Latest revision as of 17:57, 24 March 2026

[edit] A

[edit] Dictyoptera Blattaria

[edit] Introduction

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The name 'Cockroach' has been derived from Spanish. Cucaracha. From the geological aspect they constitute a very Qld order, many genera and species having existed as early as the Carboniferous and Permian. This ancient group of insect is source of origin of the majority of Hemimetabolous orders, which can fold their wings at rest and is further characterised by a jugal field with many veins, and usually possessing many Malpighian tubules.

Cockroaches are placed within the Order Dictyoptera. Dictyoptera means dictyon, a network; pteron, a wing. Most cockroaches are moderately large insects, even though some species measure only 5 mm in length. The body is strongly depressed and the abdomen bears two caudal appendages. Besides this, males have two further appendages. They are brown or brownish -black in general colour. The head is bent 'downward and covered by a shield -like pronotum. The mouthparts are fonned for chewing. The antennae are long and many -jointed. They are usually four winged, though some species may be wingless.

They are more fully developed in the males; in the females they may be reduced or absent The two pairs of wings differ in size and structure. The fore-wings are generally stronger, tough and elytra-like, the hind wings broad and membranous. They are not used much for tlight, however, for cockroaches fly only short distances, the chief organs of locomotion .being the legs which have greatly developed coxae and five-jointed tarsi.. The metamorphosis is incomplete. The eggs are enclosed in characteristic purse-like Oothecae which the females carry at the end of the abdomen often for severa} days until they find a place to conceal the capsule.

The members of this group have economic and medical importance. This topic falls under three beadings (1) Consumption of human food stuffs or crops, (2) Vectors of disease or parasitic organisms of man or domestic animals, (3) Spoilation of food and nuisance value in houses and buildings as a troublesome pest. There are a number of records of cockroaches causing damage to plants by eating roots or flowers of the plants. Cockroaches feed upon the bark oftrees or fruits. P. surinamensis (L) is the most often cited species causing massive destruction of tobacco plants, according to Roeser (1940). The importance of cockroaches as vectors of vertebrate pathogens is well known.

[edit] Classification

The higher classification of the Order poses certain difficulties according to Rehn (1951). The modern classification centre round the work of Chopard (1938), Princis (1962-65), Rehn (1951) and Mckittrick (1964), whose main interest were directed towards living forms. Princis (1951¬1971) reviewed many aspects of cockroach taxonomy. According to Mckittrick, Rehn and Princis have developed separate classifications solely on the ground of skeletal characters of different groups and therefore he attempted to employ skeletal, myological and behavioural inform~tions on the elucidation of systematic relationships. Roth's contribution is mainly based on applied work in this group. Princis divided Indian Blattids into 14 families and 8 subfamilies.

[edit] Historical Resume

Earlier workers like Saussure (1863-1896), Brunner (1865-1893), Walker (1868, 1871), Kirby (1903, 1904), Chopard (1921, 1924) and in recent years, •Rehn (1903, 1951), Bey-Bienko (1938, 1950, 1957, 1965,1969), Mckittrick (1964-1965), Asahina (1955,1964), Princis (1951,1971) and Roth (1952, 1986) have described a number of species. As a result of above studies a total of about 4,200 species are recorded from all over the world, out of these 156 species are found in India.

[edit] Studies from Different Environs

Cockroaches thrive best in tropical and subtropical climates and are introduced throughout the world through transportation of commercial products. District-wise distribution of Indian species is not yet fully known, except for Orissa and West Bengal.

Blattids are known to occur in almost all the major ecosystems in India. Although general faunistic surveys have been made by scientists of Z.S.I. from various parts of the country, still further more explorations are needed for obtaining comprehensive knowledge on the group. Recently the Zoological Survey of India has undertaken the project of preparing 'State Fauna' of different States of India and the Blattid Fauna of Orissa and West Bengal are outcome of such studies.

[edit] Expertise India

[edit] In ZSI

K.P. Mukherjee, Z.S.I., 'M' Block, New Alipore, Calcutta-700053.

[edit] Abroad

L.M. Roth, Pioneering Research Division, U.S. Army Natick Laboratories, Natick, Massachu. 01760 (U.S.A). Syaziro Asahina, National Institute of Health, Tokyo (Japan).

[edit] Selected References

Kirby, W.F. 1904. Syn. Cat. brth. London, 1 : 61-205.

Princes, K. 1951-1971. Orthopterorum Catalogue, Part 3 : 1-74; Part 4 : 75-172; Part 6 : 173¬281; Part 7 : 282-400; Part 8 : 401-614; Part 11 : 615-710; Part 13 : 711-1040; Part 14 : 1041-1224.

Rehn, J.W.H. 1951. Classification of the Blattaria as indicated by their wings. Mem. Amer. Ent. Soc., No. 14 : 1-134, 12 pIs.

[edit] B

[edit] Faunal Diversity in India: Blattariae

[edit] 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.

[edit] Status Of The Taxon

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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).

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.