Cockroaches
Guides
Arenivaga
sand cockroaches, desert cockroaches
Arenivaga is a genus of sand cockroaches in the family Corydiidae, comprising approximately 48 species distributed across the southwestern United States, Florida, and Mexico. These insects are highly adapted to arid environments, inhabiting sandy soils and dunes with moisture content below 1%. The genus exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, with winged males and wingless, fossorial females that 'swim' through sand. A 2014 revision by Heidi Hopkins added 39 new species to the previously known nine, revealing a remarkable radiation in desert habitats.
Blattella
Blattella is a genus of small cockroaches in the family Ectobiidae, distributed worldwide. The genus includes both domestic pest species, notably the German cockroach (Blattella germanica), and wild species such as the Asian cockroach (Blattella asahinai) and Japanese field roach (Blattella nipponica). Species within this genus exhibit diverse ecological preferences, ranging from human dwellings to outdoor habitats including mountainous regions and field environments.
Blattinae
Blattinae is a subfamily of cockroaches in the family Blattidae, established by Latreille in 1810. It includes several of the most common household cockroach species, notably Periplaneta americana (American cockroach) and Blatta orientalis (Oriental cockroach). The subfamily is characterized by male genitalia with diagnostic sclerites, and includes genera with diverse morphologies ranging from fully winged macropterous males to reduced-winged females in sexually dimorphic species.
Blattodea
cockroaches and termites
Blattodea is an order of insects comprising approximately 4,400 species of cockroaches and 3,000 species of termites. Formerly treated as separate orders, termites were subsumed into Blattodea based on genetic and molecular evidence demonstrating their evolution from within the cockroach lineage. The order exhibits remarkable diversity in social organization, ranging from solitary cockroaches to eusocial termites with complex caste systems. Together with Mantodea, Blattodea forms the superorder Dictyoptera.
Ectobiidae
Wood Cockroaches
Ectobiidae is a family of cockroaches in the order Blattodea, formerly known as Blattellidae. The family contains many of the smaller common household pest cockroaches, including the globally significant German cockroach (Blattella germanica). Members are sometimes called wood cockroaches. The family is distributed worldwide and includes several subfamilies: Blattellinae, Ectobiinae, Nyctiborinae, and Pseudophyllodromiinae. Many species are associated with human habitations, though others occupy natural habitats including wetlands, grasslands, and forests.
Ectobiinae
wood cockroaches
Ectobiinae is a subfamily of small to medium-sized cockroaches within the family Ectobiidae, characterized by morphological diversity and taxonomic complexity. The subfamily includes numerous genera distributed across Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean region, with several groups showing recent northward range expansion. Taxonomic revisions have revealed extensive cryptic diversity, with new genera such as Planuncus and multiple subgenera established based on detailed morphological analysis. Some species exhibit unusual reproductive strategies including geographic parthenogenesis.