Maintaining laboratory cultures of cave-dwelling and surface-dwelling isopod crustaceans

Many aspects of cave animal biology cannot be understood through field observations alone. Access to some subterranean habitats is often technically challenging, rendering long-term monitoring cave-dwelling species or investigating their difficult. Also, contemporary research questions and methods require sampling individuals at certain life stages, most adapted have lengthy spans are not accessible in natural year-round. Therefore, we established an facility our laboratory where keep related surface-dwelling crustacean under controlled conditions. This allows us study physiological behavioral adaptations the role phenotypic plasticity evolution these traits dwellers. We culturing freshwater, marine, terrestrial isopods from three different families (Asellidae, Sphaeromatidae, Trichoniscidae), among others. To date, breeding colonies several surface pairs aquatic asellids, successful lived for two years generations. also (freshwater) (marine) sphaeromatids with varying degrees success. Among trichoniscids, persisted more than years, but without reproduction. Our repeated attempts maintain Trichoniscus been unsuccessful. Here present experiences provide guidance other researchers making similar attempts. discuss general care practices such as decontamination equipment tools, quarantine, good bad small aquarium terrarium design, housing, water treatment conditioning, various food sources, approaches. review problems encountered describe solve them