Spatula Isopod
Porcellio spatulatus
Extraordinary Spanish isopod with an extremely flat carapace and widened (spatulate) shield-like margins. Thrives in very dry environments.
Umgebung
Terrestrisch
Luftfeuchtigkeit
60 - 85 %
Tagestemperatur
21 - 29 °C
Nachttemperatur
21 - 29 °C
Artbeschreibung
Porcellio spatulatus:: Extraordinary Spanish isopod with an extremely flat carapace and widened (spatulate) shield-like margins. Thrives in very dry environments.
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widespread worldwide thanks to humans, prefers humid woods, rotting wood, damp cellars and agricultural compost heaps.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Porcellionidae. Terrestrial crustaceans (they are NOT insects). The nominal species is completely gray/pale brown, but the mutations on the market ('Dairy Cow', 'Orange', 'Milkback') have made P. laevis a real display animal.
Behavior and Habits: Soil piranhas. Hyper-active, bold and ravenous. Unlike other shy isopods, 'Dairy Cows' literally swarm over food in broad daylight, forming moving mountains. They do not roll up if frightened (they cannot conglobate), but run like rockets to hide. They devour any source of protein and calcium at record speed.
Morphology: Massive and wide crustacean (Up to 1 inch / 2.5 cm), smooth (Laevis means smooth). The Dairy Cow variant is transparent milky white with asymmetrical black spots similar to ink stains. Equipped with 7 pairs of very agile legs and sensitive antennae to scan the dark.
Pflege, Zucht und Mitbewohner
Terrarium Setup: PLASTIC BINS OR HUMID BIOACTIVE TERRARIUMS. They need a deep layer (2-3 inches) of pure organic soil mixed with crushed dry oak leaves, crumbled rotten wood (Flake soil) and pieces of cork bark to hide. Always insert a cuttlefish bone for calcium.
Lighting and Heating: TOTAL DARKNESS. They hate intense light. No Basking. Domestic room temperature (72-79°F / 22-26°C). At higher temperatures they explode demographically reproducing in mass; below 64°F (18°C) the colony goes into stasis.
Humidity and Hydration: Gradient Humidity (60-80%). CRITICAL: The bin must have a constantly wet corner (where they take refuge to breathe with modified humid gills) and a dry corner to regulate osmosis. If the whole bin dries out, they will die asphyxiated in 24 hours.
Feeding and Supplementation: Shredding Machines (Very voracious Omnivores/Detritivores). The base of the diet MUST BE dry foliage and decomposing white wood. BUT: for P. laevis MASSIVE PROTEINS are needed (Flake fish food, dried shrimp, freeze-dried, cat kibble) or they will start cannibalizing each other stripping the live newborns. Calcium powder is indispensable or they will literally melt during molting.
Compatibility: Lethal cleaning crew. Excellent in terrariums of large reptiles (Pythons, Bearded Dragons, Iguanas) to eat feces and fungi. NEVER put them with fragile frogs, slow geckos or soft invertebrates (like snails or molting tarantulas): their appetite will push them to bite and devour soft animals alive.
Health and Common Diseases: Decay from branchial asphyxia and cannibalism. They will die en masse crumpled dry ('Dessiccation') if you do not moisten at least one side of the soil, or they will explode liquid leaks if there is a total lack of ventilation (Air must circulate, it must not be a smelly swamp).
Geografische Herkunft und Verbreitung
Widespread worldwide thanks to humans, prefers humid woods, rotting wood, damp cellars and agricultural compost heaps.
Ursprung
Selektive Züchtung und SortenEuropa, Mittelmeerraum und WestasienKosmopolitisch oder eingeführt
Profil der terrestrischen Wirbellosen
- Diät
- Detritivore
- Their diet should be heavily focused on dried hardwood leaf litter, high-quality rotting white wood, and plentiful lichen, which they graze on extensively in the wild. They must have constant access to a reliable calcium source, and they appreciate occasional supplemental feedings of vegetables and light protein.
- Erwachsenengröße
- 2 cm
- Lebensstil/Mikrohabitat
- Terrestrial
- They possess an incredibly specialized, flattened morphology specifically adapted for squeezing into tight, narrow crevices in bark and rock faces. In captivity, they heavily favor hiding beneath heavily layered cork bark rather than burrowing deep into the substrate, preferring a slightly drier environment than many tropical species.
- Aktivitätszyklus
- Diurnal
- These broad, remarkably flat isopods are generally nocturnal and highly reclusive. They tend to avoid bright light entirely, emerging from the deepest crevices of bark or leaf litter only under the cover of complete darkness to forage carefully before retreating well before dawn.
- Sozialität
- Gregarious
- They are a social species that thrives in moderately sized, established colonies. They show no signs of aggression toward one another and are often found clustering tightly together in the narrowest crevices they can find, which seems to provide them with a sense of security.
- Reproduktion
- Viviparous
- They are somewhat slower to reproduce than other Porcellio species and can be quite sensitive to environmental changes. Females carry their developing young in a ventral brood pouch. A stable, undisturbed environment with proper ventilation and a dialed-in moisture gradient is key to successful long-term breeding.
- Giftig
- No
- Handhabungstoleranz
- Tolerant
- Handling should be kept to an absolute minimum. Their notably wide, flat bodies are delicate, and they are quick to scurry away when their hiding spots are disturbed. Because they do not roll into a ball, their defense relies on running and wedging themselves tightly into cracks, making them hard to safely grasp.
- Brumation
- Nicht erforderlich
- Originating from temperate Mediterranean climates, they can benefit from a slight seasonal dip in temperature during the winter months. While they will survive without a strict brumation period, offering a cooler period followed by a spring warmup often triggers much more robust and successful breeding cycles.
- Häutung
- Regular
- Like other isopods, they molt in a bipartite process, shedding the posterior and anterior sections sequentially. They require access to a dedicated moist hydration zone to ensure the molt comes off smoothly, as low humidity during this critical phase can cause the old shell to stick, leading to fatal complications.
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