| Parcoblatta lata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parcoblatta lata | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Family: | Ectobiidae |
| Genus: | Parcoblatta |
| Species: | P. lata |
| Binomial name | |
| Parcoblatta lata (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865) | |
| Synonyms | |
Parcoblatta lata, the broad wood cockroach, is a species of wood cockroach (family Ectobiidae) native to the United States. [2] It is one of the largest species of wood cockroaches. [3]
Both genders of P. lata are relatively large and robust for the genus. [4] The male dorsal coloration of the species is a glossy light brown or reddish brown, while the female is a darker brown. [5] The male's tegmina (outer forewings) extend well beyond the abdomen, and are wider than its pronotum. [4] The female's short tegmina end around the second dorsal segment, and are colored slightly lighter than the rest of the body. [4] [5] The female is wider than the male, [5] and has a much larger, more rounded pronotum. [6]
| Male [4] | Female [4] | |
|---|---|---|
| Body length | 17.5–21.5 mm (0.69–0.85 in) | 15.7–22.0 mm (0.62–0.87 in) |
| Pronotum length | 4.1–5.2 mm (0.16–0.20 in) | 4.8–6.2 mm (0.19–0.24 in) |
| Pronotum width | 5.4–6.7 mm (0.21–0.26 in) | 6.7–8.2 mm (0.26–0.32 in) |
| Tegmina length | 17.8–22.0 mm (0.70–0.87 in) | 5.9–8.0 mm (0.23–0.31 in) |
| Tegmina width | 5.2–6.8 mm (0.20–0.27 in) | 4.7–5.7 mm (0.19–0.22 in) |
The ootheca typically measures around 4 mm × 9 mm (0.16 in × 0.35 in), with its seam slightly curved, having a row of about 30 evenly spaced knobs.
The distribution of the species is the Eastern United States, including Alabama, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. [7]
As with many cockroaches, the female Parcoblatta lata emits pheromones to find mates, a process termed calling. [8] It assumes a characteristic calling posture by alternately raising its body upward from the ground by bending its body longitudinally, and lowering it downward by straightening its body. [8] P. lata produces volatile, long-distance pheromones, attracting the males which can fly to the female's location. The 12 species of the genus Parcoblatta are theorized to produce species-specific blends of pheromones, although there may be other species-isolating mechanisms of attraction such as time or location. [3] A main component of the pheromones of P. lata is an unusual lactone, (4Z,11Z)-oxacyclotrideca-4,11-dien-2-one. [3] [9] Discovered in 2011 and dubbed Parcoblattalactone, it is also found in other species of the genus Parcoblatta, and a synthetic version has been created for use in assessing Parcoblatta populations. [3]
P. lata commonly inhabit forests and grasslands. [10] They are endemic to pine forests of the southeastern US, [3] have been found in grassland and shrub communities in Kansas, [7] and have been found only in lowlying mesic hammocks in Florida. [7] [8]
The species has been reported indoors, at lights, and under wooden signs on trees. [11]
In an observational study of the species, it was observed to eat cambium, flower petals, and sap. [8] A survey of insects caught by the pitcher plant Saracenia flava included male specimens of four species of Parcoblatta, including P. lata, leading to speculation that the winged adults may seek nectar as a source of energy for flying. [8]
It is a methanogenic (methane-producing) species, a trait more common in the cockroach families Blaberidae and Blattinae than in the family Blatellidae. [12]
The species comprises more than half the biomass of the diet of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis). [3]
The Florida woods cockroach or palmetto bug is a large cockroach species which typically grows to a length of 30–40 mm (1.2–1.6 in). When alarmed, adults can eject an extremely foul-smelling directional spray up to 1 m, which inspired several of its other common names: Florida skunk roach, Florida stinkroach, skunk cockroach, skunk roach, stinking cockroach, and stinkroach. Two other naming variations include Florida cockroach and Florida woods roach.
