Isopod biography

Isopods, members of the order Isopoda, are a diverse group of crustaceans found in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats.

These invertebrates are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies, segmented, armor-like exoskeletons, and two pairs of antennae. All isopods have two pairs of antennae, seven pairs of jointed limbs on their thorax, and five pairs of branching limbs on the abdominal region.

With over 10,000 known species, isopods have adapted to various ecosystems but are mostly marine and bottom-dwelling (benthic), though freshwater species also exist, whereas terrestrial species, like woodlice and pill bugs, thrive in moist environments.

They display a wide variety of feeding strategies, including scavenging, predation, herbivory, and parasitism.

Fossil evidence traces their origins back to the Carboniferous period, highlighting their long-standing evolutionary success.