Woodlouse are a crustacean of the order Isopoda, and as such are more closely related to crabs, lobsters, and water fleas than they are to other terrestrial arthropods such as insects, spiders, or centipedes. Woodlice (singular woodlouse), though often mistaken for insects, are small crustaceans belonging to the suborder Oniscidea (under the order Isopoda). They rank as the third most diverse group of terrestrial arthropods, following insects (Hexapoda) and spiders (Arachnida).
Many frogs have a marsupium, as do a number of isopods, including the incredible Antarctic giant isopod, and the star of this show, the woodlouse. These isopods have a single-layer flap of skin containing lots of cells specialised for nutrient transfer. Gray, rough-textured, fast-moving woodlouse; very common under stones, logs, and compost, especially in temperate regions. Common woodlice are important for their ability to feed off dead plants and creatures, recycling vital nutrients.
woodlouse larvae, There are 30 species of woodlouse in the UK in an array of colours from brown and grey to pink! The woodlouse, often encountered in damp corners of gardens or under logs, is a common terrestrial creature that many people might mistake for an insect. However, these organisms are not insects at all; they are crustaceans, more closely related to crabs and lobsters.
