Pseudarmadillo spinosus

Pseudarmadillo spinosus
Summary
Endemic to:	Sancti Spíritus, Cuba
Originator:	Ben Quintana
Market(s):	US, CA, UK, EU, SEa
Varieties:	1
Price:	$700~800
Length:	8~12mm
Broods:	★★☆☆☆☆
Humidity:	★★★★★☆
Difficulty:	★★★★☆☆
Rarity:	★★★★★★
Classification
Suborder:	Oniscidea
Section:	Crinocheta
Family:	Delatorreiidae
Genus:	Pseudarmadillo
Species:	Pseudarmadillo spinosus Armas & Juarrero de Varona, 1999

Pseudarmadillo spinosus is a of spiky species of delatorreiid native to evergreen forests in Cuba. P. spinosus is one of the most commonly reared spiky species, widely prized in all markets of the hobby for the devilish look. Captive breeding of Pseudarmadillo spinosus is fairly stable, a milestone not every spiky species enjoys.

General Information

Background

Pseudarmadillo are currently very rare in the isopod hobby. Pseudarmadillo spinosus is the only one in proliferated trade. Though a number of other Pseudarmadillo species have made it into the hands of experienced hobbyists with the means to distribute them, this has yet to happen.

Description

Pseudarmadillo spinosus is one of a number of highly sought after spiky species, with their defining feature being two main rows of well-developed, presumably defensive spines. Between these can be found a ,much smaller secondary pair of parallel spines, which may be more or less developed depending on the individual and their age. The body is largely light, with the base color being a range of tan to orange, with red banding around the 4th pereonite and variable red-flaked speckling potentially also present. This variation has been called "Red" or "Blood" but it remains to be seen if the characteristic is actually an isolatable trait that should be named.

Taxonomy

Taxonomic characters of Pseudarmadillo spinosus:

• Its suborder is Oniscidea, which means it is fundamentally characterized by a number of key adaptations to terrestrial life.
• Its zoosection is Crinocheta, which means it belongs to the largest individual lineage of terrestrial isopods, typically unified by the presence of three (or sometimes 4) flagellomeres.
• Its family is Delatorreiidae, which means it has a cephalon with one frontal and two lateral lobes, five pairs of pleopodal lungs, and a tuberculated body.
• Its genus is Pseudarmadillo, which means something to somebody, I hope.

Life Stages

Manca
Notes:	Following birth, pereonite 7 not fully developed.
Credit:	N/A

Juvenile
Notes:	N/A
Credit:	N/A

Subadult
Subadult photo
Notes:	N/A
Credit:	© The Isopod Barracks

Adult
Notes:	Adult size.
Credit:	N/A

Key Features

Morphological reference images for Pseudarmadillo spinosus:

Antennal flagellum
Antennal flagellum photo
Notes:	Antennal flagellum
Credit:	N/A

Telson
Telson photo
Notes:	Telsons are cool.
Credit:	N/A

Pleopodal lungs
Pleopodal lungs photo
Notes:	This species has ? pairs of pleopodal lungs.
Credit:	N/A

Varieties

Name	Type	In Hobby	Originator	Market(s)	Notes
Pseudarmadillo spinosus	Nominate	Yes	Ben Quintana	US	Canonical variety.

Husbandry

This species is scientifically unexamined and rarely kept. Care information is not currently available.