Exotic Invertebrate Encyclopedia — 70 Species Directory

One of the world's largest millipedes, reaching 30cm+. Slow-moving with many legs. Non-venomous and docile — popular as a handleable exotic. Detritivore eating decaying matter.

A large South American species admired for its greenish legs and antennae. It reaches close to 20 cm, is fast and defensive, and its bite is painful, suiting experienced keepers.

A large, hardy millipede from eastern North America with a brown body ringed in red, and a gentle detritivore that is one of the best beginner species.

An arboreal beauty from Martinique that shifts from blue slings to an iridescent green-red-violet adult. Requires a careful balance of humidity and ventilation, making it an intermediate species.

A North American desert terrestrial species clad in pale blonde hair. Very docile, drought-hardy and long-lived, though famously slow-growing.

A large glossy-black scorpion from Southeast Asian rainforests. Its venom is mild (bee-sting-like) but it is defensive with powerful pincers, and it thrives in high humidity.

A medium-sized Southeast Asian species prized for the bluish bands ringing its dark body; gentle and slow-moving but sensitive to temperature swings and needing steady warmth and humidity, so better suited to keepers with some experience.

A Japanese centipede named for its bluish-tinged head, somewhat smaller than the Japanese giant centipede. It is quick and defensive, with a painful bite.

A Spanish isopod popular for its contrasting patterning. It prefers drier, calcium-rich setups; fast but a harmless detritivore with no bite or venom.

A South American terrestrial species cloaked in jet-black velvety hair. Prized for its calm temperament and rich color, it is hardy and long-lived.

A Brazilian terrestrial species with a jewel-like body that glows blue at the right angle. Fairly hardy but prefers moderate humidity; an attractive intermediate species with urticating hairs.

One of the largest terrestrial tarantulas, dark-bodied with salmon-pink hairs. Fast-growing and a voracious eater, but somewhat defensive and quick to flick urticating hairs.

A small Caribbean species whose yellow-and-black banding recalls a bumblebee, compact and readily breeding in colonies, ideal as a starter millipede.

One of the world's largest spiders, a massive reddish-brown terrestrial species. It bears especially potent urticating hairs and demands high humidity, making it an advanced keeper's species.

A fast desert predator belonging to its own order (Solifugae), neither spider nor scorpion. It lacks venom but has powerful chelicerae that can deliver a strong pinch; very fast and notoriously difficult to keep.

A large South American terrestrial species with golden knee stripes on a dark body. Docile, showy and a relatively quick grower, making it a popular larger beginner species.

A Chilean terrestrial species with a soft rose tint. Tolerant of dry conditions, long-lived and one of the oldest classic beginner tarantulas.

A South American arboreal species with a dark body and pink toe tips. Relatively calm and a popular first arboreal, though it needs attention to ventilation and humidity.

A Central American terrestrial species covered in distinctive curly, gold-tipped hairs. Very hardy, docile and fast-growing, it is a widely recommended beginner tarantula.

A popular morph of Porcellio laevis whose black-on-white markings recall a dairy cow. Fast-growing, prolific, and hardy, it is great for beginners and an excellent harmless clean-up crew.

A popular spotted morph of Porcellio scaber resembling a Dalmatian dog. Hardy and easy to breed, it is a harmless detritivore widely kept as clean-up crew.

A pale yellow scorpion from the arid regions of North Africa and the Middle East, with some of the most potent neurotoxic venom of any scorpion. Medically significant and potentially lethal; for experts only.

A large scorpion from the deserts of the southwestern US, named for the sensory hairs covering its body. Venom is mild (bee-sting-like) but it needs dry, deep burrowing substrate.

A tiny white isopod that reproduces parthenogenetically and multiplies rapidly. A staple microfauna clean-up crew and feeder culture; a harmless detritivore with no bite or venom.