Anyone seen a roly poly like this?

Prophet

Arachnosquire
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Nov 23, 2017
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80
Found this Armadillidium Vulgare In my yard, it almost looks like it is part albino. Do you think this is a genetic trait that I should try to isolate?
Looks to be molting. I have several that are doing this now too
 

LawnShrimp

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Dec 9, 2016
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That is not a molt although that was a good guess. Molting isopods are half-pale, and not pure white on the last few segments. Many isopod species carry "Dalmatian", "Koi", or "Pied" genes that give them a white-speckled, patched, or splashed appearance. Yours looks like a Koi or Pied to me, which is a first for vulgare.

Isolate it and search everywhere for more of them. If you do find more, attempt breeding as soon as possible! If you cannot find any more, just catch all of the normal vulgare and separately breed them to see if they carry odd genes like this guy. This individual looks male to me, so put a bunch of normal or white-tailed females in with it and see if the offspring breed true. Regardless if they do or not, inbreed the offspring and continue to see if the white-tail appears. You can add other individuals to the inbred culture once a good culture is established to keep the genetics healthy.

However, if it is a molt defect, the coloration will be gone by the next molt, so keep watch on it.
 

Prophet

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Nov 23, 2017
Messages
80
That is not a molt although that was a good guess. Molting isopods are half-pale, and not pure white on the last few segments. Many isopod species carry "Dalmatian", "Koi", or "Pied" genes that give them a white-speckled, patched, or splashed appearance. Yours looks like a Koi or Pied to me, which is a first for vulgare.

Isolate it and search everywhere for more of them. If you do find more, attempt breeding as soon as possible! If you cannot find any more, just catch all of the normal vulgare and separately breed them to see if they carry odd genes like this guy. This individual looks male to me, so put a bunch of normal or white-tailed females in with it and see if the offspring breed true. Regardless if they do or not, inbreed the offspring and continue to see if the white-tail appears. You can add other individuals to the inbred culture once a good culture is established to keep the genetics healthy.

However, if it is a molt defect, the coloration will be gone by the next molt, so keep watch on it.
Very interesting. I've seen a couple of mine like this and just thought they were molting. Thanks for the information as I'll now try and find mine and see if there's more.
 
Last edited:

LawnShrimp

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Dec 9, 2016
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907
Very interesting. I've seen a couple of mine like this and just thought they were molting. Thanks for the information as I'll now try and find mine and see if there's more.
Molting looks very similar to this but the isopod is split down the middle (not just part), and one half is a paler color that quickly becomes dark. IF yours do actually have white tails, isolate them and maybe even trade some with @LittleOddIsopod to help shore up genetics.

The online store CaptiveIsopoda is a great place to buy isopods, but the owner is a very skilled breeder and would be glad to buy some of yours as well if they breed true.
 

Prophet

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 23, 2017
Messages
80
Molting looks very similar to this but the isopod is split down the middle (not just part), and one half is a paler color that quickly becomes dark. IF yours do actually have white tails, isolate them and maybe even trade some with @LittleOddIsopod to help shore up genetics.

The online store CaptiveIsopoda is a great place to buy isopods, but the owner is a very skilled breeder and would be glad to buy some of yours as well if they breed true.
Thanks for the info. I have tons of them in many different enclosures so I'll definitely keep an eye out.
 

LittleOddIsopod

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Dec 22, 2017
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That is not a molt although that was a good guess. Molting isopods are half-pale, and not pure white on the last few segments. Many isopod species carry "Dalmatian", "Koi", or "Pied" genes that give them a white-speckled, patched, or splashed appearance. Yours looks like a Koi or Pied to me, which is a first for vulgare.

Isolate it and search everywhere for more of them. If you do find more, attempt breeding as soon as possible! If you cannot find any more, just catch all of the normal vulgare and separately breed them to see if they carry odd genes like this guy. This individual looks male to me, so put a bunch of normal or white-tailed females in with it and see if the offspring breed true. Regardless if they do or not, inbreed the offspring and continue to see if the white-tail appears. You can add other individuals to the inbred culture once a good culture is established to keep the genetics healthy.

