Armadillidium gestroi
Armadillidium gestroi, or Gestroi's pill woodlouse, is a large terrestrial isopod from Italy first officially described by Paolo Tua in 1900. It is sometimes kept in captivity by hobbyists.
Description
This is a relatively large woodlouse, up to 22mm long and 10mm wide, with a rounded cross-section. Its body is dark gray or brown, with rows of yellow spots. Like other Armadillidium species, it can roll into a ball when disturbed, a behavior known as volvation.Ecology
Armadillidium gestroi lives under stones and decaying plant matter in coastal shrubland, in the strip of land that occurs between the beach and barren mountain slopes. Its distribution seems limited by the combination of Triassic limestone and the humid, stable temperatures due to the influence of the Mediterranean Sea, along with a need for ample vegetation.A. gestroi displays aposematic coloring, and can produce a strongly unpleasant odor from lateral plate glands. Great tits show signs of discomfort after eating A. gestroi, but not other kinds of prey, suggesting A. gestroi possesses some form of chemical protection.