-adapted tropical
Haplophthalmus
Haplophthalmus is a genus of small terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the family Trichoniscidae. The genus contains 47 described species, with several showing restricted geographic ranges that have led to conservation concerns. Two species, H. abbreviatus and H. rhinoceros, are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to their limited distributions in the Balkans.
woodlice isopods detritivores cave-fauna endemic IUCN-vulnerable
Ligidium
Rock Slaters
Ligidium is a genus of small, forest-dwelling woodlice (terrestrial isopods) in the family Ligiidae, containing approximately 46–68 species with ongoing taxonomic revision. The genus exhibits exceptional genetic differentiation and cryptic diversity, with populations often showing high isolation even over short geographic distances. Species are distributed across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with notable radiations in Japan, Greece, Turkey, the Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Taiwan, and North America. Ligidium has been proposed as a paleogeological marker organism due to its strong correlation between phylogenetic patterns and regional geological history.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods forest-specialist cryptic-species phylogeography paleogeological-marker
Littorophiloscia
Littorophiloscia is a genus of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) established by Hatch in 1947, containing at least 20 described species. The genus belongs to the family Halophilosciidae (sometimes referenced as Philosciidae in older sources). Species in this genus have been documented as hosts for trichomycete fungi in their hindguts. The genus shows a tropical distribution pattern, with documented occurrences in the Caribbean region.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods tropical trichomycete-host symbiosis
Oniscidae
sow bugs, woodlice
Oniscidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) within the suborder Oniscidea. The family includes the common woodlouse Oniscus asellus and at least six confirmed genera: Oniscus, Oroniscus, Phalloniscus, Rabdoniscus, Rodoniscus, and Sardoniscus. Members are detritivores that contribute to decomposition and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Some species exhibit behavioral sensitivity to environmental contaminants, suggesting potential use as bioindicators.
woodlice isopods detritivores decomposers terrestrial-crustaceans bioindicators moisture-dependent direct-development
Philosciidae
Philosciid Woodlice
Philosciidae is a family of terrestrial isopod crustaceans commonly known as woodlice. The family exhibits a cosmopolitan distribution with strong representation in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Species diversity is highest in the Neotropics, with numerous genera and species described from Brazil alone. Several species have adapted to cave environments (troglobitic), including notable examples in the genera Benthana and Benthanoides from iron-ore caves in the Amazon biome. The family is less diverse in the Holarctic realm, where only a few species occur.
terrestrial-isopod woodlice cave-adapted troglobite Neotropical Atlantic-Forest Amazon conservation-concern mining-impact
Porcellio
woodlice
Porcellio is a large genus of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the family Porcellionidae, containing approximately 191 described species with a near-cosmopolitan distribution. The genus includes the well-studied common rough woodlouse (Porcellio scaber), which has served as a model organism for research on behavioral ecology, personality traits in invertebrates, and physiological processes such as ecdysis. Most species were described by 1950, though new species continue to be discovered. Members of this genus cannot conglobate (roll into a ball), distinguishing them from pill bugs in related genera.
woodlice isopods detritivores terrestrial-crustaceans model-organism
Rhyscotidae
Rhyscotid woodlice
Rhyscotidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) within the suborder Oniscidea. The family comprises two genera, Rhyscotus and Rhyscotoides, and is characterized by small to medium-sized woodlice with typical isopod body plans. Members are found in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in the Americas. The family was established by Budde-Lund in 1904 and represents a distinct lineage within the Crinocheta clade of terrestrial isopods.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods Crinocheta detritivores Neotropical
Styloniscidae
Styloniscidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) within the suborder Oniscidea. The family comprises at least twelve genera distributed across tropical and subtropical regions, with exceptional diversity documented in Brazilian karst systems. Multiple genera contain troglobitic (exclusively cave-dwelling) species, including Xangoniscus, Cylindroniscus, Pectenoniscus, and Chaimowiczia. These cave-dwelling representatives exhibit classic troglomorphic traits: anophthalmy (eye loss), depigmentation, and elongated appendages.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods troglobitic cave-dwelling karst Brazil amphibious troglobite endemic conservation
Trachelipodidae
Trachelipodid Woodlice
Trachelipodidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) within the suborder Oniscidea. The family was established by Strouhal in 1953 and is classified within the infraorder Orthogonopoda and parvorder Crinocheta. Members are found across Europe and North America, with documented occurrences in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the United States (including Vermont), and Romania. The genus Trachelipus is the best-known within the family, with species such as T. trilobatus having been subject to recent distributional studies.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods Oniscidea Crinocheta Europe North-America
Trichoniscus
pygmy woodlice
Trichoniscus is a genus of small terrestrial isopods (woodlice) containing over 100 species. The genus is notable for including species with both sexual and parthenogenetic reproductive modes, most prominently exemplified by Trichoniscus pusillus, which exists as diploid sexual and triploid asexual forms. These isopods are among the smallest woodlice, typically only a few millimeters in length, and are significant study organisms for research on the evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction.
woodlice terrestrial-isopods parthenogenesis detritivores leaf-litter-fauna
Tylidae
Calloused Beach Pillbugs and Heller's Isopod
Tylidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) comprising approximately 27 species, with all but one species placed in the genus Tylos; the sole exception is Helleria brevicornis. Together with Ligiidae, Tylidae represents an early-diverging lineage among woodlouse families. Members are primarily associated with coastal sandy beach habitats in the supralittoral zone.
Isopoda Oniscidea woodlice sandy-beach supralittoral coastal bioindicator