#Reductoniscus

[crevicedwelling]

-Really Tiny Isopod Alert-

I keep a few very small isopod species! these guys are Reductoniscus costulatus, the third smallest of my micro isopods. they’re bumpy and eat wood. the Elumoides I have are even smaller at adult size:

(Reductoniscus costulatus & Elumoides sp. “Miami”)

the largest costulatus is an adult, and the Elumoides is a real whopper of a female. they don’t get larger than that!

interestingly, I think the two families they belong to (Armadillidae, Eubelidae) convergently evolved the ability to roll into a ball for protection.

#roly poly #crustacean #bugs #the littlest guys you ever did see #isopod

[ariaa-a]

reductoniscus tuberculatus

#bugs #biology #isopods #pill bug

[onenicebugperday]

Isopod Portraits by Nicky Bay // Website // Facebook

Photos shared with permission; do not remove credit or re-post!

1. Pseudarmadillo spinosus 2. Porcellio flavomarginatus 3. Cristarmadillidium muricatum 4. Armadillidium gestroi 5. Porcellio bolivari 6. Protoradjia insularis 7. Armadillidium nasatum 8. Porcellio haasi 9. Porcellio werneri 10. Reductoniscus costulatus

#animals #curators on tumblr #bugs #crustaceans #isopod #woodlouse #one nice bug #Porcellio #Armadillidium #Pseudarmadillo #Cristarmadillidium #Protoradjia #Reductoniscus

[crevicedwelling]

tiny isopods update:

I found newborn baby Reductoniscus! shown here with its parents

looks like only four or five per litter, which is impressive given the relative size of child to mother

#bugs #isopod

[crevicedwelling]

my smallest species of isopod, Elumoides sp. they’re tiny, yellow, and eat dirt. they are very good at being tiny and yellow and eating dirt.

Reductoniscus costulatus, Cylindroniscus sp., Elumoides sp.

if you live somewhere tropical, look under your outdoor plant pots. there’s a good chance you might find some of the tiniest guys ever making a whole society down there

this completes my ridiculously tiny isopod collection… for now! still a couple minuscule Florida invasives I haven’t yet caught and cultured. I’ll check a few inches to the left for them next time

#crevice tiny isopods part 3: the particle #isopods #bugs #cw bugs #crustaceans #roly poly #hardly #1/16th of a roly #1/16th of a poly

[crevicedwelling]

What is the most interesting type of iso you have? And the most interesting of all your critters?

most interesting isopod, these tiny Reductoniscus species from Miami.

second is up to anyone’s opinion

#bugs #isopods

[crevicedwelling]

do you ever worry about accidentally injuring your pets when you pick them up? I saw the picture of the very teeny isopods and it made me think that they seem difficult to handle without hurting them.

yes, but only in the event of an accident like dropping them or picking something up while it’s molting. I have a very light touch, but for things I am sure I cannot pick up safely, I use featherweight forceps which are designed to not crush what they grasp. you can see them in action here:

the Reductoniscus you mentioned, funnily enough, are about the same size as these baby Armadillidium, but have such a tough and thick shell I can pick them up barehanded (provided my nails are long enough) without any worry about crushing them. armadillids have really tough bodies, even compared to armadillidiids!