Woodlouse

Woodlice

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Crustacea
Class :	Malacostraca
Order :	Isopoda
Suborder :	Oniscidea

Infraorders and Families

not necessarily a complete list:
Infraorders:
Ligiamorpha
Tylomorpha
Families:
Dubioniscidae
Irmaosidae
Pseudarmadillidae
Scleropactidae

A woodlouse, also known as a pill bug (Armadillidium only), armadillo bug, sow bug, slater, or rolly polly is a terrestrial crustacean with a rigid, segmented, calcareous exoskeleton and fourteen jointed limbs. They form the suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda, with over 3000 known species.

Woodlice need moisture and so are usually found in damp, dark places, such as under rocks and logs. They are usually nocturnal and are detritovores, feeding only on dead plant matter.

In Britain there are 37 native or naturalized species ranging in colour and in size (3 - 30 mm) of which only five are common - Oniscus asellus (Common shiny woodlouse), Porcellio scaber (Common rough woodlouse), Philoscia muscorum (Common striped woodlouse), Trichoniscus pusillus (Common pygmy woodlouse) and Armadillidium vulgare (Common pill bug).