Albino Pill bugs?!?

[Pssh]

Okay, well it probably isn't actually albino, but it's certainly not normal colored. I have kept this little fella for several days to make sure it wasn't just a weird molt and it is still the same. It still has normal patterning and is kind of blotchy as well. Any idea what's up with this guy?

I believe it's an A. vulgare

Also, does anyone know how to sex these?

Thanks!

(sorry the pic is lame...)

 

[J Morningstar]

I *think* he's about to molt...

 

[Bugs In Cyberspace]

There's a lot of color variation in isopods, though I've never seen A. vulgare that brown. It could represent some sort of nutritional deficiency or genetic defect, but I think your right...just a different color! Drop it in a separate container with a few other isopods and wait a year. You might bring the first new breed of Armadillidium into the hobby. Orin McMonigle has had remarkable success in making the word "breed" apply to the Porcellio in the hobby.

 

[Pssh]

It's actually a really creamy color (hence my albino comment) but I used my phone to take the pic so it's a little dark.

Here's a better picture.

I don't think it's about to molt. I have seen hundreds molt and not a single one looked like this.

 

[ZergFront]

If you decide to breed it, I can sex it if you can get a good macro shot between the two white dots under him/her.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

That is a neat looking vulgare. I'll trade you for some orange and dalmation porcellio.

 

[Pssh]

Maybe. I'm not sure yet if I want to give it to someone yet. I have some other really light brown ones (maybe they are a different species though?)

What am I looking for between the dots? I looked through my colony and the only difference I could see was that some had ridges and some didn't?

---------- Post added at 07:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:03 PM ----------

These are my brown, yellow, and otherwise not normal colored ones.

Creamy guy-

Look at its cute little black head

Other ones

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

They all look like vulgare to me. That individual just has a strange color pattern somewhat like the Porcellio "dalmation". You may be able to find more if you keep hunting in the area.
It will take at least a few years to isolate the color pattern from one specimen.

 

[J Morningstar]

Wow..I thought from the first pic it really couldn't be a color varient, I was wrong, I have orange and some other odd color, but they are in my "natuaralistic" roach tank and even though there are a lot, I only see them from time to time, I'll try to get pics. I never thought to.
Congrads, and yes I love it's little mask, reminds me of the basketball colored pill millipedes from Africa.

---------- Post added at 08:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:16 AM ----------

But, as far as albino...would you two say it retains too much color for true albinoism, and is instead a really pale color morph?

 

[Pssh]

Well, technically we wouldn't know if it was albino unless we checked it's eyes. It probably is a color thing or maybe a melanistic genetic thing. I'll go back and look for more today. I had a smaller one that wasn't quite as light, but I can't find it right now.

Edit: Oh yeah, I have some sow bugs that I'm not sure of (species wise.) They are huge, light brown, smooth, and they run really fast. Any ideas where to start looking for info?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I had a smaller one that wasn't quite as light, but I can't find it right now.

The small ones are always light colored. Your specimen has dark black markings on it so it's obviously not an albino.

 

[Pssh]

There are many different forms of albinism and there are some that involve only partial pigmentation.

 

[Malhavoc's]

If I recall correctly from the discussion of albinoism, it can not exist in invertabrates as they dont have the pigments (I think) it is to even be albino, its simply the irido virus, or a colour molt, some searching will clarify, I am a bit lazy at the moment but if no one else will I shall endevour to search later.

 

[Pssh]

Look what I found!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10454296

edit:
More

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9359622

That means some of its offspring should produce more when they are inbred right?

edit2:

I found out it's a male! How do I know if a female is virgin or not? I want to have it breed with multiple females...

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

There are many different forms of albinism and there are some that involve only partial pigmentation.

Your specimen could possibly be a partial albino but not an albino. When you have a culture of them going it will be nice to see the photos.

 

[ZergFront]

What am I looking for between the dots? I looked through my colony and the only difference I could see was that some had ridges and some didn't?

Males have a slightly raised ridge just between the white dots (think those are for breathing but I have to look into it more) while the female it's just flat with a line through it (nothing raised). If any of you may have noticed when field herping and finding pillbugs, you may come across a couple in which one has encircled itself around another pillbug rolled up. The male is trying to pull or entice her open. I learned this as a kid with lots of pet sowbugs and too much time on my little hands. X-D

 

[Pssh]

Oh. Is that what they are doing? Do you know how to tell if females are carrying or not?

I imagine the ridge things are some form of sex organs that are visibly different from the outside.

 

[krazycricket21]

I'm interested in knowing if that little guy/gal produced any offspring.:?

 

[Pssh]

i have bred it with several females of different sizes but the babies wont be born for another few months or so. And then, pretty much all the babies are born white anyways so i have to wait for them to grow up to see if their color is any different. Then I would probably have to do a little inbreeding experiments to figure out the genetics. Long process. That's why I'm selling him to someone who has the time and is more interested.

 

[The Collector]

Very interesting. Good luck!