Oniscus asellus - Front half moulted

Woodlice keep growing all their life, long after reaching sexual maturity, and (for that) keep on shedding their skin. They do so in two phases: Rear half and front half. This Oniscus asellus has just shedded the front half.

comments (11)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

I've never seen it done in 2 halves, so cool! Is this unique to woodlice? Posted 6 years ago
1. Pudding4brains
  
  Lion
  
  Hi Ferdy, well ... I only know this moulting in two halfs for Woodlice but I don't know everything (not even a whole lot really, come to think of it ... I don't even know for sure if water dwelling Isopods do this too?!?) Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Nice! I took a photo of one last month with the back half molted:
    
    Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      Nice, now we have a match! Posted 6 years ago
    2. Pudding4brains
      
      Lion
      
      Yes,excellent. The rear half normally comes first and when the old exoskeleton is stripped off the teneral innards are able to expand and have a "growth spurt", resulting in these odd creatures with a very phat booty until the front half has moulted too and things get back to normal :o) Posted 6 years ago
    3. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Oh, neat! Fat booty, indeed ;P Posted 6 years ago

RMFelix

Lion

Awesome new adds!
Great work* Posted 6 years ago
1. Pudding4brains
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Rui, the woodlice are all spin-off of some other project I worked on over the last week. Lots of old, low quality pictures, but hey .... Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. RMFelix
    
    Lion
    
    My new philosophy is this, there’s no such thing as “quality” there are only great records and awesome findings, such this ones you’ve shared* Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Pudding4brains
      
      Lion
      
      Thanks Rui -I'll be pestering JD with more quite mediocre images of good records and findings of woodlice in the time to come :o) Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. RMFelix
        
        Lion
        
        Your photographs are great my friend!
        I have also a beautiful woodlice from recent findings, I'll share here after posting on JD.
        I really don't have any experience on Isopoda, neither a good key for european isopoda, for starters :o)
        I'll share it here:
        
        Thanks so much, Arp!
        Most grateful,
        cheers! Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago

The Common Shiny Woodlouse

"Oniscus asellus", the common woodlouse, is one of the largest and most common species of woodlouse in the British Isles and Western and Northern Europe, growing to lengths of 16 mm and widths of 6 mm.

Info 21 0

Similar species: Brood Pouch Crustaceans

Species identified by Pudding4brains