asker

Anonymous asked:

i can't work out where the pouches are on your lil isopods? not sure what to look for pls help 😭

crevicedwelling:

isopod marsupia aren’t really β€œpouches” but more of a transparent membrane grown on the belly that fills with nutrient-rich liquid and embryos.

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the first isopod hasn’t grown a new marsupium after giving birth, so the belly is just segmented and smooth. the second has developed eggs, visible as greenish-yellow spheres inside the membrane. the final isopod is due to give birth in a day or two, with the juveniles already having developed legs, eyes, and everything within the marsupium.

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you can actually see the segments, tails, and legs of the babies through the marsupium!

because marsupia aren’t very thick, a stressed female isopod (such as one grabbed by a predator) close to giving birth will break the membrane and expel the young immediately, giving them a chance at escaping.

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  20. crevicedwelling posted this
    i can't work out where the pouches are on your lil isopods? not sure what to look for pls help 😭
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