Bugs--arthropods or Hemiptera?

[VolkswagenBug]

For some reason I was under the impression they were from deep water and didn't survive well at low pressures. If I had Bill Gates type money I'd have a tank full of them. Provided I could get the of course.

Well, they definitely thrive at high pressures, and appropriate lobster care for deeper-living lobsters should involve some pressurization anyway, but they can survive in somewhat lower-pressure environments. Mostly the key to keeping them seems to be a very low temperature, iirc.

 

[The Seraph]

The Japanese have successfully kept giant isopods (they are very popular in zoos and aquariums) and as mentioned they are very hardy. One went for 5 years without eating.

 

[schmiggle]

I would bet that deep sea isopods don't need high pressure to survive. I think the bigger problems would be keeping a big enough tank and keeping it cool enough (these guys like a balmy 40-45 degrees F, based on abundance patterns in the wild). It also depends what species you want: there are bathynomus species from shallower water that are probably easier to get access to and like their water warmer, but they aren't nearly as big as the ones from really deep water.

 

[CladeArthropoda]

For me, bug equals all arthropods and only arthropods. I think the premise of limiting it to terrestrial arthropods is dumb because the line between terrestrial and aquatic is absurdly fuzzy.

Yes, I consider deep ocean crustaceans to be 100% bugs, and things like worms and snails to be not bugs.

 

[ErinM31]

Definitely Hemiptera only! In more casual terms, I’m not bothered by people using it for insects generally plus maybe myriapods and isopods, for lack of another simple term. I am bothered by “bugs” being used to include spiders and would be confused if marine crustaceans were also added.

 

[CladeArthropoda]

would be confused if marine crustaceans were also added.

Including other crustaceans is no worse than including isopods and myriapods

 

[ErinM31]

Including other crustaceans is no worse than including isopods and myriapods

I know, but I’ve never heard it used that way is all, whereas many people refer to all terrestrial arthropods as bugs and probably wouldn’t even guess that isopods were crustaceans. That’s why I said I would be confused rather than have further objection!

EDIT: Actually, I’m not bothered about what people call “bugs” really. What DOES bother me is when people want to exclude arthropods or invertebrates from the term “animals” and I will correct people on that!

 

[CladeArthropoda]

I know, but I’ve never heard it used that way is all, whereas many people refer to all terrestrial arthropods as bugs and probably wouldn’t even guess that isopods were crustaceans. That’s why I said I would be confused rather than have further objection!

Ah, I see. But, really think about it. What makes a land isopod more of a bug than a land crab?

 

[ErinM31]

Ah, I see. But, really think about it. What makes a land isopod more of a bug than a land crab?

You’re absolutely right! And actually, I forgot about land crabs. I should amend to say that I’ve never heard the term “bugs” used to include crustaceans EXCEPT for isopods, at least not as far as I know. But of course there is no scientific basis for any such distinction, probably based on no more than what “bugs” were around where I grew up whereas crabs, shrimp and lobsters were seafood or I don’t know.