Soil invertebrates harbour a complex microbial community in their intestinal system. The
total number of microbes in the hindgut of soil invertebrates can reach a titre of 1011 ml− 1 …

The digestive system of the malacostracan crustaceans, namely the decapods, isopods,
amphipods and mysids, is among the most complex organ systems of the animal kingdom …

Terrestrial isopods (Oniscidea) are the most successful crustacean colonizers of land
habitats. From an evolutionary point of view, they are excellent examples of model …

Pointed, rod-shaped bacteria colonizing the cuticular surface of the hindgut of the terrestrial
isopod crustacean Porcellio scaber (Crustacea: Isopoda) were investigated by comparative …

Most deep-ocean life relies on organic carbon from the surface ocean. While settling primary
production rapidly attenuates in the water column, pulses of organic material can be quickly …

Background Isopods constitute a particular group of crustaceans that has successfully
colonized all environments including marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Their ability …

Saprophagous macroarthropods are important actors in litter decomposition as they process
large amounts of litter and transform it into fecal pellets that differ in chemical and physical …

Animals assimilate macronutrients and mineral nutrients in specific quantities and ratios to
maximise fitness. To achieve this, animals must ingest different foods that contain the …

In this review the evolution of modern termites from the detritus-feeding common ancestor of
termites and wood-feeding cockroaches is reconstructed as a stepwise process, driven by …

Feeding on plant material is common among animals, but how different animals overcome
the dietary deficiencies imposed by this feeding strategy is not well understood …