Giant cockroaches | |
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Adults and subadults of Blaberus craniifer – the death's head cockroach | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Blattodea |
Superfamily: | Blaberoidea |
Family: | Blaberidae Saussure, 1864 |
Genera | |
Synonyms | |
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Giant cockroaches, or blaberids (family Blaberidae), are the second-largest cockroach family by number of species. [1] Mostly distributed in warmer climates worldwide, this family is based on the American genus Blaberus , but much of the diversity is also found in Africa and Asia.
They are the only ovoviviparous cockroach family. [2] [3] The ootheca is seen very briefly before being retracted into the body, where soon after the young nymphs hatch inside, the female gives live birth. The cerci are smaller compared to other families, and most of the time are covered by wings. [4] They're mostly found in caves, rotting logs or buried under leaf litter. Many are often kept as pets or as feeder insects, such as Blaberus , Gromphadorhina or Macropanesthia .
Notable species within this family include:
The Cockroach Species File lists over 1260 species within 170 valid genera and 14 subfamilies. [5]
Auth.: Saussure, 1864; distribution: Americas
Distribution: SE Asia, Australia, N. America
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Americas, Africa, SE Asia, Australia
Distribution: Malesia, Australasia (not mainland Asia)
Distribution: Africa
Distribution: Africa – 3 tribes:
Distribution: Americas, Africa
Distribution: Madagascar, India, China, SE Asia through to Australia [6]
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Africa, SE Asia, Australia [7] [8]
Distribution: SE Asia & S. America
Distribution: Central & S. America
Among the genera of uncertain subfamily, Eustegasta , Isoniscus and Poeciloderrhis [9] have been removed from subfamily Perisphaerinae. [7]
Blattidae is a cockroach family in the order Blattodea containing several of the most common household cockroaches. Notable species include:
Ectobiidae is a family of the order Blattodea (cockroaches). This family contains many of the smaller common household pest cockroaches, among others. They are sometimes called wood cockroaches. A few notable species include:
Corydiidae, previously known as Polyphagidae, is a family of the order Blattodea (cockroaches). Many are known as sand cockroaches. The family is divided into five subfamilies, comprising some 40 genera. One prominent species is the desert cockroach, Arenivaga investigata.
The Phaneropterinae, the sickle-bearing bush crickets or leaf katydids, are a subfamily of insects within the family Tettigoniidae. Nearly 2,060 species in 85 genera throughout the world are known. They are also known as false katydids or round-headed katydids.
Panchlora is a genus of cockroaches in the subfamily Panchlorinae, erected by Hermann Burmeister in 1838. Species are mostly found in the Americas and Africa. Most species in this genus are green in colour, but some are cream or grey.
Neostylopyga is a genus of cockroaches described by Robert Walter Campbell Shelford in 1911.
The Pseudophyllodromiinae are a subfamily of cockroaches, in the family Ectobiidae, with a world-wide distribution.
Epilampra is a genus of cockroach in the family Blaberidae. There are more than 70 described species in the genus Epilampra.
Symploce is a genus of cockroach in the family Ectobiidae.
Chorisoneura is a genus of cockroach in the family Ectobiidae. There are at least 90 described species in Chorisoneura.
Ischnoptera is a genus of cockroach in the family Ectobiidae.
Pseudomops is a genus of cockroach in the family Ectobiidae. There are more than 40 described species in Pseudomops.
Salganea is a genus of South East Asian cockroaches in the subfamily Panesthiinae, erected by Carl Stål in 1877.
Rhabdoblatta is a genus of cockroaches in the subfamily Epilamprinae. Species have been recorded from Africa, East, Southeast and South Asia.
Balta is a genus of cockroaches in the sub family Pseudophyllodromiinae. Found in Asia, Africa, Australia and Oceania. The genus was created in 1893 by Johann Tepper.
Anaplecta is a genus in the family Anaplectidae. There are at least 20 described species in Anaplecta.
Panesthia is a large genus of burrowing giant cockroach in the subfamily Panesthiinae. It is subsocial and its species are mainly found in Southeast Asia, coastal East Asia, Australasia, and Indo-Malaysia.
Paratropes is a genus of cockroaches within the family Ectobiidae. There are currently 14 species assigned to the genus. Members of this genus are distributed across North and South America in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Peru.
Allacta is a genus of SE Asian and Australian cockroaches in the subfamily Pseudophyllodromiinae.
Paranauphoeta is a genus of South East Asian cockroaches in the family Blaberidae and the monotypic subfamily ParanauphoetinaeRehn, 1951, erected by Carl Brunner von Wattenwyl in 1865. Species records are from India, China, Indochina, Malesia and New Guinea.