Morphs List

Porcellio scaber; morphs without photos.

Porcellio scaber

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Porcellio scaber 'Dalmatian'

This mutation's pattern expression varies from small specks to large chunks. This mutation condenses color into speckles and can be combined with other morphs resulting in the same effect with splotches of the morph it was combined with. This is a common variation in the wild Briceville, Tennessee populations.

This morph was isolated from roughly 10 individuals around 2013 by Kyle Kandilian.

A line 'Moo Cow' has been bred from populations in Europe which has a higher expression of the dalmatian patterning. The line has not been introduced into the Americas and may not breed true.

Porcellio scaber 'Orange Dalmatian'

This mutation's pattern expression varies from small specks to large chunks. The morph is not as combinable with other morphs as 'Dalmatian'

A common misconception is that this line is a combination of 'Dalmatian' and 'Spanish Orange,' but the orange genes were not contributed by Spanish P. scaber. However, they may share the same mutation.

This line was isolated by Ryan from wild-caught individuals in New Jersey, which is distributed as 'US Orange'. The individuals in this pictured have been selected by C. Young from a cross of the original stock with wild scaber.

Porcellio scaber 'Dalico'

This mutation is an expression of both the 'Dalmatian' and 'Red Calico' mutations. The calico expression is sex-linked.

This morph was isolated using Mendel's experimental model, by crossing five virgin 'Dalmatian' females and one 'Red Calico' male in 2020. This was conducted by Nathan Jones to better understand the genetics of the 'Dalmatian' and 'Red Calico' morphs.

Porcellio scaber 'Red Calico'

This is a calico mutation that displays a reddish-brown mottled carapace. It is unknown if this is the same mutation of other calico expressions. The calico expression is sex-linked.

This line has been bred to increase the expression of the calico gene to display deep reds throughout the female members of the line. The history of this line is unknown.

Porcellio scaber 'Harvest Moon'

This is a calico mutation that displays a cream background with black, brown, and some red spots usually around the telson. This morph is sex-linked. It is unknown if this is the same mutation as other calico expressions.

This line was originally isolated by Oonagh Degenhardt in 2022 from a mixed population of undesirable individuals while selecting for other morphs and wild-caught individuals. it has not been distributed to anyone.

Porcellio scaber 'Rricolor Calico'

This is a calico mutation that displays speckles of three colors gray, yellow, and brownish-red. It is unknown if this is the same mutation of other calico expressions. The calico expression is sex-linked

This line was isolated by Nathan Jones in 2021. It is being refined for maximum expression and has not been distributed to anyone.

Porcellio scaber 'Pacific Sunset'

This is a mutation that displays a high amount of phaeomelanin (i.e. the pigment gene controlling red and brown pigment) the exact genetics behind is unknown.

This line was originally isolated by Oonagh Degenhardt in 2022 from a mixed population of undesirable individuals while selecting for other morphs and wild-caught individuals. it has not been distributed to anyone.

Porcellio scaber 'Spanish Orange'

This is a common orange mutation. Individuals in Spain with this mutation are pure orange with no mottling.

The "giant orange" line was originally isolated from Spanish individuals collected by Orin McMongle, and has now been commonly referred to as "Spanish orange" to avoid confusion with other orange lines.

Multiple orange stains have been produced from American populations. Most of these are unnamed. Ryan isolated a strain from wild-caught individuals in New Jersey, which is distributed as 'US Orange'. Nathan Jones isolated a strain from wild-caught individuals in Virginia.

Porcellio scaber 'American Orange'

This is a common orange mutation. Individuals in the Americas with this mutation usually are mottled.

This line was isolated by Nathan Jones in 2020 and has only been slightly distributed within the hobby. Ryan isolated a similar strain from wild-caught individuals in New Jersey, which is distributed as 'US Orange'.

Porcellio scaber 'Orange Dalmatian' × Porcellio scaber 'Wild Type'

This strain is the result of a cross between 'Orange Dalmatian' × mixed wild Porcellio scaber. Some orange individuals display muted 'Calico' patterns, white piebald patches, and even odd gray markings. The piebaldism may be an unexpected result of heterozygous 'Orange Dalmatian' due to the addition of the wild types. The cross does not breed true and produces all possible phenotypes from the original cross as well as what are probably 'Paint' and 'Mosaic Dalmatian' individuals.

This line was produced in 2019 by C. Young.

Porcellio scaber 'Mosaic Dalmatian'

Another morph resulting from 'Orange Dalmatian' x wild P. scaber, 'Mosaic Dalmatian' was found in a selection of gray 'Dalmatian' from a mixed culture. Appearing similar to 'Whiteout' at birth with a solid white body and eyes, their eyes fill in with pigment in a mosaic-like pattern as the isopod ages. At least one individual produces gray pigment in an antenna. The phenotype of 'Mosaic' not co-occuring with 'Dalmatian' is currently unknown.

The one surviving female of two initially found was crossed to a 'Dalmatian' phenotype male from the same culture. About half of the offspring exhibit the mosaic-patterned eyes, with the rest being normal 'Dalmatian.' Further crosses to unrelated wildtype scaber will be necessary to determine how the morph inherits. Although the parents and F1 all have gray base color, it is unknown if the 'Orange' gene persists in this isolation.

