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Armadillidium vulgare
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Armadillidium vulgare
Armadillidium vulgare, the common pill-bug, common pill woodlouse, roly-poly, potato bug, 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. Many of their behaviors are driven by the prevention of desiccation or drying out which is why they are commonly found in high humidity, moderate temperature areas. Within the ecosystem, they feed primarily on plant litter which is essential for nitrogen cycling and serve as prey for spiders, centipedes, and other small organisms.
Armadillidium vulgare may reach up to a length of 18 millimetres (11⁄16 in), and are capable of rolling into a ball when disturbed. This ability, along with its general appearance, gives it the name pill-bug. This may create the potential for confusion with pill millipedes such as Glomeris marginata. It can be distinguished from Armadillidium nasatum and Armadillidium depressum by the gap that A. nasatum and A. depressum leave when rolling into a ball; A. vulgare does not leave such a gap.
The greatest limitation to the A. vulgare's survival is the risk of drying out (also known as desiccation). As such, they thrive in regions with higher humidities, moderate temperatures, and with lower light conditions. This is why they are often found underneath rocks, within forests, or under pieces of wood. During the winter, they avoid shores directly exposed to cold air and instead opt for areas near water where soil does not freeze so they can retain water and burrow. Armadillidium vulgare is able to withstand drier conditions than many other woodlouse species, and is restricted to calcareous soils or coastal areas.
The diet of A. vulgare is incredibly varied. Primarily, the species are detritivores primarily feeding on decomposing plant litter. However, they have also been shown to consume seeds (granivory), living plant matter, dead animal remains, fungi and dung. Their consumption of fungi contributes to the global climate as these fungi which are responsible for breaking down organic matter and release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere as a byproduct. This decomposition often leads to a positive feedback loop as the warming atmosphere is a more favorable environment for the fungi and the process continues. The proliferation of pill bugs allow for the mitigation of this effect. A. vulgare were also found to forage at higher rates and night with lower temperatures and higher relative humidity. In drier environments, A. vulgare were shown to spend more time sheltering as opposed to feeding or foraging because the exposure to drier air leads to rapid water loss and subsequent loss of body mass. The effects of climate change on decreased rainfall and increased drought threatens A. vulgare and their aversion to dry environments.
A. vulgare are particularly susceptible to parasitism by the Melanophora roralis which feed on the internal organs of A. vulgare. They are also prey items for spiders, centipiedes, beetles, and salamanders. In addition, European populations of A. vulgare are known to be preyed upon by carabids, spiders, shrews, and toads. Among individuals of the species, egg-brooding females may be those most susceptible to predation. These females care for their eggs in a pouch until they hatch, which can slow them down. Egg-brooding females were found to have decreased moving speed and spent less time rolling, contributing to restricted predator avoidance behaviors due to the burden of the egg brood. This caused them to be preyed upon more often, resulting in higher mortality rates due to predation.
The A. vulgare is ovular ranging from 8.5 - 18mm in adulthood with a segmented exoskeleton which allows it to roll into its characteristic sphere (hence the common name "rolly-polly"). The exoskeleton is made up of protective plates which are typically dark grey or brown with faint cream or yellow spots. The 4 40 μm-thick exoskeleton (also known as a cuticle) is particularly strong in A. vulgare relative to other crustaceans. It is composed of a mix of chitin (a carbohydrate), hardened, water insoluble proteins, and calcium carbonate organized into four layers. The coloration is controlled by two pigment cells with the black being expressed by a ommochrome pigment and the yellow being expressed by a pterdine pigment. There has also been evidence of all white or albino pigments of A. vulgare. The A. vulgare is segmented into the head, thorax, and abdomen.
The A. vulgare depend mainly on their antennae for sensory response with the pair of antennae containing dense bristles that can detect physical and chemical stimuli. Their preference for dark environments likely explains their reduced visual acuity. A. vulgare have a lens (also known as unstalked) eye meaning they have a single photoreceptor limiting their movement-detection and field of view. This contrasts with many other compound eye arthropods which have multiple photoreceptor units allowing for greater movement-detection and wider fields of view.
The thorax is further segmented into seven more divisions with each segment having a protruding pair of legs. On the underside of segments 2-5, females will carry eggs and develop offspring in a specialized brood pouch known as a marsupium.
