Parcoblatta desertae
Rehn & Hebard, 1909
Desert Wood Cockroach, Desert Cockroach
Parcoblatta desertae is a of wood to Texas, where it inhabits desert and semi-desert mountainous regions. The species exhibits pronounced in wing development: males possess fully developed tegmina and functional wings, while females have reduced tegmina reaching only the base of the abdominal segment and inner wings. Males are generally dull light ochre with semi-transparent tegmina and glassy hyaline wings, whereas females vary from pale ochre-orange to russet coloration depending on local vegetation conditions. The species is rarely found on open desert floors, instead occurring in dry creek beds through scrub, pine, and juniper forest, and commonly sheltering under boulders.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Parcoblatta desertae: /ˌpɑrkoʊˈblætə ˈdɛzərˌti/
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Identification
Males distinguished from other Parcoblatta by combination of: pale , moderately decided pronotal , and width distinctly greater than ocellar width; unspecialized abdominal surface shared only with P. bolliana, which has dark head, very decided pronotal sulci, and compound eye width equal to ocellar width. Females distinguished from P. uhleriana (also with reduced wings) by: generally paler coloration, elongate subtriangular tegmina (vs. roundly subtriangular), and supra-anal plate edges forming broad weak triangle at base (vs. weakly concave convergence).
Appearance
Sexually dimorphic in wing structure and coloration. Males: dull light ochre body; blackish brown ; semi-transparent dull ochre tegmina; hyaline (glassy) inner wings; fully developed -capable wings. Females: tegmina reduced, reaching only to base of abdominal segment; inner wings small, pads; coloration variable— described as dull ochre-orange on , pronotum, and underside of with russet , , and abdominal dorsum; other specimens more intensely russet on head and thoracic tergites with shining blackish-brown abdomen. Both sexes: moderately decided (grooves) on pronotum in males; pale head in males (distinguishing from related ).
Habitat
Desert and semi-desert mountainous areas of central, south-central, and western Texas. Found on ground in dry creek beds through scrub, pine, and juniper forest. Rarely on open desert floor. collected under boulder in bare desert—a common thermoregulatory strategy among desert arthropods.
Distribution
to Texas, United States. Documented from Chisos Mountains, Shovel Mountain (Burnet County), Nueces River (Zavala County), Fort Davis, Johnstone (Val Verde County), Rio Frio, and Sabinal. GBIF records confirm presence in Texas only.
Behavior
Shelters under boulders in bare desert areas to avoid temperature extremes. Ground-dwelling in forested creek beds rather than open desert floor.
Similar Taxa
- Parcoblatta bollianaShares unspecialized male abdominal dorsum with P. desertae; distinguished by dark male , very decided pronotal , and width equal to (not greater than) ocellar width
- Parcoblatta uhlerianaFemales also have reduced wings; distinguished by darker rust to very dark coloration, roundly subtriangular tegmina, and supra-anal plate edges with weakly concave convergence
More Details
Color variation in females
Hebard (1917) noted that female color intensity correlates with vegetation : the from an area with 'decidedly reduced vegetation' was smaller and paler than three other females from better-vegetated areas, suggesting phenotypic plasticity or environmental influence on pigmentation.
Thermoregulatory behavior
The was found under a boulder in bare desert, representing a common strategy among desert-inhabiting animals to avoid climatic extremes.