It was endemic to the thermal water of Sedillo Spring, located in Socorro County, New Mexico.

[4] As of 2006, it resides in captive populations at the Socorro Isopod Propagation Facility (SIPF), Albuquerque Biological Park (ABP), the Minnesota Zoo, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Laboratory in Santa Fe, and by the Department of Biology at New Mexico Tech.

The wild population became extinct when a tree root burst the pipe and cut off water flow to the concrete pools.

[3] The body size of the Socorro isopod is sexually dimorphic, varying noticeably depending on gender.

[3] Both sexes are gray to reddish-brown in color, with the edges of their bodies being tinted bright orange.

During the timespan between March and October, the mean body size for both males and females increases.

Some females won't sexually mature at all because they will reabsorb their ovaries, the reason this might happen is unknown.

[5][6] Given adequate food and proper temperature conditions they can give birth every two months.

[8] Sometimes pregnant females won't give birth because they reabsorb their unborn offspring.

During assessment, the male grabs onto a female and moves his legs across her body for less than 15 seconds.

This could help females to increase reproductive success, making large males more attractive.

[3] The smaller juveniles and adult females are commonly found residing on vegetation.

Meanwhile, adult males are commonly found living directly on the bottom sediments.

In 1988, a tree root caused the pipeline to burst, resulting in the extinction of the wild population.

The ABP also houses 300 individuals in 5 large tanks that continually reproduce and are self-sustaining.

[3] The city of Socorro, in collaboration with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the NMDGF, constructed the SIPF.

This disruption results from woody root growth, surface mining, explosive tests on nearby Department of Defense lands, and human vandalism.

To protect against future drought harming the isopod, water was diverted to the SIPF outside the city.

ABP also houses 300 individuals in 5 large tanks that continually reproduce and are self-sustaining.

They are held in the SIPF, which was constructed as a collaboration between the city of Socorro, the USFWS, and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.