Brown-hooded Cockroaches

Cryptocercidae

Classification

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cryptocercidae: //ˌkrɪptoʊˈsɜːrsɪˌdiː//

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

Images

Cryptocercus clevelandi by Matt Berger. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Cryptocercus darwini by John P. Friel Ph.D.. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Cryptocercus punctulatus by Matt Muir. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
Cryptocercus wrighti by iNaturalist user: aiwendil. Used under a CC0 license.
MP - cryptocercus garciai 2 by Mark Pellegrini (Raul654). Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.
MP - cryptocercus garciai 1 by Mark Pellegrini (Raul654). Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.

Summary

Cryptocercus is a genus of wood roaches, the sole member of the family Cryptocercidae. It represents a link between cockroaches and termites, as it shows many characteristics that are shared with termites, suggesting a close evolutionary relationship.

Habitat

Temperate forests

Distribution

Holarctic, most diverse in China; 4 species in the Appalachians and 1 species in northwestern US

Diet

Wood

Ecosystem Role

Subsocial, their young require considerable parental interaction and they share wood-digesting gut bacteria with termites.

Evolution

Cryptocercus is more closely related to termites than to other cockroaches, with a common ancestor dating from the early Cretaceous.

Similar Taxa

Tags

  • Cryptocercidae
  • Cockroaches
  • Wood roaches
  • Subsocial behavior