Giant cockroaches, or blaberids (family Blaberidae), 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.
Description
They are the only ovoviviparous cockroach family. 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. 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
Notable species within this family include:
Subfamilies and genera
The Cockroach Species File lists over 1260 species within 170 valid genera and 14 subfamilies.
Blaberinae
Auth.: Saussure, 1864; distribution: Americas
- Archimandrita Saussure, 1893
- Aspiduchus Rehn & Hebard, 1927
- Bionoblatta Rehn, 1940
- Blaberus Serville, 1831
- Blaptica StÃÂ¥l, 1874
- Byrsotria StÃÂ¥l, 1874
- Eublaberus Hebard, 1920
- Hemiblabera Saussure, 1893
- Hiereoblatta Rehn, 1937
- Hormetica Burmeister, 1838
- Hyporhicnoda Hebard, 1920
- Lucihormetica Zompro & Fritzsche, 1999
- Minablatta Rehn, 1940
- Monachoda Burmeister, 1838
- Monastria Saussure, 1864
- Neorhicnoda Grandcolas, 1992
- Oxycercus BolÃÂvar, 1881
- Paradicta Grandcolas, 1992
- Parahormetica Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
- Petasodes Saussure, 1864
- Phoetalia StÃÂ¥l, 1874
- Quadrihormetica Vidlicka, 2019
- Sibylloblatta Rehn, 1937
- Styphon Rehn, 1930
Calolamprodinae Wang & Wang, 2023
- Calolamprodes Bey-Bienko, 1969 (India, China, Indochina)
Diplopterinae
Distribution: SE Asia, Australia, N. America
- Diploptera Saussure, 1864
Epilamprinae
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Americas, Africa, SE Asia, Australia
- Africalolampra Roth, 1995
- Alphelixia Roth, 1973
- Anisolampra Bey-Bienko, 1969
- Antioquita Hebard, 1933
- Aptera Saussure, 1864
- Apsidopis Saussure, 1895
- Ataxigamia Tepper, 1893
- Audreia Shelford, 1910
- Blepharodera Burmeister, 1838
- Brephallus Wang, Zhao, Li, Che & Wang, 2018
- Calolampra Saussure, 1893
- Capucinella Hebard, 1920
- Cariacasia Rehn, 1928
- Colapteroblatta Hebard, 1919
- Compsolampra Saussure, 1893
- Cyrtonotula Uvarov, 1939
- Dryadoblatta Rehn, 1930
- Decoralampra Lucañas, 2017
- Epilampra Burmeister, 1838
- Galiblatta Hebard, 1926
- Gurneya Roth, 1974
- Haanina Hebard, 1929
- Homalopteryx Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
- Howintoniella Roth, 1981
- Indoapterolampra Anisyutkin, 2014
- Juxtacalolampra Roth, 1981
- Litopeltis Hebard, 1920
- Miroblatta Shelford, 1906
- Molytria StÃÂ¥l, 1874
- Morphna Shelford, 1910
- Notolampra Saussure, 1862
- Opisthoplatia Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
- Orchidoeca Gurney & Roth, 1976
- Paracalolamprodes Anisyutkin, 2015
- Phlebonotus Saussure, 1862
- Phoraspis Serville, 1831
- Pinaconota Saussure, 1895
- Placoblatta Bey-Bienko, 1969
- Poeciloderrhis StÃÂ¥l, 1874
- Princisola Gurney & Roth, 1976
- Pseudophoraspis Kirby, 1903
- Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903
- Rhicnoda Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
- Stictolampra Hanitsch, 1930
- Thorax Saussure, 1862
- Ylangella Roth, 2002
Geoscapheinae
Distribution: Malesia, Australasia (not mainland Asia)
- Geoscapheus Tepper, 1893
- Macropanesthia Saussure, 1895
- Neogeoscapheus Roth, 1977
- Parapanesthia Roth, 1977
Gyninae
Distribution: Africa
- Alloblatta <small>Grandcolas, 1993</small>
- Gyna <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
- Paraprincisaria <small>Grandcolas, 1993</small>
- Princisaria <small>Kumar, 1975</small>
- Pseudocalolampra <small>Roth & Princis, 1971</small>
Oxyhaloinae
Distribution: Africa â 3 tribes:
- Aeluropoda <small>Butler, 1882</small>
- Ateloblatta <small>Saussure, 1891</small>
- Elliptorhina <small>van Herrewege, 1973</small>
- Gromphadorhina <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
- Leozehntnera <small>van Herrewege, 1975</small>
- Princisia <small>van Herrewege, 1973</small>
- Griffiniella <small>Karny, 1908</small>
- Henschoutedenia <small>Princis, 1954</small>
- Jagrehnia <small>Princis, 1954</small>
- Nauphoeta <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
- Rhyparobia <small>Krauss, 1892</small>
- Simandoa <small>Roth & Naskrecki, 2004</small>
- Oxyhaloa <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
- Brachynauphoeta <small>van Herrewege, 1975</small>
- Coleoblatta <small>Hanitsch, 1950</small>
- Heminauphoeta <small>Saussure, 1891</small>
- Pronauphoeta <small>Shelford, 1909</small>
