| Lucihormetica verrucosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Family: | Blaberidae |
| Genus: | Lucihormetica |
| Species: | L. verrucosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Lucihormetica verrucosa (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865) [1] | |
Lucihormetica verrucosa is a species of giant cockroach in the family Blaberidae, commonly known as the warty glowspot cockroach. It is native to Venezuela and Colombia.
L. verrucosa grows to a length of about 4 cm (1.6 in) and is mainly black or dark brown with a white margin to the dorsal sclerites. It is sexually dimorphic, with males being slightly smaller than females and having a pair of large, usually yellow spots on the pronotum. [2] These are covered by a thin translucent cuticle and have traditionally been thought to be luminescent organs. [3] However researchers noticed that when in captivity these cockroaches were fed on carrots, the colour of the spots deepened to orange or even red. On closer examination the surface of the cuticle bears a number of small knobs each bearing a small mechanoreceptor. The upper surface of the spots is partially obscured by a pad of enlarged fat body cells which accumulate carotenoids on a diet of carrots. Insects are unable to synthesize carotenoids and the presence of orange or red spots may indicate a well-fed, fit individual. The researchers found no evidence of spontaneous light emission but hypothesized that the pigmented spots may play a part in male aggression or mate choice by the female, or may provide warning signals, [4] though autofluorescence has been documented, such that the spots will glow when exposed to ultraviolet light. [5]
L. verrucosa is native to Venezuela and Colombia. [2]
Both sexes of L. verrucosa have short wings but dwell on the ground and are reluctant to fly. It is mainly nocturnal and hides during the day. It is ovoviviparous, the female giving birth to about twenty dark-coloured nymphs 2 to 3 millimetres (0.079 to 0.118 in) long. [2]
Courtship usually starts with the male stimulating the female, first with his antennae then with his palps. He then pursues her, pushes her, tries to climb on her back and raises his wings. She may run away or she may allow herself to be pushed and starts palpating the male's abdomen with her palps, climbs on the male and allows him to grasp her genitalia, dismounts sideways and turns through 180° so that the pair are linked at the tip of the abdomen. Copulation usually lasts for about an hour. Not every courtship resulted in a mating, the female often turns away half way through, or may climb on the back of the male without proceeding to copulation. Unlike other cockroaches such as the Pacific beetle cockroach ( Diploptera punctata ) and the orange-headed cockroach ( Eublaberus posticus), the females are not receptive just after moulting and it is about twenty days later that they become receptive, by which time their cuticle is well-hardened. [4]
Giant cockroaches, or blaberids, are the second-largest cockroach family by number of species. 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.
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Blaberus discoidalis, commonly known as the discoid cockroach, tropical cockroach, West Indian leaf cockroach, false death's head cockroach, Haitian cockroach, and drummer, is a cockroach native to Central America of the "giant cockroach" family, Blaberidae.
The death's head cockroach is a species of cockroach belonging to the family Blaberidae. It is often confused with the discoid cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis, due to its similar appearance. It is distinguished by jet black cloak-like marking on its wings and a skull-shaped, amber/black marking on its pronotum. The name death's head comes from the markings on the top of the pronotum: "cranii", which is Latin for "of the head", and "fer", meaning "carry" or "carrier". Due to their unique appearance and certain characteristics, they make an easy to care for pet or display insect for entomologists and hobbyists.
Blaberus giganteus, the Central American giant cave cockroach or Brazilian cockroach, is a cockroach belonging to the family Blaberidae. One of the world's largest cockroaches, it is native to the warm parts of the Neotropical realm.
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Lucihormetica is a South American genus of giant cockroaches from the family Blaberidae, collectively referred to as glowspot cockroaches. It had been anecdotally reported that the thoracic spots of males are bioluminescent, but detailed research has conclusively demonstrated otherwise, although autofluorescence has been documented, such that the spots will glow when exposed to ultraviolet light. The genus includes both relatively common and rare species: For example, L. verrucosa is relatively common and sometimes kept in captivity, while eight of the remaining species only are known from a single specimen each.
Lucihormetica luckae is a species of giant cockroach (Blaberidae) from Ecuador.
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