Armadillidiidae is a family of woodlice, a terrestrialcrustacean group in the order Isopoda. Unlike members of some other woodlice families, members of this family can roll into a ball, an ability they share with the outwardly similar but unrelated pill millipedes and other animals. This ability gives woodlice in this family their common names of pill bugs[1] or roly polies.[2] Other common names include slaters,potato bugs, butchy boys[3] and doodle bugs.[4] Most species are native to the Mediterranean Basin, while a few species have wider European distributions. The best-known species, Armadillidium vulgare, was introduced to New England in the early 19th century and has become widespread throughout North America.[5]
Pill bugs in the family Armadillidiidae are able to form their bodies into a ball shape, in a process known as conglobation. Conglobation has evolved independently in several families, this behaviour is shared with pill millipedes (which are often confused with pill bugs),[6]armadillos, and cuckoo wasps.[7] It may be triggered by stimuli such as vibrations or pressure, and is a key defense against predation; it may also reduce respiratory water losses.[8] This defense mechanism is possible because of their segmented body structure. Armadillidiidae have overlapping plates called tergites that are connected by flexible joints. The tergites allow the body to roll up inwards. To roll up, they have muscles called pleopods that contract the abdominal tergites inwards.
The diet of pill bugs is largely made up of decaying or decomposed plant matter such as leaves, and to a lesser extent, wood fibers. Pill bugs will also eat living plants, especially in wet conditions, sometimes consuming leaves, stems, shoots, roots, tubers, and fruits. Some species of pill bugs are known to eat decaying animal flesh or feces.[9] They will also eat shed snakeskin and dead bugs, if necessary. This diet has a secondary effect of decelerating the breakdown of litter, aiding in the retention of organic material in the soil. This helps in balancing the carbon content in the soil. Pill bugs also contribute to their ecosystem as detritivores.
However, pill bugs can be serious pests in certain agricultural systems, particularly in areas that are prone to heavy rains and flood conditions. Since they are attracted to decaying plant matter, they are often found on farms eating the crop residue. This leads pill bugs to start eating emerging seedlings. This has started to pose huge agricultural problems in Southern Australia. Farmers in the United States and in Argentina have also reported increased rates of pill bugs destroying seed oil and soybean crops. They have also been observed eating wood supports in houses making them a house pest. Pill bugs will feed on numerous crop plants including corn, beans, squash, peas, melon, chard, beet, cucumber, potato, spinach, lettuce, and strawberry, with potential for significant yield loss in strawberry in particular.
Pill bug on wood mulch
Classification
The family Armadillidiidae is differentiated from other woodlouse families by the two-segmented nature of the antennal flagellum, by the form of the uropods, and by the ability to roll into a ball.[10]
Within the family Armadillidiidae, 15 genera are currently recognized:[11]
A 2022 study of myrmecophilous populations indicated that these represented a new species of Cristarmadillidium, and three new species within a new genus, Iberiarmadillidium.[12]
^Edward M. Barr (2001). Animal behavior desk reference: a dictionary of animal behavior, ecology, and evolution (2nd ed.). CRC Press. p. 142. ISBN978-0-8493-2005-7.
^Marilyn Schotte (2012). Schotte M, Boyko CB, Bruce NL, Poore GC, Taiti S, Wilson GD (eds.). "Armadillidiidae". World Marine, Freshwater and Terrestrial Isopod Crustaceans database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
