ID these Isopods.

DubiaW

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
471
I've been looking for interesting isopods to use for a clean up crew in my centipede enclosures and I ran across these photos. The fist one, there is nothing about it on a reverse image search except the original photo I found. It seems to be related to Pseudolaureola atlantica.


The second is a species from Azerbaijan


Are these available in the trade and are they suitable for a clean up crew. I know Pseudolaureola atlantica feeds on spores and it is on the endangered species list. Any ideas on these?
 

Hisserdude

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
2,453
I've been looking for interesting isopods to use for a clean up crew in my centipede enclosures and I ran across these photos. The fist one, there is nothing about it on a reverse image search except the original photo I found. It seems to be related to Pseudolaureola atlantica.


The second is a species from Azerbaijan


Are these available in the trade and are they suitable for a clean up crew. I know Pseudolaureola atlantica feeds on spores and it is on the endangered species list. Any ideas on these?
The second species has actually entered culture in Europe, a few keepers have WC specimens, haven't heard of any breeding reports yet though.

The first species isn't in culture though, and I HIGHLY doubt either would make good cleanup crews, and probably difficult to culture just by themselves.
 

DubiaW

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
471
What is the species name on the second? They are interesting enough to culture all on their own if they ever become available in the US..

Are Porcellio expansus good for a cleanup crew? I'm looking for something stunning since I am going to have to learn how to culture them. It makes it more interesting if they are a curiosity all on their own.
 

Hisserdude

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
2,453
What is the species name on the second? They are interesting enough to culture all on their own if they ever become available in the US..

Are Porcellio expansus good for a cleanup crew? I'm looking for something stunning since I am going to have to learn how to culture them. It makes it more interesting if they are a curiosity all on their own.
Hemilepistus sp, H.aphganicus is the one in culture, (see here and here), there are several similar looking species in that genus though, so I don't know which one the individual in the photograph is.

Hahaha no, all of the new, pretty Spanish species, including P.expansus, would never make good clean up crews, they have very specific care requirements and are really difficult to breed, even under the best conditions they sometimes don't reproduce, and one tiny mistake is all that is needed to kill your colony. :confused:

Really, the only colorful isopods that have been proven to be good as cleanup crews are the various color morphs of the common backyard European species, like orange or dalmatian P.scaber for example.
 

DubiaW

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
471
I'll settle for those then. There really are some amazing isopod species out there.
 

Hisserdude

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
2,453
I'll settle for those then. There really are some amazing isopod species out there.
Yeah, some AMAZING species are entering the hobby now, really wish the majority of them were easy to keep though...
 

DubiaW

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
471
Most of the really pretty ones that are out there are from rainforest or maritime habitats from what I can see. I would love to live in South America or Asia just to culture inverts for the trade.
 
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