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Bolivar's Isopod (Bolivari)
Porcellio bolivari
Bolivar's Sulfur Yellow Isopod (Porcellio bolivari). Perhaps the most visually alien and exaggerated terrestrial isopod of the entire European continent (1.4 inches). Characterized by the incredible (and very long) reddish posterior uropods shaped like sharp lances, and by an aerodynamic opaque yellow carapace shaded with ghost gray. Very expensive, very slow to reproduce and lethal to breed due to its intolerance to ANY minimum percentage of stagnant humidity in the terrarium (dies almost instantly of 'wet-molt').
Class:Malacostraca
Order:Isopoda
Family:Porcellionidae
Genus:Porcellio
Species:Porcellio bolivari
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
20 - 40 %
Ambient temperature
21 °C
Day temperature
22 - 26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 20 °C
Substrate depth
>= 7 cm
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Exclusive to sunny crevices, dry caves and boiling rocks of the arid plateaus of central continental Spain.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Porcellionidae. One of the members of the extreme giant Iberian trinity (Along with haasi and hoffmannseggii). If Hoff is stubby and massive and Haasi is flattened and neon yellow, Bolivari is the 'aerodynamic ghost' with the most bizarre proportions of the entire isopod order (the posterior uropodial tails are the absolute longest, constituting 1/3 of the body length).
Behavior and Habits: Silent prey with lethal lances. Clumsy and awkward in walking, these giants use the monstrous posterior tails (uropods) as real fixed lances behind them to prevent predators (centipedes or Iberian scorpions) from piercing them from behind in a narrow ravine. They spend days motionless clinging under oak barks, barely tolerating the presence of conspecifics and not reproducing in minimally congested spaces.
Morphology: Long, huge ghost yellow/gray lancers (Over 1.4 - 1.6 inches / 3.5 - 4 cm tails included). The 'skirt' (epimeron) is angular and less wide than P. expansus. Males show off exaggeratedly long uropods (red/orange lances on the rear). The armor is of a very elegant washed-out opalescent yellow (Ghost Yellow) mixed with a crazy dull steel gray, with thin and monstrous antennae to scan the dark.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Guidance about terrarium setup for Porcellio bolivari must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Lighting and Heating: Guidance about lighting and heating for Porcellio bolivari must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Humidity and Hydration: Guidance about humidity and hydration for Porcellio bolivari must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Feeding and Supplementation: Guidance about feeding and supplementation for Porcellio bolivari must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Compatibility and Coexistence: Guidance about compatibility and coexistence for Porcellio bolivari must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Health and Common Diseases: Guidance about health and common diseases for Porcellio bolivari must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Exclusive to sunny crevices, dry caves and boiling rocks of the arid plateaus of central continental Spain.
Origin
North AmericaEurope, Mediterranean, and West Asia
Terrestrial invertebrate profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 3 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 3 cm. The Roach Crossing — Porcellio bolivari source reports a maximum adult measurement of 3 cm for this species, recorded as body length. The taxonomic record consulted is Porcellio bolivari. 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.
