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Terrestrial invert.TerrestrialEasy
Powder Isopod (Porcellionides pruinosus)
Porcellionides pruinosus
The Porcellionides pruinosus, famous as 'Powder Isopod' (Powder Blue, Powder Orange). A soft, very fast and prolific isopod (up to 0.5 inches), cloaked in a dusty veil (bloom) that gives it an opaque and velvety appearance. It is considered the perfect 'Cleaning Crew' for medium-sized hot and humid terrariums. Unable to roll up, they compensate with an explosive reproduction and an insatiable appetite for debris and protein waste, making them excellent bioactive scavengers.
Class:Malacostraca
Order:Isopoda
Family:Porcellionidae
Genus:Porcellionides
Species:Porcellionides pruinosus
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
50 - 85 %
Ambient temperature
24 °C
Day temperature
22 - 26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 20 °C
Substrate depth
>= 5 cm
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Invasive pantropical cosmopolitan species. Very common under compost heaps and damp stones in agricultural or peri-urban environments all over the world.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Porcellionidae. (The Dusty Woodlouse). Unlike the armored Armadillidium, the Porcellionides do not conglobate (do not make a ball). They are built for speed: long legs, soft and flat exoskeleton to slip anywhere. The key feature is the 'bloom', a waxy cuticular deposit that protects them from dehydration and gives them a 'powdered' look.
Behavior and Habits: Chaotic dusty sprinters. Incredibly active and neurotic. If you lift their cork den, they explode in a frantic escape in all directions. They hate digging deep, preferring to live crammed between overlapping layers of dry bark and leaves. Extremely prolific, the colonies reach impressive asphyxiating densities in a few months if well fed.
Morphology: Elongated, soft, opaque and 'powdered' oval (Up to 0.5 inches / 1.2 cm). There are countless morphs: 'Powder Blue' (the wild-type, of a dusty slate blue/gray), 'Powder Orange' (faded brick orange), 'Oreo Crumble' (faded white/black maculated). The common feature is the asphyxiating opaque finish. Pale legs and hyperactive long blind antennae.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Guidance about terrarium setup for Porcellionides pruinosus must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Lighting and Heating: Guidance about lighting and heating for Porcellionides pruinosus must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Humidity and Hydration: Guidance about humidity and hydration for Porcellionides pruinosus must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Feeding and Supplementation: Guidance about feeding and supplementation for Porcellionides pruinosus must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Compatibility and Coexistence: Guidance about compatibility and coexistence for Porcellionides pruinosus must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Health and Common Diseases: Guidance about health and common diseases for Porcellionides pruinosus must rely exclusively on the parameters and sources listed on this record.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Invasive pantropical cosmopolitan species. Very common under compost heaps and damp stones in agricultural or peri-urban environments all over the world.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsEurope, Mediterranean, and West AsiaCosmopolitan or introduced
Terrestrial invertebrate profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 1.2 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 1.2 cm. The British Myriapod and Isopod Group — Porcellionides pruinosus source reports a maximum adult measurement of 1.2 cm for this species, recorded as body length. The taxonomic record consulted is Porcellionides pruinosus. 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.
