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

thumb|right|[[Elliptorhina javanica with an ootheca]]

thumb|right|[[Gromphadorhina portentosa giving live birth]]

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:

  • Cape mountain cockroach – Aptera fusca
  • Dwarf cave cockroach – Blaberus atropos (syn. Blaberus fusca)
  • Death's head cockroach – Blaberus craniifer
  • False death's head cockroach – Blaberus discoidalis
  • Giant cave cockroach – Blaberus giganteus
  • Dubia cockroach – Blaptica dubia
  • Orange head cockroach – Eublaberus posticus
  • Glowspot cockroach – Lucihormetica verrucosa
  • Beetle cockroach – Diploptera punctata
  • Chrome cockroach – Gyna caffrorum
  • Cuban, or green banana cockroach – Panchlora nivea
  • Halloween hissing cockroach – Elliptorhina javanica
  • Wide-horned hissing cockroach – Gromphadorhina oblongonota
  • Madagascar hissing cockroach – Gromphadorhina portentosa
  • Speckled cockroach – Nauphoeta cinerea
  • Surinam cockroach – Pycnoscelus surinamensis
  • Australian wood cockroach – Panesthia spp. including P. cribrata
  • Giant burrowing cockroach – Macropanesthia rhinoceros
  • Emerald cockroach – Pseudoglomeris magnifica

Subfamilies and genera

The Cockroach Species File lists over 1260 species within 170 valid genera and 14 subfamilies.

Blaberinae

thumb|right|[[Blaberus giganteus]]

Auth.: Saussure, 1864; distribution: Americas

  1. Archimandrita Saussure, 1893
  2. Aspiduchus Rehn & Hebard, 1927
  3. Bionoblatta Rehn, 1940
  4. Blaberus Serville, 1831
  5. Blaptica Stål, 1874
  6. Byrsotria Stål, 1874
  7. Eublaberus Hebard, 1920
  8. Hemiblabera Saussure, 1893
  9. Hiereoblatta Rehn, 1937
  10. Hormetica Burmeister, 1838
  11. Hyporhicnoda Hebard, 1920
  12. Lucihormetica Zompro & Fritzsche, 1999
  13. Minablatta Rehn, 1940
  14. Monachoda Burmeister, 1838
  15. Monastria Saussure, 1864
  16. Neorhicnoda Grandcolas, 1992
  17. Oxycercus Bolívar, 1881
  18. Paradicta Grandcolas, 1992
  19. Parahormetica Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  20. Petasodes Saussure, 1864
  21. Phoetalia Stål, 1874
  22. Quadrihormetica Vidlicka, 2019
  23. Sibylloblatta Rehn, 1937
  24. Styphon Rehn, 1930

;Calolamprodinae Wang & Wang, 2023

  1. Calolamprodes Bey-Bienko, 1969 (India, China, Indochina)

;Diplopterinae

Distribution: SE Asia, Australia, N. America

  1. Diploptera Saussure, 1864

Epilamprinae

thumb|right|[[Aptera fusca]]

Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Americas, Africa, SE Asia, Australia

