Blattariae: India
Contents |
Faunal Diversity in India: Blattariae
This is an extract from FAUNAL DIVERSITY IN INDIA Edited by J. R. B. Alfred A. K. Das A. K. Sanyal. ENVIS Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta. 1998 ( J. R. B. Alfred was Director, Zoological Survey of India) |
Introduction
The members of the order Blattariae are commonly known as 'Cockroaches' The name 'Cockroach' has been derived from the Spanish word 'Cucaracha' They are brownish black or black in colour. Their bodies are strongly depressed and heads are mostly or completely covered above by large shield known as pronotum. They possess mandibulate mouth parts, variable filiform antennae, legs similar to each other, coxae large and close and tarsi 5 segmented. The wings may be present, reduced or absent; two pairs of wings differ in size and structure; the fore-wings are generally stronger, tough and elytra-like and the hind wings broad and membranous.
It needs to be mentiolll'd hl're that many workers include blattids in the order Dictyoptera and slll>0rd~r Blattaria. But Princis (1960; 1962-71) who has done outstanding work on the taxonomy and classification of this group has elevated the suborder Blattaria to order Blattarae and further classified this order into 4 suborders and 28 families. This classification is followed in the present communication.
Status Of The Taxon
Global and Indian Status
Global component of Blattariae comprises about 5,000 species under 398 genera in 28 families. Indian Blattarian diversity includes 186 species, spreading over 58 genera and 12 families under 4 suborders. The taxonomic work in India has been concentrated mainly on common and easily available blattids.
Distribution And Biological Diversity
The order Blattariae is divided into 4 suborders, namely, Polyphagoidea, Blaberoidea, Blattoidea and Epilamproidea. Taxonomy of many families of Blattariae is still in a confused state. There are only a few of taxonomists who have undertaken the studies on Indian Blattariae and, as a result, knowledge on this group is far from complete. The suborder Polyphagoidea includes 7 families, the Blaberoidea includes 15 families, the Blattoidea includes 2 families and the Epilamproidea includes 4 families. Even from our present limited knowledge, it is clear that blattids have adapted themselves to diverse habitats. For example, some of the species Blatta orientalis and Neostylopyga r!lOn/bifolia are semiaquatic (Shelford, 1909), some are found among fallen leaves, on the surface of the soil, under stones, under bark, in thick grass among low vegetation, debris and inside buildings; some species are cave dwellers and a few ilT<~myrmecophilous. Family Blaberidae which includes single Indian species CII/olampra irrorata occurs in forests of West Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Pondicheri. Family Polyphagidae also includes only a single species, Polyp!Ulga indica, occurring in India. Family Derocalymidae includes Psel/doglomeris glomeris, Tricoblatta sericea and T. himbertia'ta. These house hold pests are distributed in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Orissa, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Maharashtra, etc.
Family Blattidae includes Periplaneta americana, Homalosilpha I/stl/lata, Heberdina concina, Neostylopyga r!lOmbifolia. These are exclusively house hold pests, cosmopolitan in distribution and known to occur both in plains and hilly region. Paranallphoela indica and P. cl/rcllmdata are also common in India and widely distributed. These are woodland species and usually considered as pests although they do frequently invade summer houses and cottages in autumn. Some species of Epilampridae and Blattellidae, such as, Symploce biligata, Balta aClltiventris, Tlleganopteryx parol/la live near water and are reported to be capable of submerging. Blattella germmlica, so called 'German Cockroach' which seems to be native to certain drier parts of Africa, south of the Sahara, is now most widely distributed. The species under the genera Salganea and Panesthia are common in India and known to occur both in plains and hilly region mostly under the bark. These are more dominant in Andaman and Nicobar islands, Tamil Nadu, North-East India and West Bengal (Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts).
Introduced Species
There are not many introductions as far as cockroaches are concerned. But several species including some well known domestic pests species, e.g., Blatta orientalis, Periplaneta americana, Blat/ella germanica and B. !llImbertiana are readily distributed through human agency and have become established in different parts of India.
Endemicity
A total of 60 species belonging to the families Ectobidae (7 spp.), Blatellidae (13 spp.), Polyphagidae (1 sp.), Anaplectidae (1 sp.), Panesthideae (13 spp.), Epilampridae (15 spp.) , Archiblattidae (1 sp.) and Blattidae (19 spp.) are known to be endemic to this country.
Value
Blattariae are not having any consumptive use in India. But there are eight species of cockroaches which are eaten by tribal people of India. These are Periplaneta americana, Homalosilpha lIstlllata, Neostylopyga rhombifolia, Stictolampra plicata, Blattella germanica, Paranallplloeta cirCllmdata, Panesthia angllstipennis angllstipennis and Panesthia al1gllstipennis cognata. Recent investigations have shown that some of the cockroaches are potential sources of biomedical compounds. For example, Blatta orientalis is used in preparation of Homeopathic medicines, which is used in asthma.
Selected References
Kirby, W. F. 1904. A Synonymic catalogue of Orthoptera. Brit. Mils. nat. Hist., London 1: 1-501. Princis, K, 1960. Zur systematik der Blallarien. Eos Madrid, 36 : 427-449. Princis, K. 1964. Blallariae. PI. 6 : 174-281, in M Beier (ed.) Orlhopleromm calaloglls. Princis, K. 1969. Blallariae. Pt. 13 : 713-1038, in M Beier (ed.) Ortlwplerorllm eataloglls.
Roth, L. M. 1978. The genus Episymploee Bey Bienko. IV. Species from India, (Dictyoptera, Blallaria : Blallellidae). Ent. Seand., Supp!. 22 : 1-221. Roth, L. M. 1995. New species of Blattella and Neoloboptera from India and Burma (Dictyoptera : Blallaria : Blattellidea). Oriental Ins., 29 : 23-32.
Roth, L. M. 1995. The cockroach genera Hemilhyrsoeera Saussure and SympIoeodes Hebard (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae: Blattellinae). Invertebr. Taxon., 9: 959-1003. Shelford, R. 1909. Descriptions of some new genera and species of Blattellidea (Orth.) Deutsch. Ent. Zeitsehr. : 611-624.