The oriental cockroach, also known as the waterbug or black beetle, is a large species of cockroach, adult males being 18–29 mm (0.71–1.14 in) and adult females being 20–27 mm (0.79–1.06 in). It is dark brown or black in color and has a glossy body. The female has a somewhat different appearance from the male, appearing to be wingless at a casual glance, but is brachypterous, having non-functional wings just below her head. She has a wider body than the male. The male has long wings, which cover three quarters of the abdomen and are brown in color, and has a narrower body. Both of them are flightless. The female oriental cockroach looks somewhat similar to the Florida woods cockroach and may be mistaken for it. Originally endemic to the Crimean Peninsula and the region around the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, its distribution is now cosmopolitan.
The Pennsylvania wood cockroach or Pennsylvanian cockroach is a common species of cockroach in eastern and central North America.
Parcoblatta virginica, the Virginia wood cockroach, is a small cockroach species of the genus Parcoblatta, measuring about a centimeter long as an adult.
Parcoblatta fulvescens, the fulvous wood cockroach, is a species of cockroach endemic to the United States and possibly Canada that measures around 13 mm (0.5 in) long.
The giant burrowing cockroach is also known as the rhinoceros cockroach, and Queensland giant cockroach. These cockroaches are native to Australia and mostly found in tropical and subtropical parts of Queensland. They are the world's heaviest species of cockroach and can weigh up to 30-35 grams and measure up to 7.5-8 cm (3.1 in) in length. It is a member of the family Blaberidae, which contains hundreds of species. It is part of the blaberid subfamily Geoscapheinae. It is prominent in the wild and can also be sold and kept as a pet.
The death's head cockroach, Blaberus craniifer, 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.
Arenivaga is a genus of sand cockroaches, of the subfamily Corydiinae, in the family Corydiidae. These cockroaches live in sandy soils and dunes in the southwestern United States, Florida and Mexico. Arenivaga comes from the Latin arena meaning sand and vagus meaning wandering.
The Dubia roach, also known as the orange-spotted roach, Guyana spotted roach, or Argentinian wood roach, is a medium-sized species of cockroach which grows to around 40–45 mm (1.6–1.8 in).
Doru aculeatum, the spine-tailed earwig, is an insect in the family Forficulidae. This earwig is found in the woods and grassy areas of eastern North America and occurs at outdoor lights at night.
Cariblatta lutea is a small species of cockroach native to the United States and other countries, measuring usually around 7 millimeters long as an adult and under 2 millimeters from head tip to abdomen tip at the 1st instar or hatchling. It consists of two subspecies, the small yellow cockroach, and the least yellow cockroach.
Parcoblatta divisa, the southern wood cockroach, is a species of cockroach native to the United States.
Parcoblatta bolliana, Boll's wood cockroach or Boll's wood roach, is a small species of wood cockroach native to the United States, measuring around 11 mm (0.43 in) long.
Parcoblatta uhleriana, the Uhler's wood cockroach, is a species of Parcoblatta native to the United States and Canada. It is a forest species also found in disturbed and urban environments. The male of the species flies freely, while the female does not fly.
Parcoblatta caudelli, Caudell's wood cockroach or Caudell's wood roach, is a species of cockroach native to the United States.
Parcoblatta zebra, the banded wood cockroach, is a species of Parcoblatta native to the United States. It has dark transverse bands across the back of its abdomen.
Parcoblatta desertae, the desert wood cockroach or desert cockroach, is a species of Parcoblatta endemic to the United States state of Texas.
Parcoblatta americana, the western wood cockroach, is a species of wood cockroach that occurs in Mexico and the western United States.
Parcoblatta notha, the Arizona wood cockroach, is a species of wood cockroach that occurs only in the southwestern US state of Arizona. It is a relatively large, light colored member of the 12-species wood cockroach genus Parcoblatta. The male has fully developed wings and is able to fly, while the female wings are around half as long and does not fly.
Male glossy light brown dorsally and much narrower than the darker-brown female; the short wings of the latter slightly lighter in color than the rest of the body. 15.5-22.0 mm. Under loose bark of pine. Occasionally numerous.