Scientific name
Cylisticus convexus
This woodlouse is recognisable by its incomplete closure: a flattened ball leaves antennae and uropods protruding. This behaviour distinguishes it from forms that close completely. [1][2]
Origin
Widespread but irregular occurrence in Great Britain and Ireland; also described in German habitats shaped by human activities. These sources alone do not delimit its original range. [1][2]
- Incomplete rolling
- Disturbed environments
- Natural-history observation
Natural-history synthesis; no validated captive protocol in the selected sources.
At a glance
Cylisticus convexus curls into a flattened ball with antennae and uropods protruding. This profile prioritises natural-history observation. [1][2]
| ADULT SIZE | 10–16 mm Length according to Bodentier⁴. [2] |
|---|---|
| LIFESPAN | Not established No supported individual lifespan in the selected sources. |
| LIFESTYLE | Escape followed by rolling Body closure remains incomplete. [1][2] |
Adult size
10–16 mm in length in Bodentier⁴. [2]
Lifespan
Individual lifespan not established in the selected sources.
Lifestyle
Escapes rapidly, then may curl up; found beneath stones, wood and debris. [1][2]
Housing
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Under stones and wood — Natural shelters beneath materials and debris on the ground; no validated captive setup. [1]
Natural-history profile: no validated minimum volume or long-term breeding protocol is adopted. Observation in place is the best-documented option.
Care parameters
CAPTIVE CLIMATE
Not established — No validated husbandry range in the selected sources.
Humidity
Natural environment — Humidity not quantified; observations concern shelters beneath materials on the ground. [1]
Microhabitat
Shelters beneath materials on the ground [1] Describe the shelter and its exposure; a coastal site does not imply adding salt.
Captive climate
Not defined No humidity percentage or thermal range inferred from occurrence locations.
Feeding
DIET AND CALCIUM
The sources describe habitat without establishing a captive ration or calcium dose. An observed shelter is not automatically food. [1][2]
Scope of this profile
Natural-history synthesis; no validated captive protocol in the selected sources.
Recognising incomplete closure
The long, pointed rear appendages remain visible when it curls up. BMIG also distinguishes five pairs of pleopodal respiratory structures, compared with two in the Armadillidium compared. [1] This information is an identification criterion, not an invitation to turn the animal over continually. An opportunistic ventral photograph must remain proportionate to the identification need.
Interpreting habitats without simplifying them
BMIG describes both sparsely vegetated coasts and disturbed inland sites: old quarries, embankments and gardens. [1] Bodentier⁴ stresses environments influenced by humans. [2] Neither description implies a uniform need for dryness. For a natural-history record, distinguish the surrounding landscape from the underside of the stone where the individual was found.
Setup and ventilation: what is missing
The documents consulted serve to recognise and locate the species. They do not compare culture substrates or ventilation arrangements. A husbandry project must therefore obtain a documented account for an identified strain before choosing its setup. Do not present old ballast or rubble as recommended enclosure materials simply because the species is observed there.
Diet and calcium
Neither a ration specific to C. convexus nor a calcium amount is established in these two profiles. Materials beneath which an animal hides are not necessarily what it eats. For temporary observation, preserve its shelter and record feeding contacts actually seen; do not turn the general detritivore label into a quantified menu.
Reproduction and young
The sources give no captive schedule, brood size or maturity age. A small silhouette resembling the adult is not enough to assign all young in a sample to the same taxon. If an existing culture is monitored, record the appearance of young and substrate changes without promising a multiplication rate.
Monitoring without repeated disturbance
The response of fleeing and then rolling is described in the German profile. [2] Daily observation should prioritise visible presence, shelter condition and spontaneous behaviour. Describing a response’s context avoids reading provoked defence as usual behaviour. Gently replace shelters after field observation and do not move a population to complete a photo series.
Checklist
- Photograph uropods if visible.
- Describe the underside of the shelter.
- Distinguish observation from breeding.
Observations to record
- Shelter and exposure
- Spontaneous or provoked response
- Identification and photos
The app provides individual animal records. Check which features are available for your animal in the released version.
Sources
Document-based overview; not a substitute for veterinary advice.
- British Myriapod and Isopod Group — Cylisticus convexus
Source accessed - Senckenberg / Bodentier⁴ — Cylisticus convexus
Source accessed