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Cubaris murina

Brandt, 1833

Family: Armadillidae
Order: Isopoda
Class: Malacostraca
Phylum / Division: Arthropoda
Kingdom: Animalia

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Description


Cubaris murina, commonly known as the little sea isopod or little sea roly poly, is a species of woodlouse in the family Armidillae (genus Cubaris). It is found in North America, Africa, South America, Australasia, tropical Asia, and the Pacific Ocean.

 Cubaris murina may reach a length of 11 millimeters and a width of 5 millimeters. It is capable of rolling into a ball when disturbed; this ability is known as conglobation.

Distribution: C. murina is known to occur in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Saint Thomas Island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Oahu, in North America; Brazil and Cayenne, French Guiana in South America; the Seychelle Islands in the Indian Ocean, and Sumatra, Indonesia, in Southeast Asia. It is possible that the species was introduced to the Americas from Asia.

As pets: Cubaris murina has become popular as a pet in the exotic animal hobby. They have practical applications in improving the health of terrariums by serving as a bioactive clean-up crew, and are also valued for the attractive appearance of some of its color morphs (slang for observed polymorphism). Known morphs of Cubaris murina in hobbyist collections include:
  • Papaya - A dull pink variety that is believed by some to be the expression of some form of albinism
  • Glacier - An almost completely white variety with white eyes, legs, and antennae
  • Anemone - A variety with a calico or speckled visual pattern of orange and grey
  • Florida Orange - An orange variety isolated from a few wild caught individuals in Florida, which gives them their name

Source: Wikipedia, article Cubaris murina. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 18/07/2026.





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Species records

Count: 1



Page 1 of 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
230357402/06/202514:50ArgentinaMisionesEstación Central, Parque Nacional Iguazú1Gustavo Fernando Durán
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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Cubaris murina – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 21/09/2026.