A genus of freshwater isopod crustaceans, commonly called water sowbugs, water lice, or aquatic pill bugs.
From Latin 'asellus' (woodlouse). The term dates back to classical times, with uncertain etymology but possibly connected to 'asina' (donkey) as a diminutive.
Asellus aquaticus, the most common water sowbug, has been used in hundreds of scientific studies to test how pollution affects aquatic life—they're like tiny aquatic lab rats!
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