Scientific name
Porcellio ornatus
The name Porcellio ornatus appears in Schmalfuss’s catalogue. [1] Strains sold in the hobby can show very different colours. [3]
Origin
The catalogue lists south-eastern Spain and north-western Morocco; records from the Balearic Islands and north-eastern Algeria remain uncertain in it. [1]
- Coloured strains
- Multiple shelters
- Active in captivity
Taxonomy and distribution: scientific catalogue. Keeping and variation in Witch’s Brew: explicitly attributed commercial accounts. Marsupium and manca: general anatomy, not a species-specific timetable.
At a glance
Porcellio ornatus is a recognised species. Witch’s Brew denotes a selectively bred strain, without constituting a new taxon [1][3].
| DOCUMENTED SIZE | Up to 25 mm Commercial value; measurement convention unspecified [2]. |
|---|---|
| LIFESPAN | To be documented No supported individual lifespan in the selected sources. |
| LIFESTYLE | Ground and low supports Behaviour described in captivity by Insektenliebe [2]. |
Adult size
Up to 25 mm according to Insektenliebe’s commercial account; measurement convention unspecified. [2]
Lifespan
No sufficiently supported individual lifespan retained from the sources consulted.
Lifestyle
Insektenliebe describes active animals that also climb on low supports. This observation concerns its captive colonies. [2]
Housing
SETUP AND SHELTERS
Several shelters — Organic soil, leaf litter, bark and a moist refuge; Insektenliebe’s practice [2].
The setup described by Insektenliebe combines organic soil, leaf litter, bark and a shelter that remains moist within a mostly less-moist area. [2]
Care parameters
BREEDER REFERENCE
20–26 °C — Insektenliebe commercial reference point [2].
WITCH’S BREW STRAIN
18–26 °C — Richard’s Inverts; strain-specific practice, not physiological limits [3].
Humidity
A gradient — A moist refuge and a mostly less-moist surface in the cited practice [2].
Temperature
20–26 °C at Insektenliebe [2] Richard’s Inverts gives 18–26 °C for its Witch’s Brew strain. These are commercial practices, not measured tolerance limits. [3]
Humidity
A gradient, not a single value [2] Substrate surface condition and the relative humidity of the air are two different pieces of information.
Feeding
DIET AND CALCIUM
Leaves and decomposed wood, calcium and fish food; check small perishable supplements [2][3].
Scope of this profile
Taxonomy and distribution: scientific catalogue. Keeping and variation in Witch’s Brew: explicitly attributed commercial accounts. Marsupium and manca: general anatomy, not a species-specific timetable.
Species, colour and strain
Richard’s Inverts presents Witch’s Brew as a strain selectively bred in the United States, with a pale background dotted with yellow and dark markings. The keeper observes that the yellow intensifies with growth; a pale juvenile therefore does not necessarily show the adult appearance. [3] This label describes a captive strain, without creating a new species or establishing an animal’s locality.
Shelters that can actually be used
Insektenliebe recommends several hiding places and a stable branch. [2] When planning a terrarium, this suggests prioritising access to shelters over decoration occupying the whole surface. A branch must not become a route to an opening: this is an enclosure design precaution, separate from the biological observations.
Leaves, wood and supplements
Richard’s Inverts gives leaf litter and decomposed wood as the dietary base, with calcium and fish food as supplements. [3] Insektenliebe advises checking perishable leftovers the following day. [2] Quantities are not specified here: the sources do not provide a validated ration per individual, and a supplementary product does not replace decomposed plant matter.
Juveniles and cohabitation
Insektenliebe reports losses of juveniles that were eaten in its own colonies. The text consulted suggests examining density, food and hiding places, then separating the group if necessary; it advises against adding another species as a diversion. [2] This account deserves attention without proving that every juvenile disappearance is due to cannibalism.
Understanding early life stages
A general reference point for woodlice, not a study specific to P. ornatus: eggs and the earliest stages develop in the marsupium, a maternal ventral pouch. Mancae initially have only six pairs of walking legs; the seventh develops subsequently through moults. [4] No specific maturation time or usual brood size has been verified here.
What this profile provides
The natural history sources establish the name and distribution; the two keepers document their practices and strains. This distinction avoids presenting a keeping temperature as a demonstrated optimum. Before arrival, asking for the strain’s precise identity and original setup helps prepare a consistent reception.
Checklist
- Prepare several shelters and a moist refuge.
- Keep strain names separate from the scientific name.
- Provide leaves, decomposed wood and calcium.
Observations to record
- Strain and provenance
- Young observed
- Additions and leftovers
- Condition of shelters
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.
- Schmalfuss — World catalog of terrestrial isopods, entrée Porcellio ornatus
Source accessed - Insektenliebe — Caring for Porcellio ornatus
Source accessed - Richard’s Inverts — Porcellio ornatus Witch’s Brew
Source accessed - Richard Fox, Lander University — Invertebrate Anatomy OnLine : Armadillidium, notes sur Porcellio
Source accessed