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Zebra Pillbug (A. maculatum) (Yellow)
Armadillidium maculatum "Yellow"
Morph Yellow. The Zebra Isopod (Armadillidium maculatum). Absolutely one of the most iconic, showy and famous 'conglobating' (pill) isopods in the terrarium keeping world (0.7 - 0.8 inches). The stunning contrast of the sharp snow white longitudinal stripes on a glossy black background literally makes it look like a zebra or an exotic candy. Perfect for semi-humid or dense bioactive terrariums, very active and resistant, but not excessively prolific.
Class:Malacostraca
Order:Isopoda
Family:Armadillidiidae
Genus:Armadillidium
Species:Armadillidium maculatum "Yellow"
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
50 - 70 %
Day temperature
21 - 26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 22 °C
UVB
None
Species description
Geographic Origin and Habitat: No additional source-verified editorial notes are available about geographic origin and habitat for Armadillidium maculatum "Yellow". Consult this record's parameters and sources.
Taxonomy and Genetics: No additional source-verified editorial notes are available about taxonomy and genetics for Armadillidium maculatum "Yellow". Consult this record's parameters and sources.
Behaviour and Habits: No additional source-verified editorial notes are available about behaviour and habits for Armadillidium maculatum "Yellow". Consult this record's parameters and sources.
Morphology and Sexual Dimorphism: No additional source-verified editorial notes are available about morphology and sexual dimorphism for Armadillidium maculatum "Yellow". Consult this record's parameters and sources.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: STANDARD BINS OR MIXED/FRENCH BIOACTIVE TERRARIUMS. Resistant species for beginners, but slightly more demanding on horizontal 'solid' woods/barks and superficial dry foliage on which to walk on parade. Standard soil mixed with crumbled limestone.
Lighting and Heating: ABSENCE OF DIRECT LIGHT. They easily survive at 64-75°F (18-24°C). Better not to constantly exceed 79°F (26°C) in closed boxes to prevent lethargy. They can go into a slight reproductive block in the cold winter months.
Humidity and Hydration: TOLERANT MEDIUM-FRENCH GRADIENT (50-80%). They tolerate lower levels of humidity than many tropical isopods. Asphyxiating Asian condensation would drown them. Create a corner dripping with moss (fundamental) where the females will lay the tiny transparent Zebras (mancae), and a large ventilated moderate central area.
Feeding and Supplementation: Ravenous Detritivores. They go crazy (Literally create swarming masses impressive to see) for protein flakes of spirulina/krill (Fish food). They consume slices of carrots at an exhausting pace. Essential basal consumption of pure rotten white wood (fundamental for microbiome) dusted with plaster/calcium powder everywhere.
Compatibility: Exceptional Show Clean-Up Crew. Incredibly useful and harmless. Thanks to the rounded shell that can be closed in case of bites (from crested geckos, large frogs or non-lethal millipedes), they guarantee excellent survival in community tanks where they shine for their flashy livery as real bioactive inhabitants not harmful to amphibian eggs.
Health and Common Diseases: Slowed Decay (Silent 'Death Collapse' from too much humidity ). A lethal mistake of newbies is to consider them 'Zebras from humid Jungle' keeping them drowned in stagnant boxes of dart frog style swamp without air. You will find them all open in a row and motionless for a rapid-course viral asphyxia that crystallizes the black and white carapace.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
This species originates from: Francia (Endemico delle foreste umide calcaree del sud).
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsEurope, Mediterranean, and West Asia
Terrestrial invertebrate profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 1.8 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Venom level
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 1.8 cm. The Isopod.com — Armadillidium maculatum source reports a maximum adult measurement of 1.8 cm for this species, recorded as body length. The biological datum refers to the base species Armadillidium maculatum, not exclusively to the commercial variety. These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
