Blattinae

Latreille, 1810

Genus Guides

Blatta
Neostylopyga(harlequin roaches)
Periplaneta
Shelfordella(Turkestan cockroach)

Blattinae is a of in the Blattidae, established by Latreille in 1810. It includes several of the most common household cockroach , notably Periplaneta americana (American cockroach) and Blatta orientalis (Oriental cockroach). The subfamily is characterized by male genitalia with diagnostic , and includes with diverse morphologies ranging from fully winged males to reduced-winged females in sexually dimorphic species.

Neostylopyga by (c) Amy Huie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Amy Huie. Used under a CC-BY license.

Snodgrass common household roaches by wikipedia. Used under a Public domain license.

Periplaneta australasiae underside by Harmer, S. F. (Sidney Frederic), Sir, 1862-; Shipley, A. E. (Arthur Everett), Sir, 1861-1927. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Blattinae: /ˈblætɪniː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Diagnostic features include male genitalia , particularly L4C and R1G sclerites. in wing development is common: males often with fully developed tegmina and wings, while females may have reduced squamiform tegmina reaching only the first abdominal tergite. Some exhibit unique chirally dimorphic male genitalia with stochastic left-right mirrored arrangements.

Images

Habitat

vary by : some occupy roadsides, grassy areas, and wild areas near human habitats in mountainous regions at elevations of 1160–2240 m; others are pests of urban areas, particularly sewer and wastewater systems in tropical and subtropical climates with warm, humid conditions.

Distribution

distribution for pest ; to tropical and subtropical climates. Documented in China (Sichuan: Miyi County, Mt Lushan, Mt Daheishan; Yunnan: Mt Ailaoshan, Kunming City, Yingjiang County, Menghai County, Mt Gaoligong, Yuxi City) and Penang Island, Malaysia (N 5° 21′ 24.67660′′, E 100° 17′ 58.62320′′).

Behavior

Mating involves female-produced that attract males, with males performing -specific courtship sequences. Interspecific attraction has been documented between species. Females exhibit -carrying behavior; oothecae are reddish brown, long with slightly broad ridge bearing serrations (11.4 mm long, 5.6 mm wide in observed species). Some species transit in human proximities and frequently occur in urban sewer and wastewater systems.

Ecological Role

Some are significant pest species spreading , causing public health concerns including asthma and allergies, and posing substantial threats as home allergens.

Human Relevance

Includes major household and urban pests of public health significance. such as Periplaneta americana and Blatta orientalis are among the most common pests in human dwellings. The draft of Periplaneta americana has been sequenced, providing genomic resources for research.

Similar Taxa

BlattellinaeAlso contains common household cockroaches such as Blattella germanica (German cockroach), but distinguished by different male genitalia structure and generally smaller body size; Blattinae tend to be larger with more robust builds

More Details

Chiral Dimorphism

Vittiblatta punctata exhibits unique chirally dimorphic male genitalia, with a stochastic left-right mirrored arrangement of genital structures—an exceptional discovery in .

Genomic Resources

Draft of Periplaneta americana sequenced from Penang Island, Malaysia: 15,064,661 assembly with 48,972 contigs (N50: 2089 bp), 36.69% GC content, available under NCBI SRA accession SRR23867103.