This line was isolated by C. Young in 2021.

Porcellio scaber 'Lava'

This mutation results in an expression of scaber that displays deep red and gray blotches.

A common misconception is that this cultivar is co-dominant. It is actually a single trait with highly variable expression. That is why there is so much variation in 'Lava' colonies compared to a less variable morph like 'Dalmatian'. The splotched marking with red and black is dominant. Therefore, isopods only need one copy of the gene for it to show, meaning it will show up in the first generation of any lava X non-lava cross, whereas recessive traits won't show up until the second generation.

'Lava' is an intermediate population of Spanish Porcellio scaber ssp. lusitanus and Porcellio scaber ssp. scaber. This may add to the complexity of their color genetics.

The original line was isolated from individuals collected from the border of Portugal and Spain. The American line was imported by Alan Grosse, no more information is available on the line.

Porcellio scaber 'Lava' × Porcellio scaber 'Wild Type'

This is a mix between the common gray 'Wild Type' morph and the 'Lava' morph. The expression of the deep red and gray blotches seems to be lighter in these individuals. The number of expressive individuals in a population is less than purebred 'Lava'.

This line was isolated by Kyle Kandilian.

Porcellio scaber 'Calico Skirted'

This is a common skirt mutation. This trait is extremely variable; however, it does breed true. This line has a calico expression and may share the mutation.

This line was isolated by Nathan Jones in 2019 and has not been distributed to anyone. Most of the population has a calico expression.

A strain 'Excalibur' was isolated by Anthony Green and Mike Thalacker from a Wisconsin population in 2020. Another strain of this mutation occurs, 'skirt' isolated by Kyle Kandilian. C. Young has also isolated a strain of this mutation called 'Skirted'.

Porcellio scaber 'Skirted'

This is a common skirt mutation. This trait is variable; however, not as variable as 'Calico Skirted'. Individuals pictured are descendants a cross of 'Orange Dalmatian' to wild scaber performed in 2019 by C. Young and do not currently breed true.

A similar strain 'Excalibur' was isolated by Anthony Green and Mike Thalacker from a Wisconsin population in 2020. Another strain of this mutation occurs, 'skirt' isolated by Kyle Kandilian. Nathan Jones has also isolated a strain of this mutation called 'Calico Skirted'.

Porcellio scaber 'White Out'

This is a "true albino" mutation causing a total lack of coloration.

There are no simple recessives associated with this line; therefore, when crossed with grays, some yellow and orange calicos are produced in the first generation. No simple recessives proves that this is a "true albino" mutation.

This line was isolated by Kyle Kandilian.

Porcellio scaber 'Rose Quartz'

This is an albino mutation causing an almost total lack of coloration. The slight pinkish coloration in the eyes and body is due to a different ommochrome deficiency than the 'White Out' mutation. Due to the different ommochrome deficiency, this may be a Tyrosinase-positive albino mutation; however, it has never been confirmed that this type of mutation can occur in isopods, it has just been speculated.

This line was isolated by C. Young in 2022 from two wild-caught males.

Porcellio scaber 'Cream'

'Cream' has a pale yellowish base color with light brownish eyes. Only four have been produced so far from a culture of yellowish mottled scaber where both males and females express mottling unlike the classic female-only 'Calico.' One individual possesses a pigmented patch which appears similar to the pattern of the parent culture.

This line was isolated by C. Young in 2022.

Porcellio scaber 'Tan'

The mutation which causes this morph is unknown. It may be caused by a Tyrosinase-positive albino mutation; however, it has never been confirmed that this type of mutation can occur in isopods, it has just been speculated.

This line was isolated from three individuals in 2022 by Nathan Jones and has not been distributed to anyone.

Porcellio scaber 'Paint'

This is a piebald mutation producing varying coverage of pigment, from totally white to almost solid gray, and pigmented patches typically grow variably with age. The inheritance pattern is currently unknown.

This line was isolated by C. Young in 2022 from single pair of P. scaber, a wildtype male and a piebald female that matched the expression of 'Surprise.' Since 'Paint' inherits differently and at least 3 generations had passed from the original pairing before it appeared, it is unlikely that the two phenotypes are the result of the same mutation.

Porcellio scaber 'Surprise'

'Surprise' is a piebald phenotype with an unreliable, non-true breeding mode of inheritance. A possible 'Surprise' female found in a wildtype culture and a wildtype male were bred to produce only wildtype and mottled offspring. Some were isolated and eventually produced 'Paint,' but the rest were discarded to a morph mix culture which produced a few pied individuals. Further breeding showed that a mating between 'Surprise' typically produces no pied young, and only four or five have appeared over two years of breeding inbred lines.

'Surprise' are variably pigmented at birth, but the pigmented sections quickly grow in size while the white areas of the body do not, resulting in adults ranging from having very little white to being indistinguishable from wildtype individuals. The photos here are of the same three individuals at different ages.

This line was isolated by C. Young in 2021.