Panchlorinae
Distribution: Americas, Africa
- Achroblatta <small>Saussure, 1893</small>
- Anchoblatta <small>Shelford, 1909</small>
- Biolleya <small>Saussure, 1897</small>
- Panchlora <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
- Pelloblatta <small>Rehn, 1903</small>
Distribution: Madagascar, India, China, SE Asia through to Australia
- Ancaudellia <small>Shaw, 1925</small>
- Annamoblatta <small>Sergeev, 1984</small> - monotypic Annamoblatta vietnamica <small>Sergeev</small>
- Caeparia <small>StÃÂ¥l, 1877</small>
- Microdina <small>Kirby, 1903</small>
- Miopanesthia <small>Saussure, 1895</small>
- Panesthia <small>Serville, 1831</small>
- Salganea <small>StÃÂ¥l, 1877</small>
Paranauphoetinae Rehn, 1951
- Paranauphoeta Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865 (India, China, Indochina, Malesia, New Guinea)
Perisphaerinae
Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Africa, SE Asia, Australia
- Bantua <small>Shelford, 1908</small>
- Compsagis <small>Chopard, 1952</small>
- Corydidarum <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small><br/>(= Trichoblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>)
- Cyrtotria <small>StÃÂ¥l, 1871</small>
- Derocalymma <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
- Ellipsica <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
- Elliptoblatta <small>Saussure, 1891</small>
- Gymnonyx <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
- Hostilia (cockroach) <small>StÃÂ¥l, 1871</small>
- Hyposphaeria <small>Lucas, 1863</small> (many synonyms)
- Laxta <small>Walker, 1868</small>
- Neolaxta <small>Mackerras, 1968</small>
- Perisphaerus <small>Serville, 1831</small><br/>(= Perisphaera [sic] <small>Serville</small>)
- Pilema <small>Saussure, 1873</small>
- Platysilpha <small>Shelford, 1908</small>
- Poeciloblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
- Pseudoglomeris <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893</small>
- Zuluia <small>Rehn, 1922</small>
Pycnoscelinae
Distribution: SE Asia & S. America
- Proscratea <small>Burmeister, 1838</small> - S. America
- Pycnoscelus <small>Scudder, 1862</small>
- Stilpnoblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
Rhabdoblattellinae Wang & Wang, 2023
- Rhabdoblattella <small>Anisyutkin, 1999</small> (China, Indochina)
Zetoborinae
Distribution: Central & S. America
- Alvarengaia <small>Rocha e Silva & Aguiar, 1977</small>
- Capucina <small>Saussure, 1893</small>
- Lanxoblatta <small>Hebard, 1931</small>
- Parasphaeria <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
- Phortioeca <small>Saussure, 1862</small>
- Phortioecoides <small>Rehn, 1937</small>
- Schistopeltis <small>Rehn, 1916</small>
- Schizopilia <small>Saussure, 1864</small>
- Schultesia (cockroach) <small>Roth, 1973</small>
- Thanatophyllum <small>Grandcolas, 1991</small>
- Tribonium <small>Saussure, 1862</small>
- Tribonoidea <small>Shelford, 1908</small>
- Zetobora <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
- Zetoborella <small>Hebard, 1921</small>
Genera Incertae sedis
- Apotrogia <small>Kirby, 1900</small>
- Cacoblatta <small>Saussure, 1893</small>
- Derocardia <small>Saussure, 1895</small>
- Diplopterina <small>Princis, 1963</small> (W. Africa)
- Elfridaia <small>Shaw, 1925</small>
- Eustegasta <small>Gerstaecker, 1883</small>
- Evea (cockroach) <small>Shelford, 1909</small>
- Glyptopeltis <small>Saussure, 1873</small>
- Gynopeltis <small>Gerstaecker, 1869</small>
- Hedaia <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
- Isoniscus <small>Borg, 1902</small>
- Kemneria <small>Princis, 1946</small>
- Mesoblaberus <small>Princis, 1951</small>
- Mioblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
- Paraplecta <small>Shelford, 1907</small>
- Phenacisma <small>Karsch, 1896</small>
- Progonogamia <small>Rehn, 1922</small>
- Pseudogyna <small>Shelford, 1909</small>
- Pseudoplatia <small>Hanitsch, 1930</small>
- Stictomorphna <small>Bruijning, 1948</small>
- Thliptoblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
- Thoracopygia <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
Taxonomy note
Among the genera of uncertain subfamily, Eustegasta, Isoniscus and Poeciloderrhis have been removed from subfamily Perisphaerinae.
References
External links