  1. Africalolampra Roth, 1995
  2. Alphelixia Roth, 1973
  3. Anisolampra Bey-Bienko, 1969
  4. Antioquita Hebard, 1933
  5. Aptera Saussure, 1864
  6. Apsidopis Saussure, 1895
  7. Ataxigamia Tepper, 1893
  8. Audreia Shelford, 1910
  9. Blepharodera Burmeister, 1838
  10. Brephallus Wang, Zhao, Li, Che & Wang, 2018
  11. Calolampra Saussure, 1893
  12. Capucinella Hebard, 1920
  13. Cariacasia Rehn, 1928
  14. Colapteroblatta Hebard, 1919
  15. Compsolampra Saussure, 1893
  16. Cyrtonotula Uvarov, 1939
  17. Dryadoblatta Rehn, 1930
  18. Decoralampra Lucañas, 2017
  19. Epilampra Burmeister, 1838
  20. Galiblatta Hebard, 1926
  21. Gurneya Roth, 1974
  22. Haanina Hebard, 1929
  23. Homalopteryx Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  24. Howintoniella Roth, 1981
  25. Indoapterolampra Anisyutkin, 2014
  26. Juxtacalolampra Roth, 1981
  27. Litopeltis Hebard, 1920
  28. Miroblatta Shelford, 1906
  29. Molytria Stål, 1874
  30. Morphna Shelford, 1910
  31. Notolampra Saussure, 1862
  32. Opisthoplatia Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  33. Orchidoeca Gurney & Roth, 1976
  34. Paracalolamprodes Anisyutkin, 2015
  35. Phlebonotus Saussure, 1862
  36. Phoraspis Serville, 1831
  37. Pinaconota Saussure, 1895
  38. Placoblatta Bey-Bienko, 1969
  39. Poeciloderrhis Stål, 1874
  40. Princisola Gurney & Roth, 1976
  41. Pseudophoraspis Kirby, 1903
  42. Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903
  43. Rhicnoda Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
  44. Stictolampra Hanitsch, 1930
  45. Thorax Saussure, 1862
  46. Ylangella Roth, 2002

Geoscapheinae

thumb|right|[[Macropanesthia rhinoceros]]

Distribution: Malesia, Australasia (not mainland Asia)

  1. Geoscapheus Tepper, 1893
  2. Macropanesthia Saussure, 1895
  3. Neogeoscapheus Roth, 1977
  4. Parapanesthia Roth, 1977

Gyninae

thumb|right|[[Gyna caffrorum]]

Distribution: Africa

  1. Alloblatta <small>Grandcolas, 1993</small>
  2. Gyna <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
  3. Paraprincisaria <small>Grandcolas, 1993</small>
  4. Princisaria <small>Kumar, 1975</small>
  5. Pseudocalolampra <small>Roth & Princis, 1971</small>

Oxyhaloinae

thumb|right|[[Gromphadorhina portentosa]]

Distribution: Africa – 3 tribes:

  • Gromphadorhini
  1. Aeluropoda <small>Butler, 1882</small>
  2. Ateloblatta <small>Saussure, 1891</small>
  3. Elliptorhina <small>van Herrewege, 1973</small>
  4. Gromphadorhina <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
  5. Leozehntnera <small>van Herrewege, 1975</small>
  6. Princisia <small>van Herrewege, 1973</small>
  • Nauphoetini
  1. Griffiniella <small>Karny, 1908</small>
  2. Henschoutedenia <small>Princis, 1954</small>
  3. Jagrehnia <small>Princis, 1954</small>
  4. Nauphoeta <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
  5. Rhyparobia <small>Krauss, 1892</small>
  6. Simandoa <small>Roth & Naskrecki, 2004</small>
  • Oxyhaloini
  1. Oxyhaloa <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
  • Incertae sedis
  1. Brachynauphoeta <small>van Herrewege, 1975</small>
  2. Coleoblatta <small>Hanitsch, 1950</small>
  3. Heminauphoeta <small>Saussure, 1891</small>
  4. Pronauphoeta <small>Shelford, 1909</small>

Panchlorinae

Distribution: Americas, Africa

  1. Achroblatta <small>Saussure, 1893</small>
  2. Anchoblatta <small>Shelford, 1909</small>
  3. Biolleya <small>Saussure, 1897</small>
  4. Panchlora <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
  5. Pelloblatta <small>Rehn, 1903</small>

Panesthiinae

thumb|right|[[Panesthia sp.]]