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Armadillidium vulgare
Armadillidium vulgare, the common pill-bug, common pill woodlouse, roly-poly, potato bug, 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. Many of their behaviors are driven by the prevention of desiccation or drying out which is why they are commonly found in high humidity, moderate temperature areas. Within the ecosystem, they feed primarily on plant litter which is essential for nitrogen cycling and serve as prey for spiders, centipedes, and other small organisms.
Armadillidium vulgare may reach up to a length of 18 millimetres (11⁄16 in), and are capable of rolling into a ball when disturbed. This ability, along with its general appearance, gives it the name pill-bug. This may create the potential for confusion with pill millipedes such as Glomeris marginata. It can be distinguished from Armadillidium nasatum and Armadillidium depressum by the gap that A. nasatum and A. depressum leave when rolling into a ball; A. vulgare does not leave such a gap.
The greatest limitation to the A. vulgare's survival is the risk of drying out (also known as desiccation). As such, they thrive in regions with higher humidities, moderate temperatures, and with lower light conditions. This is why they are often found underneath rocks, within forests, or under pieces of wood. During the winter, they avoid shores directly exposed to cold air and instead opt for areas near water where soil does not freeze so they can retain water and burrow. Armadillidium vulgare is able to withstand drier conditions than many other woodlouse species, and is restricted to calcareous soils or coastal areas.
The diet of A. vulgare is incredibly varied. Primarily, the species are detritivores primarily feeding on decomposing plant litter. However, they have also been shown to consume seeds (granivory), living plant matter, dead animal remains, fungi and dung. Their consumption of fungi contributes to the global climate as these fungi which are responsible for breaking down organic matter and release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere as a byproduct. This decomposition often leads to a positive feedback loop as the warming atmosphere is a more favorable environment for the fungi and the process continues. The proliferation of pill bugs allow for the mitigation of this effect. A. vulgare were also found to forage at higher rates and night with lower temperatures and higher relative humidity. In drier environments, A. vulgare were shown to spend more time sheltering as opposed to feeding or foraging because the exposure to drier air leads to rapid water loss and subsequent loss of body mass. The effects of climate change on decreased rainfall and increased drought threatens A. vulgare and their aversion to dry environments.
A. vulgare are particularly susceptible to parasitism by the Melanophora roralis which feed on the internal organs of A. vulgare. They are also prey items for spiders, centipiedes, beetles, and salamanders. In addition, European populations of A. vulgare are known to be preyed upon by carabids, spiders, shrews, and toads. Among individuals of the species, egg-brooding females may be those most susceptible to predation. These females care for their eggs in a pouch until they hatch, which can slow them down. Egg-brooding females were found to have decreased moving speed and spent less time rolling, contributing to restricted predator avoidance behaviors due to the burden of the egg brood. This caused them to be preyed upon more often, resulting in higher mortality rates due to predation.
The A. vulgare is ovular ranging from 8.5 - 18mm in adulthood with a segmented exoskeleton which allows it to roll into its characteristic sphere (hence the common name "rolly-polly"). The exoskeleton is made up of protective plates which are typically dark grey or brown with faint cream or yellow spots. The 4 40 μm-thick exoskeleton (also known as a cuticle) is particularly strong in A. vulgare relative to other crustaceans. It is composed of a mix of chitin (a carbohydrate), hardened, water insoluble proteins, and calcium carbonate organized into four layers. The coloration is controlled by two pigment cells with the black being expressed by a ommochrome pigment and the yellow being expressed by a pterdine pigment. There has also been evidence of all white or albino pigments of A. vulgare. The A. vulgare is segmented into the head, thorax, and abdomen.
The A. vulgare depend mainly on their antennae for sensory response with the pair of antennae containing dense bristles that can detect physical and chemical stimuli. Their preference for dark environments likely explains their reduced visual acuity. A. vulgare have a lens (also known as unstalked) eye meaning they have a single photoreceptor limiting their movement-detection and field of view. This contrasts with many other compound eye arthropods which have multiple photoreceptor units allowing for greater movement-detection and wider fields of view.
The thorax is further segmented into seven more divisions with each segment having a protruding pair of legs. On the underside of segments 2-5, females will carry eggs and develop offspring in a specialized brood pouch known as a marsupium.
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