Terrestrial isopods usually come out at night to feed. During the heat of the day, they instinctively hide in dark places beneath rocks, logs, and leaf litter where there is life-sustaining moisture. Under hot, dry conditions they release odors that are attractive to other isopods of the same species. read more
Reproduction Most isopods brood their young in a chamber below the thorax formed from overlapping appendages known as oƶstegites. The eggs are released from paired gonopores into the chamber. read more
Giraud, I., V. Valette, N. Bech, F. Grandjean, R. Cordaux. 2013. Isolation and Characterization of Microsatellite Loci for the Isopod Crustacean Armadillidium vulgare and Transferability in Terrestrial Isopods. PLoS ONE, 8/10: e76639. read more
Isopods are crustaceans with 14 legs adapted for crawling. They reproduce sexually, with the hatchlings looking like perfect clones of the mother. read more