Instead of lungs or spiracles, they use modified gill-like structures called pleopods.
The signature "roll" (scientifically called conglobation) is a defensive behavior that protects their soft undersides from predators and prevents their breathing organs from drying out. Ecological Importance Roly-polies play a vital role as nature's "composters": Roly-Poly
Remarkably, they can tolerate and remove heavy metal pollutants like lead, arsenic, and cadmium from the soil, crystallizing these toxins in their gut. Instead of lungs or spiracles, they use modified