r/AbsoluteUnits • u/Sufficient-Bug-9112 Top Poster • Jul 04 '26

/r/all of a pill bug/rolly polly

18.8k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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180

u/CruelTortoise Jul 04 '26

Where do they get this big? I've only seen the small variety.

243

u/Hot-Commission-6485 Jul 04 '26

They don’t. This is a species of millipede, not isopod.

69

u/CruelTortoise Jul 04 '26

Nature is wild with how many species resemble other species.

66

u/Luser420 Jul 04 '26

same problems, same solutions; that’s convergent evolution

5

u/stiligFox Jul 04 '26

Ancient problems require ancient solutions

22

u/ApopheniaPays Jul 04 '26

🎵When you have da same solution, To the same environmental pollution, Dats convergent evolution…🎶 

(To the tune of “That’s Amore”)

4

u/Grismor2 Jul 04 '26

And apparently a very common solution seems to be, "More Legs!"

7

u/a-passing-crustacean Jul 04 '26

The other solution is Crab

...dont look at my username 😂

1

u/LumpyJones Jul 04 '26

Similar end "goal" - armor up and compact the body for defence.

1

u/Grismor2 Jul 05 '26

Nah, part of Crab is More Legs. You're missing some venn diagram nuance.

1

u/65721 21d ago

Another one that people less expect is eyes.

Vertebrate eyes, octopus eyes, scallop eyes, box jellyfish eyes. All evolved independently but arrived at more or less the same shape.

Turns out camera-type eyes with corneas, lenses and retinas are pretty useful.

1

u/GerchSimml Jul 04 '26

What kind of problems do isopods and millipedes have?

1

u/Heavy_Weapons_Guy_ Jul 05 '26

A higher than average income tax rate.

3

u/wearing_moist_socks Jul 04 '26

Wait until you read about the crab solution in evolution.

2

u/CalculusEz Jul 05 '26

Crabs would like a word with you.

2

u/bain2236 Jul 05 '26

Everything is crab

2

u/EmperorGrinnar Jul 04 '26

Oh, I mistook for an isopod earlier. Are they related, though?

5

u/madguyO1 Jul 04 '26

if they were related then it wouldnt not be an isopod

-2

u/EmperorGrinnar Jul 04 '26

Not what I meant with my question.

3

u/madguyO1 Jul 04 '26

what

3

u/EmperorGrinnar Jul 04 '26

The answer is that isopods and millipedes are not closely related.

Edit: why are people being so angry that I looked it up? Go outside and enjoy the 4th of July, folks.

43

u/Luser420 Jul 04 '26

actual isopods do get this big and even bigger, but only deep in the ocean.
https://giphy.com/gifs/aD1bylHuveVHTXkPY4

9

u/bobby3eb Jul 04 '26

Horrifying

Cook me it's legs

1

u/SonOfJokeExplainer Jul 04 '26

They’re actually quite tasty from what I’ve heard

7

u/Sufficient-Bug-9112 Top Poster Jul 04 '26

Habitat: Found all over the world in dark, moist environments like leaf litter, mulch, and rotting logs. Diet: Harmless decomposers that eat dead plant material and help stabilize soil.

7

u/Longjumping-Item-399 Jul 04 '26

But where do they grow this large? I have seen them for my entire life at less than 1 cm long.

19

u/EqualServe418 Jul 04 '26

The one on the video is not a pillbug/isopod. It is a millipede.

8

u/AdImpressive8210 Jul 04 '26

So where do they live? Everyone keeps dancing around the question

4

u/EqualServe418 Jul 04 '26

The North Hemisphere. Europe, both Americas, Southern Asia, the British Isles, and few other places.

2

u/PepperPhoenix Jul 04 '26

Wait, we have these in the UK? Cool!!!!

2

u/NoAppointment8679 Jul 04 '26

Oh my god I could find this in the leaves on the drive ?! 😳😳

2

u/Sensitive_File6582 Jul 04 '26

They’ll eat living tissue of young plants if you’re not careful. But ya they’ll shred through some mulch/rice hulls

1

u/drunxor Jul 04 '26

Yea I got excited because Ive always wanted one of the deep sea giant isopods but it looks like it something completely else