White swift woodlouse
Porcellio laevis
A beautiful, pure white color morph of Porcellio laevis, highly active and prolific, perfect as a clean-up crew or ornamental pet.
Environnement
Terrestre
Humidité
50 - 70 %
Température diurne
20 - 26 °C
Température nocturne
18 - 22 °C
Description de l'espèce
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Porcellio laevis "White" is a captive-bred color morph of the cosmopolitan terrestrial isopod Porcellio laevis. The wild ancestor is native to Europe and the Mediterranean, but has been introduced worldwide. It occupies damp, organic-rich environments such as leaf litter, gardens, and decaying logs. The "White" morph was selectively isolated by breeders to maintain its clean, snowy appearance.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belonging to the class Malacostraca, order Isopoda, family Porcellionidae, and genus Porcellio. The "White" mutation is recessive, causing a complete lack of dark melanin pigmentation in the exoskeleton, resulting in a solid white body. This trait breeds true when individuals are housed exclusively with other "White" specimens.
Behavior and Habits: Just like the wild type, this morph is exceptionally fast-moving and active. It is primarily nocturnal but will forage during the day in shaded, established colonies. They are social decomposers, aggregating under bark hides to retain moisture. They play an important ecological role by accelerating the breakdown of organic waste in soil.
Morphology: Features a smooth, glossy, and flattened oval body reaching 2.0 to 2.5 cm in length at maturity. The dorsal carapace lacks the rough tubercles found in other Porcellio species. The "White" morph exhibits a uniform milky-white coloration across its body, antennae, and uropods. The eyes remain dark (leucism), rather than red as in true albinos.
Soins, reproduction et cohabitation
Terrarium Setup: Can be easily kept in plastic or glass enclosures of at least 30x20x20 cm. The substrate should be 5-8 cm deep, consisting of coconut coir, peat moss, crushed rotten wood, and a large quantity of dry hardwood leaves (oak, beech). Place pieces of cork bark on top and provide a cuttlebone as a continuous calcium source.
Lighting and Heating: No specialized lighting is required; ambient, indirect room light is ideal. The preferred temperature range is 20°C to 26°C (68-79°F). Avoid direct sunlight, which can overheat the enclosure. No supplementary heating is needed if kept in a standard heated home environment.
Humidity and Hydration: A moisture gradient is crucial. Dampen one side of the enclosure containing sphagnum moss to maintain 70-80% humidity, while keeping the other side dry with dry leaf litter. This allows the isopods to access moisture for their pleopodal lungs without risk of desiccation or drowning.
Feeding and Supplementation: A varied detritivorous diet is essential. They feed continuously on the decaying leaves and wood in the substrate. Supplement 2-3 times weekly with fresh vegetables (carrots, squash), fish flakes, or dry pet food for protein. Keep cuttlebone or crushed eggshells available at all times for calcium.
Compatibility: Can cohabitate with other Porcellio laevis morphs, but they will cross-breed, resulting in wild-type grey offspring in subsequent generations. Excellent clean-up crew (CUC) for bioactive terrariums housing larger reptiles and amphibians. Do not house with tiny, delicate species that could be stressed by their activity.
Health and Common Diseases: Desiccation is the primary threat; a completely dry enclosure will kill the colony overnight. Lack of ventilation leads to toxic mold and stagnant conditions. Remove uneaten fresh food within 24 hours to prevent infestation by mites or fungus gnats.
Origine et répartition géographiques
Porcellio laevis "White" is a captive-bred color morph of the cosmopolitan terrestrial isopod Porcellio laevis. The wild ancestor is native to Europe and the Mediterranean, but has been introduced worldwide. It occupies damp, organic-rich environments such as leaf litter, gardens, and decaying logs. The "White" morph was selectively isolated by breeders to maintain its clean, snowy appearance.
Origine
Sélection et cultivarsAmérique du NordEurope, Méditerranée et Asie occidentaleCosmopolite ou introduit
Profil d'invertébré terrestre
- Régime alimentaire
- Detritivore
- They are ravenous detritivores with a famously high demand for supplemental protein. Their core diet of decomposing leaves and white wood must be heavily supplemented with calcium, fresh vegetables, and frequent high-protein offerings like fish flakes or dried shrimp to prevent them from cannibalizing their young.
- Taille adulte
- 2 cm
- Mode de vie/microhabitat
- Terrestrial
- They possess a completely terrestrial, highly surface-active lifestyle. Rather than burrowing deeply, they spend almost all their time navigating the upper layers of leaf litter or hiding shallowly beneath wide pieces of cork bark, requiring a well-ventilated enclosure with a clearly defined moisture gradient.
- Cycle d'activité
- Crepuscular
- These stark white isopods are extremely active, frequently wandering around the surface of their enclosure throughout the day and night. Their bold nature, combined with their lack of pigmentation, makes them incredibly easy to observe as they constantly scavenge for food across the substrate.
- Sociabilité
- Gregarious
- They are a highly social, gregarious species that does exceptionally well when kept in large, dense colonies. They show no aggression toward other adults, and a large population often triggers intense, communal feeding frenzies whenever fresh, high-value food items are introduced to the terrarium.
- Reproduction
- Marsupial
- They are incredibly prolific breeders, capable of producing massive amounts of offspring very rapidly under optimal conditions. Females carry large broods of developing mancae in their ventral marsupium. A healthy starter colony will quickly explode in population, often requiring frequent enclosure upgrades.
- Venimeux
- No
- Tolérance aux manipulations
- Display only
- They can be handled without suffering significant stress, but keepers must be cautious due to their incredible speed. If placed on a hand, they are highly prone to sprinting toward the edge and falling. Always handle them close to the ground or over a soft surface to prevent fatal injuries.
- Brumation
- Non requise
- This resilient morph does not require a brumation period and will actively breed and forage year-round if kept at stable, warm room temperatures. While they can tolerate mild drops in temperature during winter, extreme cold will quickly slow their metabolism and halt colony growth.
- Mue
- Periodic
- Molting happens in the standard two-stage process, with the rear half shedding first. Ensuring they have uninterrupted access to a localized damp area is crucial for a successful molt, as low humidity can cause the old exoskeleton to stick. They must be allowed to eat their shed skin to reclaim calcium.
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