Blattidae

Definition

A family of cockroaches in the order Blattodea comprising several of the most familiar domestic and peridomestic species. Members are typically medium to large in size, with well-developed wings in most adults, and include the cosmopolitan pests Periplaneta americana (American cockroach) and Blatta orientalis (Oriental cockroach), as well as numerous outdoor-dwelling and cave-inhabiting species. The family is distinguished from the closely related Ectobiidae (formerly Blattellidae) by generally larger body size and different male genitalia structure.

Etymology

From Blatta (type genus, Latin for 'cockroach') + -idae (family suffix)

Example

The Blattidae includes both the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), a major pest of sewers and food-handling facilities worldwide, and the Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis), which prefers cooler, damp environments such as basements and crawl spaces.

Related Terms

• Blattodea
• Ectobiidae
• Periplaneta
• Blatta
• cockroach
• Dictyoptera
• Polyneoptera

Usage Notes

Blattidae is one of two major cockroach families commonly encountered; specialists distinguish it from Ectobiidae by size (generally larger), habitat preference (more often domestic or peridomestic), and male genitalic characters. The family contains approximately 40 genera and 600 species, though the exact composition varies among classifications. Some authorities include subfamilies Archiblattinae, Blattinae, Macrocercinae, and Polyzosteriinae.