Isopod Experiment
Isopod Behavior or the RollyPolly Lab
Background Information http://insected.arizona.edu/isoinfo.htm * Definition: any of various small terrestrial or aquatic crustaceans with seven pairs of legs adapted for crawling. * Iso- Greek for “similar to”, Pod- Greek for “foot”. * Organization:
Phylum, Arthropoda; Class, Malacostraca; Order, Isopoda * Appearance:
3 main body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen
One prominent pair of antennae
Eyes
Seven pairs of legs (14)
Paired appendages at end of abdomen called uropods
Color varies grey to white * Male and Female:
Females have pouches at bottom of legs for eggs
Males have first two appendages * Immature:
Look like adults, except smaller in size. * Food:
Omnivores or scavengers feeding on dead or decaying plants or animals. Some may eat live plants. * Habitat:
Breath with gills, need a moist environment, under rocks for example. * Predators:
Vertebrates and invertebrates. * Interesting behaviors:
Pill bugs: curl up into a ball for when feel attacked or insecure. * Impact on the ecosystem:
Positive: food for other animals
Negative: can eat and damage plants * Where to find:
Under logs, moist leaf liter, in pet food dishes, flower pots (have water), and under stones and bricks.
Live in moist and shaded areas.
Objectives: * Observe various aspects of a terrestrial isopod * Conduct experiments examining the responses of isopods to various environmental factors * Design and conduct an investigation of animal behavior: will the Isopods prefer a normal wet environment or a wet environment with diluted vinegar?
Hypothesis:
The group hypothesis was that the isopods will prefer the normal wt environment, than the diluted vinegar environment?
Materials:
* Total of 10 sow bugs. (make sure that they are all sow bugs, and not mixed with pill bugs) * Two containers attached. (same size and shape) * A ruler to separate sow bugs from
Background Information http://insected.arizona.edu/isoinfo.htm * Definition: any of various small terrestrial or aquatic crustaceans with seven pairs of legs adapted for crawling. * Iso- Greek for “similar to”, Pod- Greek for “foot”. * Organization:
Phylum, Arthropoda; Class, Malacostraca; Order, Isopoda * Appearance:
3 main body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen
One prominent pair of antennae
Eyes
Seven pairs of legs (14)
Paired appendages at end of abdomen called uropods
Color varies grey to white * Male and Female:
Females have pouches at bottom of legs for eggs
Males have first two appendages * Immature:
Look like adults, except smaller in size. * Food:
Omnivores or scavengers feeding on dead or decaying plants or animals. Some may eat live plants. * Habitat:
Breath with gills, need a moist environment, under rocks for example. * Predators:
Vertebrates and invertebrates. * Interesting behaviors:
Pill bugs: curl up into a ball for when feel attacked or insecure. * Impact on the ecosystem:
Positive: food for other animals
Negative: can eat and damage plants * Where to find:
Under logs, moist leaf liter, in pet food dishes, flower pots (have water), and under stones and bricks.
Live in moist and shaded areas.
Objectives: * Observe various aspects of a terrestrial isopod * Conduct experiments examining the responses of isopods to various environmental factors * Design and conduct an investigation of animal behavior: will the Isopods prefer a normal wet environment or a wet environment with diluted vinegar?
Hypothesis:
The group hypothesis was that the isopods will prefer the normal wt environment, than the diluted vinegar environment?
Materials:
* Total of 10 sow bugs. (make sure that they are all sow bugs, and not mixed with pill bugs) * Two containers attached. (same size and shape) * A ruler to separate sow bugs from