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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Crustaceans (Crustacea) » Malacostracans (Malacostraca) » Marsupial Crustaceans (Peracarida) » Isopods (Isopoda) » Scutocoxifera » Woodlice (Oniscidea) » Holoverticata » Orthogonopoda » Crinocheta » European Pillbugs (Armadillidiidae) » Armadillidium » Common Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare)

Species Armadillidium vulgare - Common Pillbug

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Identification · Range · Habitat · Remarks · See Also · Internet References
Woodlice sp? - Armadillidium vulgare pill bug starting to roll_Woodlouse - Armadillidium vulgare Armodillidiidae - Armadillidium vulgare Pillbug - Armadillidium vulgare Isopoda - Armadillidium vulgare Holoverticata - Armadillidium vulgare Armadillidium vulgare isopod - Armadillidium vulgare
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Crustacea (Crustaceans)
Class Malacostraca (Malacostracans)
Superorder Peracarida (Marsupial Crustaceans)
Order Isopoda (Isopods)
No Taxon (Scutocoxifera)
Suborder Oniscidea (Woodlice)
Infraorder Holoverticata
No Taxon (Orthogonopoda)
No Taxon (Crinocheta)
Family Armadillidiidae (European Pillbugs)
Genus Armadillidium
Species vulgare (Common Pillbug)
Other Common Names
Common Pill Woodlouse, Roly-Poly, Doodle Bug, Potato Bug, Carpenter
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Armadillidium affine
Armadillidium armeniense
Armadillidium brevicaudatum
Armadillidium cinereum Zenker
Armadillidium commutattum
Armadillidium decipiens
Armadillidium marmoreum
Armadillidium nitidulum
Armadillidium oliveti
Armadillidium pilulare Stuxberg
Armadillidium schellenbergi
Armadillidium sorattinum
Armadillidium subdentatum
Armadillidium triviale
Armadillidium variegatum
Armadillo ater
Armadillo convexus
Armadillo marmoreus
Armadillo pilularis Say
Armadillo pustulatus
Armadillo trivialis
Armadillo variegatus
Armadillo vulgare
Explanation of Names
Armadillidium vulgare Latreille, 1804
Identification
Some identification marks mentioned by Ferenc Vilisics in his comment on this picture:

the trapezoidal shape of the telson
coloration (dark grey color with yellow patches), margins are never white
the head has no significant middle lobe (compared with e.g. A. nasatum).

Additional information is available at Discover Life.
Range
An introduced species widely distributed in our area
Habitat
Humid places under stones, bricks, or logs.
Remarks
Introduced worldwide from Europe.
It has been shown to modify the top soil layer (increased pH, P, K and NO3 - in the mineral layer and increased removal of C from leaf litter layer).
See Also
Best told from Armadillidium nasatum by the flat face and the flattened telson tip. The color pattern can also be used but there is some overlap that makes it very hard to confidentially tell them apart using color without experience
Internet References
Discover Life.
FCPS.
Florida Entomological Society. Frouz et al. Effects of the Exotic Crustacean, Armadillidium vulgare (Isopoda), and Other Macrofauna on Organic Matter Dynamics in Soil Microcosms in a Hardwood Forest in Central Florida
U. Florida
Wikipedia
Contributed by Chuck Entz on 29 January, 2007 - 7:42am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, Ted Kropiewnicki, ceiseman, edanko, Blocky, Astrobirder
Last updated 19 August, 2021 - 6:57pm

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