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Werner's Pillbug (A. werneri)
Armadillidium werneri
The Greek Decorated Isopod (Armadillidium werneri). One of the largest and most spectacular cousins of the Klugii (up to 0.9 inches). It presents a very shiny dark gray or slate back dominated by two huge bands of blinding white and alternate orange/yellow patches. Unlike the clowns, the werneri is immensely flat and much more. Extremely sensitive to the lack of cross ventilation, it wastes away in 24 hours if kept in asphyxiating boxes.
Class:Malacostraca
Order:Isopoda
Family:Armadillidiidae
Genus:Armadillidium
Species:Armadillidium werneri
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
50 - 70 %
Day temperature
20 - 26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 22 °C
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Steep Greek coasts, rocky crevices swept by salty wind and dry stone walls (Greek lime walls).
Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Armadillidiidae. (The Fake Clown). It shares the extreme geographical region with the Porcellio werneri, but belongs to the conglobating 'abacus' bugs. It is the eastern Mediterranean and much flatter version of the Balkan Klugii, with which it is constantly confused by newbies due to the similar Mullerian mimicry (fake poisonous dots).
Behavior and Habits: Painted medals. Incredibly slow, they play dead almost immediately if illuminated (catalepsy). Werneri are exasperatingly: they can remain flattened on the same light limestone stone for 4 days straight waiting for the lichens to grow to graze them by the millimeter. Very low broods and disarming slowness.
Morphology: Extremely wide and depressed dome (Up to 0.9 inches / 2.2 cm). Very smooth opalescent carapace dark lead/shiny slate color. The decoration is wonderful: two or three main rows composed of very large oval patches of bright snow white color alternating intermittently with dull sun yellow or fiery red patches. Very short legs.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: GBIF identifies Armadillidium werneri Strouhal, 1927 as a species in Armadillidiidae. This taxonomic record does not provide enclosure dimensions, substrate, ventilation, or other captive-setup requirements.
Lighting and Heating: The cited record does not provide lighting or temperature parameters for captivity.
Humidity and Hydration: The cited record does not quantify humidity, hydration, or a captive moisture target.
Feeding and Supplementation: The cited record does not document diet, feeding frequency, or supplementation for this species.
Compatibility and Coexistence: The cited record does not evaluate cohabitation or provide a compatibility recommendation.
Health and Common Diseases: The cited record does not provide disease, treatment, or veterinary-management evidence.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Steep Greek coasts, rocky crevices swept by salty wind and dry stone walls (Greek lime walls).
Origin
Europe, Mediterranean, and West Asia
Terrestrial invertebrate profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 2.2 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 2.2 cm. The TC Insects — Armadillidium werneri source reports a maximum adult measurement of 2.2 cm for this species, recorded as body length. The taxonomic record consulted is Armadillidium werneri. 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.
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