Distribution: Madagascar, India, China, SE Asia through to Australia

  1. Ancaudellia <small>Shaw, 1925</small>
  2. Annamoblatta <small>Sergeev, 1984</small> - monotypic Annamoblatta vietnamica <small>Sergeev</small>
  3. Caeparia <small>Stål, 1877</small>
  4. Microdina <small>Kirby, 1903</small>
  5. Miopanesthia <small>Saussure, 1895</small>
  6. Panesthia <small>Serville, 1831</small>
  7. Salganea <small>Stål, 1877</small>

;Paranauphoetinae Rehn, 1951

  1. Paranauphoeta Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865 (India, China, Indochina, Malesia, New Guinea)

Perisphaerinae

thumb|right|[[Corydidarum magnifica]]

Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Africa, SE Asia, Australia

  1. Bantua <small>Shelford, 1908</small>
  2. Compsagis <small>Chopard, 1952</small>
  3. Corydidarum <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small><br/>(= Trichoblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>)
  4. Cyrtotria <small>Stål, 1871</small>
  5. Derocalymma <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
  6. Ellipsica <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
  7. Elliptoblatta <small>Saussure, 1891</small>
  8. Gymnonyx <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
  9. Hostilia (cockroach) <small>Stål, 1871</small>
  10. Hyposphaeria <small>Lucas, 1863</small> (many synonyms)
  11. Laxta <small>Walker, 1868</small>
  12. Neolaxta <small>Mackerras, 1968</small>
  13. Perisphaerus <small>Serville, 1831</small><br/>(= Perisphaera [sic] <small>Serville</small>)
  14. Pilema <small>Saussure, 1873</small>
  15. Platysilpha <small>Shelford, 1908</small>
  16. Poeciloblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
  17. Pseudoglomeris <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893</small>
  18. Zuluia <small>Rehn, 1922</small>

Pycnoscelinae

thumb|right|Pycnoscelus indicus

Distribution: SE Asia & S. America

  1. Proscratea <small>Burmeister, 1838</small> - S. America
  2. Pycnoscelus <small>Scudder, 1862</small>
  3. Stilpnoblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>

;Rhabdoblattellinae Wang & Wang, 2023

  1. Rhabdoblattella <small>Anisyutkin, 1999</small> (China, Indochina)

Zetoborinae

thumb|right|Schizopilia fissicollis

Distribution: Central & S. America

  1. Alvarengaia <small>Rocha e Silva & Aguiar, 1977</small>
  2. Capucina <small>Saussure, 1893</small>
  3. Lanxoblatta <small>Hebard, 1931</small>
  4. Parasphaeria <small>Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865</small>
  5. Phortioeca <small>Saussure, 1862</small>
  6. Phortioecoides <small>Rehn, 1937</small>
  7. Schistopeltis <small>Rehn, 1916</small>
  8. Schizopilia <small>Saussure, 1864</small>
  9. Schultesia (cockroach) <small>Roth, 1973</small>
  10. Thanatophyllum <small>Grandcolas, 1991</small>
  11. Tribonium <small>Saussure, 1862</small>
  12. Tribonoidea <small>Shelford, 1908</small>
  13. Zetobora <small>Burmeister, 1838</small>
  14. Zetoborella <small>Hebard, 1921</small>

Genera Incertae sedis

  1. Apotrogia <small>Kirby, 1900</small>
  2. Cacoblatta <small>Saussure, 1893</small>
  3. Derocardia <small>Saussure, 1895</small>
  4. Diplopterina <small>Princis, 1963</small> (W. Africa)
  5. Elfridaia <small>Shaw, 1925</small>
  6. Eustegasta <small>Gerstaecker, 1883</small>
  7. Evea (cockroach) <small>Shelford, 1909</small>
  8. Glyptopeltis <small>Saussure, 1873</small>
  9. Gynopeltis <small>Gerstaecker, 1869</small>
  10. Hedaia <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
  11. Isoniscus <small>Borg, 1902</small>
  12. Kemneria <small>Princis, 1946</small>
  13. Mesoblaberus <small>Princis, 1951</small>
  14. Mioblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
  15. Paraplecta <small>Shelford, 1907</small>
  16. Phenacisma <small>Karsch, 1896</small>
  17. Progonogamia <small>Rehn, 1922</small>
  18. Pseudogyna <small>Shelford, 1909</small>
  19. Pseudoplatia <small>Hanitsch, 1930</small>
  20. Stictomorphna <small>Bruijning, 1948</small>
  21. Thliptoblatta <small>Saussure & Zehntner, 1895</small>
  22. 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