However, if it is a molt defect, the coloration will be gone by the next molt, so keep watch on it.
Awesome, thank you! I have it seperated and I’ve been watching that thing like a hawk. I’ve had him for nearly a week, so I’m positive he is not simply in molt (although like you said, it could possibly be a molt deformity). How often does A. Vulgare molt? A google search did not turn up anything.

If I have any new I’ll post it here, I have probably thousands of A. Vulgare in my garden, so I will continue searching for more of these.
 

LittleOddIsopod

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Dec 22, 2017
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Awesome, thank you! I have it seperated and I’ve been watching that thing like a hawk. I’ve had him for nearly a week, so I’m positive he is not simply in molt (although like you said, it could possibly be a molt deformity). How often does A. Vulgare molt? A google search did not turn up anything.

If I have any new I’ll post it here, I have probably thousands of A. Vulgare in my garden, so I will continue searching for more of these.
News* not new. I shoulda proof read that before sending ;)
 

LittleOddIsopod

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Dec 22, 2017
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Thanks for the info. I have tons of them in many different enclosures so I'll definitely keep an eye out.
If you find any like the one I have, I would be open to purchasing them, or doing a trade. If you are interested just let me know, I’ll tell ya what I’ve got.

Good luck isopod hunting!
 

Prophet

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Nov 23, 2017
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If you find any like the one I have, I would be open to purchasing them, or doing a trade. If you are interested just let me know, I’ll tell ya what I’ve got.

Good luck isopod hunting!
Will do. I just noticed I have a bunch of fairly large ones with yellow on their backs that look pretty interesting. They have been breeding like crazy behind my back too it appears :)
 

LittleOddIsopod

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Will do. I just noticed I have a bunch of fairly large ones with yellow on their backs that look pretty interesting. They have been breeding like crazy behind my back too it appears :)
Those are quite interesting too, I am currently selectively breeding the “high yellow” ones also, it’s still too soon to know if the project will be a success.
 

Dennis Nedry

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Oct 21, 2017
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Id isolate that one with just one female at a time so you know which baby came from which mother, and then breed them
 

Hisserdude

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I'd isolate it and see if the trait carries on to any offspring. I've seen similar specimens in my P.scaber colony, mostly normal coloration but with a white spot here and there. In that species at least, the trait does not seem to carry on to the offspring, and the offspring, when bred, also produce normal looking mancae.

Hopefully it'll be different with your A.vulgare though! :)
 

LawnShrimp

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Dec 9, 2016
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Nice, it looks like a female as well (females tend to have the yellow spots) so put the two of them together alone and wait! Pied vulgare will be amazing to see.
 

LittleOddIsopod

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Dec 22, 2017
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Nice, it looks like a female as well (females tend to have the yellow spots) so put the two of them together alone and wait! Pied vulgare will be amazing to see.
Found another, but only the very last segment is white, should I put it in with the other two? Those things are very rare, I caught 700+ last night and only 1 had the trait (visibly at least).
 

LawnShrimp

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Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
907
Found another, but only the very last segment is white, should I put it in with the other two? Those things are very rare, I caught 700+ last night and only 1 had the trait (visibly at least).
More can't hurt. Put that guy in and keep searching, though you might want to let the wild isopods 'rest' for a while. After a period of heavy searching the ones around me quickly find other hiding spots and only regroup in the more easily accessible hiding spots after I stop turning stones for a week.

See if you can go to a different location like park or a friend's house that is nearby but not too close, and look for white-tails there. Establishing genetic diversity is important for early isolation groups and it is faster to add more recessives from a different population than it is to make a bunch of hets and breed those.
 

LittleOddIsopod

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Dec 22, 2017
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Alright thx
More can't hurt. Put that guy in and keep searching, though you might want to let the wild isopods 'rest' for a while. After a period of heavy searching the ones around me quickly find other hiding spots and only regroup in the more easily accessible hiding spots after I stop turning stones for a week.

See if you can go to a different location like park or a friend's house that is nearby but not too close, and look for white-tails there. Establishing genetic diversity is important for early isolation groups and it is faster to add more recessives from a different population than it is to make a bunch of hets and breed those.
 
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